Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-12-23
Daily paper
Country paper
Gov. McpUrrIE's INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
50 per annIum.
5 per 2num'

fI
,;ted in INV bosom by the generous support and |
.,,S,s;ninC confidence have uniformly receiv- |
"A from the people of South Carolina, ever since |
first entered into their service, as represen,
,at;ve i'm this Hall, il would be the distinguished
honor thew have now conferred upon me, by |
vour kind and partial agency, in summoning me
10 the helm OF their affairs, in manner so hign-
Iv Atttering to me- and under auspices so ex-
c.edingly gratifying to US all But whiie we
rejoice, as every patron must, III tue
Of harmony to the 100 long oisTacG
cd counsels of the State. let us not be tempted
10 withdraw our most vigllant attentoh rom the
IA oers which surround US, or to neglect the cor
duties Of precaution and prepare
,;on thew so inperiously enion upon US. 1t can
not he disgnised that we have reached an
eventfu era in the history, not only OF SCUM
Carolina, but Of the whole American Coniede-
racy, and whether our descendants, OF the very
next generation, shall recur to it with exulta-
t;on and pride as an era Of constitutional hoer-
,y or with humiliation and sorrow, as an era oil
co,solid .ted despotism, will very much depend
unon the manner in which We now dlscharge
the duties of our respective stations In entering
upon the high and eminently responsible trust
Won have committed to my hands, bring win
me gentlemen. if nothing else, an absolute and
unonalified devotion to the State OF South ga
roI;na After an absence ofthirteen years IN the
councils of the Federal Government return u
the councils of the State, with heart uha''emd-
ted nv absence unseduced from lis true aiie-
O;ancs nv the Establishments of federal power,
Sd mndefIed by the worship Of false gods and
e,ra;gn IDOLS Having anXiouSly and attentive
~ marked the progress, and studied the tenden-
-, ofthe Federal Government during the Whoie
neriod of nv service in Congress, am ui III
~ and solemnly impressed with the conVicuoh'
that the sovereignty Of the several STATES, prac-
.;c.liv asserted and maintained, is the only bar
&c, xvhich can arrest the Federal Government
in its fatal proclivity towards absolute despo-
,;sr, and the only means under heaven, Dy winch
the rights, the liberties, or the property OF the
nlantinp States, can be rescued from Impending
5estruction And have the more commence III
this opinion because it has been gradually anu
daliherately formed, as the result OF actual op-
sar,,at;on and experience, in opposition to the
nrsconceiyed theories Of youth and inexperi-
ppncs with which entered upon the theatre OF
public life. ,.,,oa - N.
crucible of an executive proclamation, OF VI
speculative theory, history bears test'mony' 'ia'
the States are in point oil TACT, elSlnGl a.'u
rte communities, mutually independent OF each
other. and each possessing the inherent ana
nnder;vcd attribute Of sovereignty. Not only
are thew separated geographically. and oy DIS
tinct and independent political organiZauon,
but thew are still more practically separated oy
the diversity Of their staple productions Great
80 direct and irreconcilable conflict OF In
terest between the exporting and manniact"r-
inc States, as decided as ever existed between
any twoindependent nations, ancient or mouern'
II i for example, the undouoted interest,", as II Is
the sacred right of the planting States, 10 ex-
change their staples for the manufactures vi hu-
ZOOS free from every obstruction or lncum-
hrance II is the interest of the manufacturing
S,atos to abstract incumber, and even promo
- COMMERCE of exchange, between the planting
states and the manufacturing nations OF Europe:
and because il is their interest," they nave avail
cd themselves of the aScendency oi superior
nnmbers i'm the federal Legislature, TO impose
h;.,h "a nrohibiting duties on imported manu-
f,c,ures in violation oil every principle OF natural
;ns,ice and the most sacred of our constitutional
r;ghts A more vital opposition oflnterest cannot
he conceived Rut the full extent ana oeptn Oh
the danger which impends over the pianung
states has not yet been disclosed, and del cafe as
the SUBJECTS, feel It to be my paihiTn uuy ~
nresent il distinctly to your view. Inc great
Agricultural staples Of the planting States, are
nrodncsd nv a species Of labor, peculiar to those
states. and cannot be successfully produced by
anv other II is demonstrable that cotton couio not
he nroduced by the labor Of hired freemen, ior
double the average price II mas co"i'na . 49,
ten wears past. As ii is the cheapness on'y oi
onr stsnles of expectation, that enables US 10 I'M
nort foreign manufactures cheaper IMAM tney
ran'be made by American manufacturers,
IL obvious that the abolition ofthat KIND OF iaoor
which is the basis of our wealth and prosperity,
would annihnate at a SlTSIc oioN, euos Sh.i'N
branch Of foreign commerce, which brings the
Industry Of the exporting States into competition
With that ofthe manufacturing States. Here,then
= ,he deem foundation of our past oppression
and our future danger The labor OF hired rec
men cannot successfully contend with the LABOR
IF slaves: and it has been and openly avowed
in Congress. by distinguished representative,
that theabor Of Northern freemen should nev,
er he mt in equal competition with the labor OF
Southern slave With these facts before his
ewes, can any Southern statesman. VINO Is not
blinded by some strange infatuation, con'em-
Mate the relative position Of the Southern States,
without being deeply impressed with the sense
of their insecurity
Here is a conflict of pecuniary interest be-
tween seperate and distinct communities OF men,
aggravated by the prejudices of blind fanan-
cism against our domestic institutions, on the
part of large portion of the people Of the North
ern and Middle States. And shall we. under
these circumstances, fold our arms in fatal apa-
tbv and permit the Federal Government, to es'
:. bl;sh lis supremacy aud omni2otence upon the
Inverted sovereignty of South Carolina? When
se that il is the interest Of those states which
control the operation of the Federal Govern
SOhaUA and Destroy on