Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-09-17
PROSPECT BEFORE Us.

PROSPECT BEFURE US.
Mr.. Calhoun SAYS, in recent letter declining
an invitation to attend public dinner TO which
he was invited. as follows:
IL say ill restored, not withou, Due and de.
Iibrrate consideration OF the full import oil hi:
tern utter It under a painful, but sOIemh
conviction Of its truth. that we are no Ongeri
free people-a people living under Con,tig'
ton. as the guardian of their rights; but urde;
the absolute will of an unchecked majority,
winch has usurped the power to do as 1t pIea'e'.
and to enforce its pleasure at the point oil tho
bayonet-a power, according 10 my conception
constituting the very essence OF despotIsm, b.
the form Ut government what It mayj that Of
one. the lew, or the many. This condition, We
had been long approaching; and to i, we are nov
absolutely reduced by the Proclamation and
Force Act.
.Let no one deceive himself into the beI'f
that these Wrannlcal and Iawiess measures Dc
not subyprt the constitution and destroy liberty,
because they have not yet been carried out Io'
their cruel and bloody consequences. II belong
10 slaves and not fraemen, 10 measure their @''
yltude by the tyranny actually felt, and not b.
the violation Of great and fundamental PnnE'
plies.
4" The Government has assumed despoiic p0F
er; and let Us not forget, what experience tesei
es, that when such assumption Is not prompts
met and put down, such power in the hand d
government never lies dormant. It's progress
will soon be traced 10 blood.
." 10 thus freely denouncing these odlOu' iN
acts, my object Is admoNiIof'
and not excitement; to rouse to speedy res
Of liberty and the constitution, and not TO "ea.t
our attachment 70 the Union, or our adMI'ao'
political institutions II is, in fact, the s"f:
attachment that feel for the Union, and "s
profound admiration for our institutions, "ti''
have excited the deep indignation feel ssa''''
the measures by which they have been O''
thrown, and which threaten to erect on their u
ms the mos, corrup, and oppressive sys'e" o. G.
spotism upon earth ltrests with US OF the sos'
to saw whether such shall b. the erd OF our bp'I'
cal experiment, which once afforded. AMI u'''
will again, such high hopes To The iTend' Of l'Oe'
ty over the world. The pressure OF de'po',
power will first fall on u; and u We do ''
meet it. with the lofty and Determined spirit
freemen. ready to sacrifice all, rather than SUI
render our liberty, our doom. and that Of 20"
institutions, will be fixed forever. The cons
lidating of all power in the government W.
terminate the experiment; and consolidation ~
liberty are, from their nature. forever d. ''''.
Under no circumstance can they co exist
long, then, as the act Of blood stains our saw
book, and the sovereignty of the States P,'ss
caIIy denied BY the government. so long WI" u
the duration Of our political bondage"
Mr.. McDu6fe, too, in his recent speech
Athens, ga made use Of these obser'a'''o''
"What, then, is the duty Of every eI''len
the Southern States, who feels the sacred OUYs'
ton Of transmitting unimpaired to his en!G't
the precious inheritance Of freedom. wn,'n
ancestors purchased with their blood: IL ".
were the last words had to utter, | wou'o
to my fellow citizens Of the South. "be P'g',
ed to defend your liberties in every forn,' a1s
every hazard, and as soldiers OF consilta"0,'
liberty, sleep on your arms" Meianen"y , sf
rience has taught US the impotence OF q. Pc'.a
ment securities for our rights and we nave w. w.,
that this is true. now and here. which n'' ~
true in all ages and countries, that no Pe"P, /,
long preserve their liberties, who have w. e
spirit, and who are not prepared, to de'eo" w.
in every form in which they may he a''a" S,s
"It is high time that the southern ..r,.
should awaken from their slumber Of 'a,se ,,I
rity. and. offering up every selfish ieeI,"s a,.r.
jealousy, on the altar Of p ,"
prepare for united struggle for eon'"'J d,,sr
liberty. Already have our adv'rsarles ,nso,,5
their lines around the citadel, and eomms",I
their approaches according to the most sw loo:
system Of attack; and God only knows W. ,,sochs
i may be before they will open tn 'Trls, hes
md commence their cannonade' unu hat
do sincerely oe's''