Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-03-15

from the embargo times, so applicable as the GIo,,
supposes. Whatever the "maladyr be i'm the
sent case, still il is that ola State, acting in her sove-
reign capocity.-Whereas, during the embargo. they
were smugglers, and other private citizens, acnnfg
without color of State law or State sovereignty.-
This alone makes all the odds in the world.
But we would put aside this cup, also, from pru-
dence us well as from principle. Ii was the part ofthe
Federal Government to have put 5. Carolina COM
pietely in the wrong-to have contrasted its modera-
ton with her precipitate recklessness-to have
fallen behind her in the tone of its measures-and
to have carried public sentiment along with it, las
the Message was doing, until the unfortunate Pro-
clamation appeared)EThis was the best course to
put the Nulifiers to shame; and 70 have carried the
whole South with the Government.-But, now, il
has given the Nullifiers some cause of complaint
and still more cause for clamour.-Mr. Calhoun
means to make this very bill the ~rallying point for
his opposition-to paint it first as dark as he can
as the Bloody Bill, ms the bill to authorize the tyrant
to cut the threats of all the women and children i'm
>. Carolina!-and oy much adroitness, to put out OF
view his own obnoxious Notification, under the
smoke he is now raising.
The Globe knows better than we do what was
dong mt Washington-and how any attempt was
made "to give a triumph to the nullifiers"-but we
claim to know something of what is doing here
and the sentiment which prevails i'm the South and
we do assure its Editor, that the very best way TO
defeat any triumph on the part of the nullifiers,
would have been TO &" let them down the wind"-
and TO give them no handle for Glamour or for crit
cism. We know that this is the opinion of most of
the friends of the Administration among us-that it
was their decided wish that no such bill should pass
lit IS u source of deep regret with most of them,
that 1t has passed. We are satisfied, too, that with
out suffering themselves TO be misled about the mo-
tives of the President, or the actual provisions of the
bill-and without permitting themselves to be in
famed by the designs of Mr.. Calhoun, they are anx-
ious to see every thing brought back to its former
condition-every vestige of this artificial state of ex-
element done away-and they are determined to
contribute to the yepeal Of the act at the next session
of Congress.
Such are the viewsw we have expressed, both pri-
vately and publicly in letters or in print, as to the
course which should have been pursued, towards S.
Carolina. They are views, we have much consi-
dered and long made up-and which we express
now and ut all times. We do not understand the
doctrine of the Egyptian priests-to hold one Ian
guage Tor the initiated, and another for the people.
The S. c. Conveniion.-The Charleston Mercury
OF the 9th iiarps upon the Enforcing Act. 1t de-
clares, that "the Simultaneous passage" of this Act
"has ut once removed all honorable obligations from
this State to abide the Tariff arrangement"-that she
is not "therefore pledged" to this arrangement
NOR is Virginia, with or without the enforcing billy
And then it adds:
"But though thus completely liberated from the EN-.
barrassment OF a pledge, it is not probable that our Con-
venion will disturb the new Tariff arrangements. The
ultimate surrender Of the principle of projection which
has been gained, and the mediation of one of the sove-
reign parties OF the confederation-wil have their weight
and IL tie people are content TO pause, they NAV now
await the promised &C. cooperation of Virginia-ior, be it
remembered, that the passage of the force bill relieves not
only us, but Virginia and all the South from the obliga.
ton OF a PLEDGE
We say again, that with or without the Collection
Bill, we do not hold Virginia pledged to swallow the
Tariff Act, right or wrong. But what does the Mer-
curry mean by the %'promised cooperation" of Vir-
glnia? Does it mean that we are pledged to CO.
operate with ;. Carolina in her mad measure of
Notification? Our Legislature disclaimed that here
it mean, that they promised to cooperate
with her in resisting this Tariff Actor this enforc-
ing Act? They gave no such pledge. Indeed, both
these Acts were passed after her general resolutions
were adopted. If it only means, that the majority of
the citizens of Virginia were against the Enforcing
Blll-and that they will cooperate with S. Carolina,
through their representatives in the next Congress-,
to repeal IL, both these circumstances highly proba-
.Dle-but surely no such "co-operation" has been
promised to South Carolina.
The Mercury thus winds up its long-winded ar
ticle:
"The Convention will no Doubt he cautious moi to Iesslote n r,,.
n c "a Is expected from them by their constituents: they will not,
we trust, interfere with any Of the settled institutions of the State. or
attempt any To-oIganization OF its Government in matters not imme.
diatey connected with the purpose Of their election, viz: the ehectuaI
ru'cnCe D. me state hgainst Inc unconstitutional cxaction of duties
"f ~ protection oil manufactures. But 1t will be for their discretion
to decide, whether consistently with this purpose, they ought moi to
provide permanent safeguards for our rights, by distinctly recognizing
inc sovereign rights " state interpretation and secession, NJ mart Of
ina constitution ofthe State; and by prescribing an oath ofparamount
allegiance TO tho State, to he taken by all State officers, and a s part
OF the condition of citizenship for all persons bcreancr IN hc na,,.
Iahzed. Or ifthey forbear to make these amendments themselves
hey may recommend them tob made by the legislature in tho otdi.
nary mode of amending the constitution, which will ALLOW fni lin 70
the people to decide on their cxpediency. One thing they will doubt
less ordain, viz: that the Enforcing Bill $ null and void, and sanction
uhat ordinance by the severest penalties on all who shall ever be gull
y OF an attempt TO enforce 1t in this State" -
The HaMpurdL-The Charleston Poet ;s cor,rol