Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-20
!. SOUTH CAROLINA CONVENTION.

venlent
SOUTH CAROLINA CONVENTION.
The Committee to whom was referred the com.
muncation Of the Honorable B. w. LEIGH,
Commissioner from the State OF Virginia, and
other matters connected with the subject, and
the course which should be pursued by the
Convention at the present important crisis of
our political affairs, beg leave to
REPORT (IN rAnr)
That they have had under consideration. the
act passed at the late sessiun OF Congress, to mo-
dify the Z" act of the 18th of July, 1882, and
all other acts imposing duties upon Imports and
have duly deliberated on the course which it be-
comes the people Of South Carolina to pursue at
this interesting crisis in our political affairs 1t
| is now upwards Of ten years since the people
aud constituted authorities of this State, took
ground against the protecting system, as " uu.
constitutional, oppressive, and un just." and so
lemnly declared, IN language which was then cor
daily responded to by the other Southern States,
that it never could be submitted to " as the set
tied policy of the country" After rrmonstrat-
ing for years against this system in vain, and
making every possible effort to produce redress
of this grievance by invoking the protection
OF the consultation, and by appealing to the JUS
tice of our brethren, We saw. during the session
of Congress, which ended in July last. modih.
cation effected avow edlv as the final adjustment
Of the Tariff, to take effect after the complete ex
| tingulshment Of the public debt. BY which the
protecting 81 stem could only be considered as
rivetted upon the country forever. Believing
that under these circumstances, there was no hope
of an, further reduction of the duties from the
ordinary action of the federal government; aud
convinced that under the operation vi this sys-
TEN the labor and capital of the plantation states
must be forever tributary to the manufacturing
states, aad that We should In effect be reduced to
condition of colonial vassalage, South Carolina
felt herself constrained, by Just regard for her
own rights and interests, by her love OF liberty
! and her devotion to- the Constitution, 10 inter
pose in her sovereign capacity Tor the purpose OF
arres,ing the progress Of the evil, and maintain
ing, within her own limits, the authorities, rights
aud liberties apperta,nins TO her as 3 sovereign
state. .9rdeafiy attached TO the anton Of the
the States, the people Of South Carolina were
still more devoted to the rights of the States,
without which the Union itself would cea>e to lie
blessing; and we'll convinced that the regula.
ton of the whole labor and capital OF this vast
confederacy by great central Government must
lead inevitably to the total destruction OF our
free institutions. they did not hesitate To throw
themselves fpariessly into the breach, to arrest
the torrent Of usurpation which was sweeping
be fore ii al! that was truly valuable in our poti-
cal system.
The effect Of this interpositinn, if it has not
equaIled our wishes, has been beyond what ex-
listing circumstances would have authorized US to
expect The spectacle of a single State, unaid
| ed and alone, standing up for her rights-,ntlu.
enced by no other molve than sincere desire
to maintain the public liberty, and bring about
saluIary reform in the Administration of the Go.
verrn,ent, has reused the attention of the whole
country, and has caused many to pause and re
| tiect.> who have heretofore seemed madly bent
| the contamination vt scheme 0t policy absolute
" fatal 10 the liberty OF the peuple, and the pros
per,ty of large portion of the Union. Though
reviIed and slandered by those whose pecuniary
or political interests stood in the way Of a salts.
factory adjustment of the cOntro'ersy-deserted
| BY many to whom she had right to look tor sue
cour and support, and threatened with violence
| from abroad. aud cow WILSON'S within. South Ca.
rnlina, conscious Of The rectiude Of her inien-
lions and the justice Of her cause. has stood I'M
moved, 6rmly resolved TO maintain her 'lOer-
ties, or perish 10 the conflict. The result has
heen a beneficial modification OF the Tariff Of
1882, even before the time appointed for that
act TO 60 into effect; and within few months at
ter its enactment, accompanied bv provision
for gradual reduction Of the duties TO the reUe
nue. standard Though the reduction provided
for BY the Bill. which has just passed. is, neither
in ITS amount or the time when it is to 60 into ef
feet, such as the South had a right to require;
yet such an approach has been made towards the
true principles on which the duties on imports
ought to be adjusted under our system. that the
People OF South Carolina are willing 80 far to
yield to The measure as to agree that their Ordi-
nance shall henceforth be considered as having
no force or effect Unequal and oppressive as
the system Of revenue BY duties upon imports
must be upon the Agricultural States. which fur.
nish more than two-thirds of the domestic ex.
ports Of the United States, vet South Carolina
always has been, aud still is wiling to make
large sacrifices 10 the peace and harmony of the
Union. Though she believes that the protecting
system is founded in the assumption Of powers
not granted by the Constitution to the Federal
Government vet abe has never insisted on such |