Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-12-23

soldiers, "the volunteers of South Carolina"
and to introduce the most efficient organization |
and the highest possible state OF military I'm,
provements, in strategy, tactics, and genera
discipline. In this great labor, earnestly soil
cit and confidently anticipate your hearty CO.
'operation Some of the profoundest maxims OF
political wisdom. have been so long the mack
neyed themes Of defamation, that they nave
come 10 be regardedr as mere idle topics
for the hustings and the rostruIn, then as tne
basis Of a wise and practical statesman. Among
these maxms, none seems to have been more e.
minenty destined to be preached and not practl-
sed, than that which affirms that well regula-
ted and well trained militia is the palladium OF
our liberties To what portion of the whole
world is this maxim more strkingly applicable
than in the slave holding states, OF this confed-
eracy, and in which of these states should II De
more soemnly and impressively realized than
in South Carolina.
A very small endowment of that political sa
gacty which looks before and after will ena-
bic any statesman to perceive, without looking
very far back or very far forward, that among
the high Office of wisdom and patriotism TO pro-
vide, is the occurrence of crisis in our pohti-
cal relations, at no distant period, in which
South Carolina, in common perhaps, with all or
portion of the other states, will have to NAM
tain her sovereignty, and defend the rights ana
liberties of her citizens before the great trlou.
nal of ultimate resort. by muniments of title and
guarantees of quiet enjoyment, much more 2o-
tent and cfficacious than the miserable mockery
of blurred and obIiterated and tattered parc!l-
ment, the Constitution of the United States.
Ifcommunties will ever learn wisdom from
experience, can II be more than necessary 10
appeal to the impressive lessons we have receiV-
ed from the occurrences Of the last two years,
as an admonition for the regulation OF our future
policy? When my distinguished friend and pre-
decessor, entered upon the duties OF that station
which he so signaly illustrated by that rare COM
bnation Of prudence, patriotism, wisdom, ano
energy that has so largely contributed to carry
us triumphantly through the difficulties and perlls
of an unequal contest, what was the condition
and what the attitude of South Carolina? IL Is
true that almosther entire population, OF all ages
and might almost add seXes-were prepared
to march forward as fororn hope OF constitu.
tional liberty, animated by spirit not less sell
devotng and heroic than that which prompted
Leonidas and his three hundred Spartan follow
ers to offer up their lives at Thermoplya, Tor the
common liberties Of Greece.
And here, fellow citizens, permit me to say, that
it was proud and glorious day for South Caro-
lna when her public functionaries, in all the de-
partments of her government fired by spirit
of patriotic indignation which pervaded the
{ whole state with an electrical rapidly, hurled
back with scorn and contempt, that bloody edict
of federal despotism, which its infatuated advi-
sers confidently anticipated, would instantly in
duce a terror-stricken people to furl the banner
OF their pretended sovereignty, and PROSTATE 1t
at the feet of their oppressers! But no, thank
God, on that eventful occasion, South Carolina
exhibited a spectacle of the moral sublime, I'M
surpassed by any thing recorded in history.
standing alone amidst all the combined fury OF
the surrounding elements,
"Firm as rock Of the ocean, that stems
A thousand wild waves on the Shore"
| 1t was that imposing spectacle, and the prepa-
rations which followed it, that enlisted in our
cause the advocates of constitutional liberty
every where, and commanded the respect and
admiration even Of our oppressors; and it is not
to be doubted, that II was the unequlvocal evil
dence thus given that the state could not be dra-
gooned and frightened into submission, which,
operating upon the patriotism OF some and the
calculation of others, led to the adoption Of that
adjustment of the tariff, which restored harmo-
ny to the country.
But never look back to that trying and peri
lous crisis without instinctivey shudderng at
the reflection, that if the madness of the fede
raj authorities had driven the country to the
dreadful extremity of a civil war, thousands Of
the chivary Of the State would have been
slaughtered by federal mercenaries, solely for
the want of that strategic and tactical skill in
the officers, and that exact discipline in the sol
diers which could only be acquired by assidu-
Gus study and laboriOus training. Let US not,
then, permit ourselves to be lulled into fatal
security by the peace and unexampled prospe-
rity which have crowned our eXertlonS, or sc
duced by the spirit of acquisition, or the allure
ments Of Incidence, to relax our efforts to put
the State in an "armor and attitude" adapted
to the worst emergency that can arise. 1t is a
melancholy reflection, forced upon us by histo-
ry, that skilful generals and well trained armies,
have been generally found fighting for emperors
and kings or in wars of ambition and conquest,
while the cause of liberty has been almost ex
cusively defended by armies badly trained,
comm anded, to be sure, by brave patriots,
but hardly ever by great captains. Let us blot
out from the page of history this deep reproach
upon free institutions.
Liberty is surely as well worth the labor and
TOLL and expense of military preparation as any |
object of ambition possibly can be; and we
have read history to very little purpose, if we
have yet to learn that, in this world of injustice
and violence, liberty can be preserved only by
beng prepared to defend it. But for State
having the peculiar institutions, and occupying
the peculiar position of South Carolina, to think
of preserving her liberties without vigorous
state Of military preparation, is thatsort ofmad