Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-01-31


aw-hat unprecedented law called the repevn act-and
the law for the protection Of the citizens Of South Carroll
mall looking one obeet all 20 into operation that
day. lie had said all these pointed TO object To
what object did they point' The simple To
Notification OF existing laws: To violent resistance 10 tho
U. States.
Mr.. Calhoun rose aud said he could not sit silent and
permit such erroneous constructions to go forth South
Caona had never contemplated violent resistance to the
laws OF the United States.
MIR. Wilkins said he loss to understand how any
man could real the various OF the State OF South Ca
roa aud not that they lead cesSaly lead in
their consequences TO violent measures There had bceu
no t'ca on the pant OF South Carolina Of any di-pos
ton 10 Tctacc her steps
Up to the last moment tho President had been governed
by the hope that she would have been convinced of the
oil her course, aud have exhibited soc iuster con-
cepob OF her obligations TO the Concderacy OF which she
was member. No such dispositions had been evinced.
what did the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Mil
ler) when he said that all difficulties would be OBJ
rsted Congres should only pass this tariff law! What
WAS 10 be the alternative il such law passed be-
tween this and the LIST Of February! What he
was to he the alternatives? Why the tariff law to be
resisted aud in South Cardinal And was not
this To be considered violent resistance the laws! They
who had framed this bill, believed it to be- in every one
OF ITS provisions, strictly defensive Every provision was
defensive in lis character and intended meet the part-
colar crisis There was not on the face OF the BILL one
important provision Introduced which was not 10 be found
on reference TO the statute book Indeed the present
not so strong bill Congress under peculiar circum.
stances had passed before.
The Judiciary Committee. in framing it, had been par.
ucularly anxious Introduce any novel principle
any which could not lie found the statute book. The
only novel ono which the bill presented was one Of We
~ simple nature ltwa, that which authorized the Pre-
sdent under the particular circumstances which were
speclhed IN the bill, TO remove the Custom House This
was The only novel principle aud taken that in
providing Tor such removal authority given to use
force.
The committee were apprchcr<ve that some collision
might take place after the LIST ot February either
the conflicting parties OF tho citizens OF South Caroin,
or between the officers OF the Federal Government and
the citizen' And to far az possible all chance
OF such collision provision made that Collector
mi At f,. 81
'usom'house 10 place OF security; to use plain
phrase, put 1t out OF harms way. He admitted the inn
porance oil this bill; but lie viewed its importance as ais
ing not on oil the provisions OF the bill ITSELF but
the state OF affairs in South Carolina which the bill had
reference lntls view, il was of paramount imaor-
lance.
1t had become necessary TO lbcsatc on thi, subject.
whether &c WIS necessary pass the bill not he would
not say but legislation in reference South Carolina
previous TO the l't OF February had become necessary
omcthng must be done; and it behooves the Government
10 adopt every measure OF precauon TO prevent those
awful consequences which all must oresee necessarily
resulting iron the position which South Carolina ha,
thought proper to assume. He had objection To make
the bill tho special order Tor Monday bu,he hoped
no day more distant than'that would be fixed on.
Mr. Miller said, in substance, that the Senator from
pennsylvania had asked him "whatwas TO BIO the alter
native case the tariff bill pending should not pass
lie was not authorized 10 reply this question for the
State oil South Carolina. But lie would tell the Senator
that in his opiuen Congress obvate the existing
d!hcuIy by passing bill TO decrease the ,arduties
me passage oil even an initiating bill would obviae the
dfmcuI'y az the Convention Of South Carons must be
called again TO meet the contingency. He was not
prepared to say what kind of bill would satisfy Souh
CaronI but bill, whatever its character Womb
have the effect OF annulng the Ordinance The actual
state oil South CAroina this by virtue Of her reserved
rights She was about to throw OIL udcousy and peaceaby
burden which had been upon her Nv the b. States
Standing on their SOIL the people Of South Carolina
was about to rid themselves Of incubus which theY
had been subjected He would go into statement of
the operation OF this process though all its various ramif
cations; but lie contended, that gentlemen could not see
III the ordinance in the laws Of South Carolina any evil
nj
10 the laws II was mere phantom of excited ina.
glna'on whichhad produced the great alarm which
10 exist.
The Senator from Pennsy ania had said that South
Carolina did not retrsce her steps, when size was parcu
larry invited to do so by the President He (Mr Miller
did not now intend 10 say whether South Carolina was
gt or wrong IN the course she had taken But that State
had thought that the President had no right TO issue the
Proclamation which had from him The citizens of
uat State had thought, that under construction of con-
sutona right could they be deprived of the right TO as
sembie in their State, for the purpose of cndng
their own organic law; and that, when they did they
were TO bepu' down by Proclamation of the President OF
the United States The people OF that State believed that
III Issuing this Proclamation, the President had himself
oeeh guilty oil an unconstitutional and Unauthorized act.
hen the Senator from Pennsy Vania could show that
was the duty OF the citizens OF South Carolina TO refrain
from the exercise of their constitution, rights in defer
ence to The President Of the United States il would be
time enough 10 the charge he had made against
the State for not rctracing her steps
HE President had ia his opening message at the COM
mencemcnt OF the present session recommended mod-
cation and reduction OF the Tariff duties South Carolina
was ready 10 Afford 10 the friends the the long
est possible time 10 act ti. tom and for
this purpose he should vote postpone this bill 10 the most
remote day. He challenged those who rallied round the
President TO come and TO shew why il that thew
now wished to hurry the discussion othe bill The Pre-
sldent had said that the Tariff ought be repealed Let
Congress modify repeal the Tariff by IL o. clock on the
night Of the Bird OF March, and hc would undcrwrite the
State oil b Carolina that not act of violence would take
place, not drop OF blood would he shed. He would
therefore throw the responsibility OF any contingent vo
fence on Tie gentlemen who the Tcputed friends the
President II very well known that at the last ses
sion, when this subject disposed Of he had himself
slated on this floor every principle which contained
IN The ordnance Of South Carolina. He had tina,
the act of tho last session unconstitutional and that
the South would not he satisfied with it, From the nd
cations aoun him he at loss TO decide whether he
had been right wong.
The Senator from Penny wanna had said that there wa
no novel feature IN this bill, except that which authorized
the President TO establish floating custom houses The
b provided that III case Of any unlawful assembIdge
that IL, that IL some half dozen sailors were to assemble
together, and thus give color to the idea of an unlawful
assembage, and II this were TO be the custom
The President, having no greater love for South Carolina
than lie had Of any Northern State might have resort TO
force Another eXcepdonable provision in the bill was
that which gave The power 10 the officer 70 keep posses
sion oi the goods which he may have taken until the
amount OF the duties should be paid down in hard dollars
he State OF s. Carolina and the IT, States stood i'm
To each other as two travellers who may have
cd each other on hedge. II both would agree to keep
TO The right they might pass easily, but r they would
come ~ opbsiOn the stronger would pass over the
weaker. Now, the Committee on the Judiciary had OIL
ven TO the President power, whenever his collectors his
agents. or his minons asked TO call out the whole milf
tfry force IN ride rough shod the Liberties of the
People. If the Senator from Pennsy lvania wished TO
give an opportunity TO Congress to pass any which
would have the effect OF conclating South Carolina WHY
did he object TO the most retnoe dav vbcb was