Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-15

inc TO be superior, and 10 have a right. in r
nv important respects, 10 exercise Legislative 49,
thori,y. Thinking thus authority To nave h.s,
usurped or abused, the American colonje. na.
the United States, babe it defiance, and cs.I
themselves from II by means Of reyoIu,o,
But thar revolution left them with their avn -,
nicipal laws still, and the forms of local Go,sra
ment If Carolina now shall eifectuaIly ,s.,.
the laws of Congress. If she shall be her 0a.
Judge, take her remedy INTO her own hand. oh, ,"
the laws Of thu Union when she plsa, e., and d:
obey them when she plea>e.. she viii rcirs,s no.
SELF from paramount power Il, d>lir.,ly as,bo
American colonies did the same thin. IN l--C
In other words, she will achieve. as to herself,
revolution.
But. sir. while practical nuliiica,ion in Sou,s
Carolina would b., as 10 herself. actual and d..
t,nct revolution. its necessary tendency mus, .,
so be to spread revolution. and to break up n.
constitution. a, to all the other States. II ,1la.
deadly blow at the vital principle of the whuI.
Union. To allow State resistance To the ,,,
OF Congress to BE- rlsh'fuI and proper. to ADM,
nuIl6cailnn 10 some States, aud yet not e,ps,,
to see a ACKNOWLEDGMENT Ut the entire Govern
ment. appears to me the widest illusion, and III.
most extravagant folly. The gentleman seem,
not conscious of the direction or tie rapidly If
his own course. The current Of his Opinion,
sweeps him along, he knows not whnher IA
begin with qualification, with the avowed intent.
nevertheless, not to proceed to secession, d..
memberment. and general revolution, is as il
one were to take the plunge Of Niagara aud ,ry
out that he would stop half way down. In III,
one case, as in the other, thu rash adventure
must 90 to the bottom of the dark ABYSS below
were It not that that abyss ba. no discovered
bottom.
Nullf alton, il successful. arrests the pow,
of the law, absolves citizens from their durr
subverts the foundation both Vt protection and
obedience, dispeDses with Oaths and "b saiOn
Of allegiance, and elevates another authority 10
supreme command. Is not this revolution: All
it raises to supreme command four and tuenrr
distipct powers, each protesting to be under
General Government, and yet each sri'ln. il
laws at defiance al pleasure. Is nat this ana.
civ, as well as revolution? SIR, the cuns,llauc
of the United States was received as a ShOp,
and for the whole country. II II cannot stand
aItOgethpr. it cannot stand in part; and, II III.
laws cannot be executed every where, they caa
not long be executed any where. The senle
man very well knows that all duties and mpO>.
must b. uniform throughout the country. lie
knows that we cannot have one rule or one lv
Tor Snuth Carolina. and another for other State,
He must see, therefore. and does see, every nan
sees, that the only alternative is a repeal Of the
laws, throughout the whole Union. or their exc
cuti0n in Carolina ae we'll as elsewhere. Aud |
this repeal is demanded because single STATE
49, h,r th,o atous -
The result of the gentleman's opinions, or
rather the very text Of his doctrine, is, that 10
act of Congress can bind all the States. the con
,titutlouaiity of which i, not admitted by aI;G
in other words, that no single State Is bound
against its own dissent, BY alaw uf lmpo'ts-
This is precisely the evil experienced under he
old confederation, and for remedy OF which his
constitution was adopted. The leading Object
in establishing this Government, an object ora
on the country BY the condition Of the times afd
the absolute necessity OF the law, was to give
Congress power TO lay and collec, impo,l' rli
out the consent ofparticular STATES. Ther~
Iu,ionary debt renamed unpaid; The nation
treasury was bankrupt; the country wa des'Ivs
of credit; Congress issued its acquisitions on '''
States, and the States neglected them; there W.
no power Of coercion but war; Consres' rO19
not Law mpos,s, or other taxes, by It's Own "
thoritv, the whole General Government, nH'
fore, was little more than name. Inc afU"r
Of confederation. rs to purposes oil revenue 81
fin .nce. were nearly dead letter lie eO''
try sought to escape from this condition. a. o''
feeble and disgtaceful, by constituting G''Fl
ment which should have power OF lse' TO "a!
ties and taxes, and to pay the public Debt .
provide for the general welfare; and to Id' I,'
duties and taxes in all the States, without a',"
the consent of the State Governments ~
was the very power on which the new eo"'"g
ton was to depend for all us ability I" 10 g.,
and, Without it, il can be no GoVefbmeH' ~
or al any time. Yet. sir. it i.prpcI'e',y 'sNs
this power, so absolutely IndIspen'aOe Co., -
very being cf the Government, that souI , ~ +,
lima directs her ordinance. She at'a'"
Government in its authority to ral'' 'F't~
the very main spring Of the whole sy'u"'
il she succeed, every movement OF tl a ",
must inevitably cease. IT., OF no a'a'' V'a' r.
declares that she does not resist the 'a' s'r,,
venue law. but as law for protecting "'"' II.
lures. It is a revenue law; 1t Is tue ",!
bv fnrce of which the revenue Is coheIVo'"
b. arrested in any State, the revenue t 'o,.
that State; it is. in word, the soe 't.'"s
the Government for the mean, oil m''"'''''"-