The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-06-25
PROCEEDINGS OF THE DEMOCRATIC
STATE RIGHTS PARTY, OF SOUTH.
CAROLINA, MAY 81, 1S4l.
ADDRESS AND RESOLUTIONS.

have caused us TO assemble, that the opinions and
wishes of the people shall be made known These
measures are such as must exercise most impor-
tant influence on the destinies of South Carolina
for good or for evil and we should be wanting in
our duty to our State TO ourselves, and to our pos
terlly, if we failed to proclaim, in the most solemn
manner, our opinions upon them At no period,
since the formation of our Constitution, have SO
many and so grave subjects OF public policy been
open for the decision of the Government. Hereto
fore they have come upon the country slngly or
few at Il time, They are now crowded INTO one
session and the deepest anxiety must pervade the
bosom of every patriot for the result. Some of
these questions have been, sing'y, sufficient TO ns-
itae and shake the Conlederacy TO It's very found
atoms and we now 90 into the arrangement OF
them collectively with fearful odds against US
I Never has the Constitution been in more fearful
peril that party, from its adoption, under one
name or another, but ever the same IN It's prlncl-
pies, the advocate of strong Government, and the
enemy of popular rights and Democratic principles,
the old Federal party of Alexander Hamilton, has
again obtained temporary triumph and seized up
on the regns of power How that power is to be
welded we are left but little room 10 doubt In
less their leaders be arrested in their career OF ais
chief by him whom Providence we hope, for some
kind purpose has placed at their head, there VIII be
cCnSUlllnlcU upon lnt CNuHlIN Stllts VI H''"H-
ures disastrous TO constitutional freedom and fatal
I TO Southern prosperity. These measures are, LIST
The Distribution Of the proceeds of the sales Of the
Public Lands amongst the States. 2nd. The cs-
Establishment of protective Tariff, Sd, The ere
alton ola public Debt. 4h The repeal Of the act
to establish an Independent Treasury and 9th
The Incorporation of National Bank.
Against all these measures we declare an un-
compromising opposition, because we believe they
, viii exercise fatal influence on the independence
of the States the principles OF constitutional lber
1 W, and the Constitution itself, while they will I'M
dernine and finally overthrow the industry, and
perhaps the very institutions OF the South.
We believe that Congress possesses no powers,
hut such as are expressly granted III the Conslu-
iion or are absolutely necessary TO carry out those
expressly granted we believe the Constitution to
he fundamental, unchangng rule of conduct con
trolling all others and not altered, changed or cen
C trolled by any circumstances whatever we believe
especially that in this strict construction consists
the safety of Southern Institutions. As we are the
weaker portion Of the Conlederacy and becoming
relatively more and more so every day, our prop
er,v will be at the mercy of hostile ma orltics,
which may rs fairly constrne a power out OF the
Constitution to create a Protective Tariff, or to a
hosh slavery as to cslabsha Bank. We believe
that industry should be burhcncd with no taxes,
whether direct, or in the shape of duties on imports
hut what are absolutely necessary for conducting
the Government with efficiency and economy: and
that no right exists in Congress 10 make dlscrlnln-
alton in lay ing them to encourage and protect one
pursuit or branch of industry at the expense Of 9th
crs: we believe national debt TO be II national
misfortune, aud if created without necessity, as II
fraudulent preteN for raising taxes, or means ia
provide capital for bank, we regard it as a ma
onal calamity which will descrvcdly entail cxccra
ton on all who support it.
At the head of the measures, which 1t Is under
stood will he pressed upon Congress, Is the DIs'ri
button Of the proceeds Of the sales Of the Public
Lands anongsts the States. These amount on AZ
average to about 5000 600 annually. at The
very time this proposition is made 10 take on, d
the Treasury So 5000 900, and TO divide It ms gil
amongst the States, they declare that The Treasury
= is not able to pay the ordinary expenses OF lh'
Government and that they must saddle on lh'
country public debt, by borrowing At least Sl2,
O0O, 900, for immediate eSgencies, and also tina
they must annually raise several millions more, he
,ond the g ,00O, 600 thus abstracled by increas
~, inr the taxation on the people through the Tariff
y And at the same time, be it remembered, we arr
nlmos, on the point of war with England, the mos
powerrnl nation of the Globe, upon questions o
boundary and national law of the greatest impor
lance and diliculiv-whlle we are unprepared-
our towns and coasts being almost without iorIIii
cn,ions-our forts without soldiers or arms-ou
lie orseuals bnt indlerently supplied with munon
~ and military slores--nnd our Navy inferior in mum
lo hers, and behind their contemporaries in equip
nd men,s Of the improved implements Of modern war
y. fare. If the public service require money, TN
he should be used for that scrylccli II be not needed
H. there is no for increasing the bnrlhens OF til
W country, by raising the Tariff II they mcreas
IA, ,xnh pp
It's TO the States, we should see little 10 admire at
the scheme but its stupidity and folly. unoriun
ately, however, there is more which, so far as W
are concerned, makes it wanonly oppressive, be
cause it will tax our people more than five dollar
for every one it gives back TO our State II USE
the treasure Of the nation as bride 10 degrade III
ON States into miserable dependencies Federal pa
Of ronage. and taxes us, the people, 10 make up III
EN- deficiency thus created in the ileasury- is an VI
M constitutional and dehasng use Of the public nor
&C. ey-u goes to destroy the Independence of III
NJ Sta,cs-it stimulates them 20 reckless expenditure
~. and impars spirit of extravaganza subverslve
IN. those muxims Of economy which are the best 81
zen cnrity Of Republican Goyernnlcni-it IL the en,e
mo Ing wedge to assunn. the debts of the S,ates-an
IS !. in violation of n compact by which large pa
of the public lands were ceded by the States 10 II
ias General Government.
as The next leading measure is the increase Of
he Protective Tariff England, into whose very '
'ch tails the shackles of the protective system for az
l. have worn, enlighed BY such inquiries as her Pa
for lament alone makes, through committees Of h
2w wisest statesmen, and examinations Of her able
49, economists and most practical merchants, Is pr
/, pairing to break and cast away these foolish ieite
:. Of barbarous and by-gone theories, and to ado
nv IL the wise policy Of free commerce with all Il
site world. The odious Corn Laws which sat an inc
less bus upon her manufactures, starving the poor
NE make the rich nonoposts richer, the most chers
= in ed error Of her system, with all its mschevo
,ble brood Of monopoes and exactions, is in the act
being swept away by The force Of truth and Il
claims Of justice, at the very moment tina, our RI
lost ers are seeking wckedy and waniony TO raise Ia
nv &C. and innic the burthens Of Protective Tariff
our people.
The distribution Of the revenue from public Ian
eJ adopted to create deficiency in the treasury, Civ
do raudulen,ly the argumen, Of public necessity