Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-01-30
CONGRESS.

In the Senate on Monday. the Bill reported
BY the Judiciary Committee coming up
Mr.. Wilkins rose IN support Of the bill The
position. he said, in which you, Mr.. President,
have placed the, IN relation TO this body. imposes
on me the duty of introducing the present Dill
to the Senate, and Of explaining ITS provisions
Ia my mode of discharging this duty, DO mol
consider myself as the representative OF other
gentlemen ON the Committee; those gentlemen
possess competence, far beyond nine, To ex'
plain and defend the power of the General uo'.
eminent 10 carry into effect It's constitutional
laws. The bill Is founded upon message from
the President, communicated on the 9th instant,
and proposes to sustain the cons!ltntonality ot
the doctrines laid down IN that admired stare
naper. In the outset of tine discussion. II Is adj
mlted that the bill points to an affecting state
of things existing in Southern State OF Tie
Union; il is not To be disguised that it points to
the State of south Carolina. 1t is not in the
contemplation Of the Committee who reported
this bill to make il assume, in any way. an inv,-
dious character. When the gentleman from D
Carolina threw out the suggestion, that the Dill
was inyidious. he certainly did not intend to i'm
pute to the Committee a design to give 1t such
character. Sn far from being Invdious, the bill
was made general and sweeping. in It's terms and
applic alton, for the reason that this course was
thought to be delicate in regard to the State
concerned. The provisions OF the bill were
made general, for the purpose OF enforcing eve
| nv where the collection laws Of the Union.
| The bill presents three very important and
| momentous considerations. Is there any thing IN
the circumstances of the country calling for le-
sislation OH the subject of the revenue laws! Is
| the due administration OF those laws threatened
with impede menis land is this bill suited to such
an emergency: He proposed To consider these
| points, but in desult0ry manner. lie never
IN uuk from any moral or political responsibility,
but he had no disposition Ito use the words of the
Senator from NORTH Caroina) ia" drum on pub
lie sensibity." Neither hr, nor the State which
he represented had any inyuencs in bringing up
| these questions, but ! ain prepared to meet the
crisis BY my votes.
1t is time. continued Mr.. W.. that the princi.
| pies on which the Union depends were discussed.
It is time that Congress expressed an opinion up
on them. 1t is time that the People should bring
their Judgment to bear this subject. and settle
| it forever. The authurity of Congress and OF
| the People must settle this question one day or
other. There were many enlightened men in the
country. men whose integrity and patriotism no.
| body doubts, who had arrived at opinions IN this
|
tor from South Carolina knows, said Mr.. W.,
the respect in which hold him; but am unwil-
ling to take his judgment on this question as the
guide of mine; and will not agree that the Unit
on depends on the principles which he has ad-
vanced lie has offered document as plea in
bar; if it be established. then bar is interposed
between the powers Of the Government and the
| acts of 5. Carolina.
| The bill is OF great importance. not on account
of its particular provisions, but of their appIca'
ton to a rapidly approaching crisis. which they
| were intended to meet. That crisis was in the
control Of this body, not Of any branch Of the
| Government. H. would ask the Senator from
Mississippi (Mr. Poindexter) what authority he
| had to say that the passage Of any bill reducing
the Tariff would avert the enforcement of the
Ordinance of South Carolina? lie vas unwil.
ling to consider that Senator as the representa-
tive of the unlimited authority and sovereignty
claimed by the State of South Carolina. lie
would now present to the Senate vIe~ of the
position in which South Carolina had placed
herself, in order to justify the Committee 10 re-
porting the bill under consideration. II was not,
sir, for the purpose of establishing Auxiliary
despotism, nor Of creating an armed DIctatur.
nor of sending into South Carolina military
bands to ''cut the throats Of women and chill
ufe0, tOdI Tue t,OInWItNcc TdHIcu tie uh'' ~
any thing can ever establish a military despotism
in this country, it is the anarchy and confusion
which the principles commended for by the sena-
tor from South Carolina will produce. II We
keep together, not &" ten years, nor tens Of thou
sands Of years will ever bring the country under
the dominion Of military despotism., But adopt
the principles Of South Carolina. break the Union
| into fragments chirftain may bring the
! fragments toyether-but 1t will be under mill
tary despotism. He would not say that South
Carolina contemplated this result, but he did say
that her principles would lead to 1T. South Car
DINA, not being able longer to bear the burden
| of an oppressive law, had determined on resist
ance.
The excitement raised in the State, gave TO
the party majority in the legislature OF the
State, and a convention was called, under the
provision of the State constitution, authorising
its amendment. The convention met, and pas
sed what is called the Ordinance, establishing
new and fundamental principles. Without re.
peating it, he would call the attention of the
senate to some few of its provisions. Ii over