The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-12-04
MESSAGE OF THE GOVERNOR OF
SOUTH CAROLINA.

This document was delivered to the Legisa-
ture convened at Columbia on the 23d instant.
The Governor congratuates the people of his
State on their "reviving prosperity from the
unexampled depression and embarrassment Of
the times" This he justly ascribes to (" wise
and vigilant economy in the people" and adds
that they shave cause to exult in the hope, that
our Government may nop be regarded as hav-
ing passed 10 security through the most trying
and difficult exigences, that ever tried its vir-
tue or tested its stability" a gas
In reference to the anticipated and dreaded
measures of the ultra Wings, previous to their
separation from the national Executive, the
message proceeds to say:
"Among these abortve expedients, none was re-
garded with more intense and absorbing solictude,
than the proposition to re-establish National Bank
On occaSion has the exercise Of the Conservative
power vested in the Federal Executive, been received
with appreciation by the people OF this State,
or been more wisely and fortunately interposed to
rest the most dangerous and obnoxious OF all the
meditated violations Of the Constitution. Of all the
great of national policy, productive of the
bterest contention among the great parties of this
Union and which has aliodys and justly been regard
ed as aught with the most powerful Influences flor
good or for evin on our political institutions, the estab
lshment of National Bank is certainly the most OBJ
vious and important. If such has been the expert
of the country in the primitive and purer ages of
the Republic under the regulations of Bank, arts
ing out of the endorsements of the first war; and
the exigencies of the last-of comparatively limited
capital and directed by the wisest and ablest officers
what to anticipate from an institution organ
lied as the instrument of party then in power-ope-
rating amidst the ruins of dsordered currency, and
the wreck weakness and dismay, Of State and local
institutions. The expring struggles Of the late Uni
ted States Bank to perpeuate its existence against
the fiat Of the people, and the constituted authorities
of the country are recent in the recollection Of all Of
US, and form important epoch in the history OF our
Government" ..n"a. ..a. %...r., s. ,.,. .... .
Abiding to the pernicious powers of Ma
tional Bank and the intimations of the friends
of such an institution, to rend the Constitution
in such manner as to force the country to sub
nit to their unholy desires, he thus continues:
1t was an honest confession, of one of the ablest
presiding officers of the late United States Back, be-
fore committee appointed by Congress to investigate
its affairs, that it at any time within its power to
crush State and local institutions What an appal-
ing fact for the contemplation of the Sovereign States
Of the Union What prophetic warning to the in
stitutons chartered by their authority The nstitu
tons of the country to be uprooed and erased at the
bidding Of heartess soulless cent per cent. cacu-
lang corporation! The rights of the States, and the
Liberties of the people to be subjected to the dominion
the supremacy law liberty, and the constitution,
to which such institution would inevitably have at
tanned Encroachments upon the Liberties of the peo-
pe in other times and nations were to be apprehend
ed from the swords of conqueroIs and the usurpations
Of ambitious rulers; but experience has shown that
in our age and country the strongest contests to
maintain constitutional, and even sovereign rights,
have been waged against an ambitious noney potoer,
in all its various forms OF Bank monoPolies, and pro-
tectiye tariffs. WE'LL therefore, may we congratulate
the country on having escaped the ambitious pieten-
sons of an institution which, after imperiousy die
tating the Illuminating duty to the Federal Executive
of violating his constitutional obligations now threat
ems, through the vengeance Of disappointed party,
the rash and Ubiquitous retritution, of aboshing the
useful and conservative Of all the prerogaives
of his department"
The Governor deprecates the Protective Poll
CIV resorted to in the revision of the duties on
imports. He alludes to the former opposition OF
his State to tariff for protection, and intimates
in unequivocal terms that its preparations for
defence are still in readiness and requisition."
He is clearly Of opinion that the spirit of COM
promise of 1888, should still be adhered to. In
connection with this subject he expresses his
views freely in opposition to the Distribution
the people:
at was enough to have borne all this with patriotic
devotion to the interests of our common country but
when is proposed to divert that domain from the sa-
cred purposes for which it coded, to afford pre-
text for additional burdens and taxation class
of industry, to give protection and bounty another
it character of the highest injustice well
the most papable lnfracon of constitutional pTin
cples.
"Butthe most dangerous as well as the most humi-
liang effect of this measure is the condition of de-
pendency to which it reduces the States, upon the
they would in the relation Of subsidiaries upon the
profits OF their estate-receiving its charity
doled out from their own wealth. and subdued to a
state of homage servlity, and compliance by bribes
stolen and lavished from their Treasury. Is it
to lie regarded as the first step TO the assumption
of State debts-designed to consummate consolida-
ton ofinteress, celebrating all distinctions of sove
regnty, pride of independence, and tending to
centrate Empire and Dominion the rights of the
States, and the liberties of the people2 ,-.e.."
81 trust, however, that the spirit Of reform, which
has been powerfully evoked by the errors of the
late session of Congress- and decidedly manifested
in the results of the late popular elections throughout
the Union will prevent the spos and plumber Of this
system from soiling the Treasury, contamina
ting the Golfers of single State in the Union. Let
us pause at least for moment In the hope that the
correct principles and high motives Of an unbought
unterrifed, and incorrupble Democracy, operat-
ing their and salutary influences the counsels
and measures Of Government" ..
Inc uoVeruor Is hot III FAVOR vi the PROPOSE
ton to alter the Constitution, so as to limit the
eligibility of the Federal Executive to one term
of office. He is also opposed to restriction of
the Veto power. He says: ..
ain all the history of our government, the influence
of the Executive power, TO modify its action the
reserved rights of the States has been of conserva
tive rather than of aggressive character. More
than twice has it been nterposed to rescue the people
fyom the domin ion and abuses of a National Bank
It was in defence Of our rights and institutions
that the determination Of late Executive to refuse
his constitutional sanction to the abolition of slavery
in any Of its forms, fearlessly avowed and
this State presume, have interest motive to
remove the few salutary checks and embarrassments
to the so often unjust and inconsdeiate Legislation Of
majority in Congress, to induce it to war against
the dignity and prerogatiyes of department, the
weakest and most conservative perhaps in the govern
ment" H.. "a.