Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-02-27

man s PERMISSION, handle them tnis ses -, III, 800,
AGAINST handling them no for fear OF the
Far fear Sir tlut you will begin with pm o'is aye
Sir the least little, tiny ady pin bills ana ge'' pr'oI
we know what you at, INTO coarse ,oooens e
heavy protected articles, winch wouia require o'aH."
~ arn;ro needles to stitch them. No, Sir, no. ii the
ro,f ,e,. his hea in he will his whole body; The door
sh,lI not he left aiar with my consent. am an anti
,,ifF man. and that party IL III the minority prs'h
At the beginning Sir. will not, II can help H. en-
terrain even so much pin bull II The tnriif mayor
i,y will let me alone, | will gladly let them alone.
abide by the comprehensive very first rrincipie OF
which is that the tariff IS rot to be disturbed at aH r.
cent as points out for me purpose II rerenue t"f an
economical administration ofhe Government Let the
South remember that, for il their only ark OF safety
They are the weaker party and these Signs are omnou
Let The compromise act atone, my pollcy On ene
But Sir, gentlemen all tell US now, as heretofore,
that they are for carrying out the COMPROMISE that
they-oh! no. they will not distur, the compromise act.
What is the compromise net: bet us see whether
we all understand it alike What are It's items what
its extent and Limitation Of operation: Sn, IN answer
TO these questions have, from sense OF justice, to
ao wbat i thought never should be called on by any
sense TO do-to praised -tpcrt oil the Honorable Levi
Woodbury Truly the sweetest notes vi this swan arc
his diving notes.! See Senate document, 10Th Gen.
cress Cd sson: "Rcport from the Secretary of the
Treasury communicating, in compliance with resolu
linn or The Senate plan Of permanent change in the
tariff. january -, ISL" In this report sentemsn
will find my sentiments precisely; and forgive Mr.
Secretary for much of his usual obluseness ofnellect
and obscu1y ofstyle, account Of this clear and able
repor, upon the exact spirit and better of the compFo
mise act. He truly says:
"Tlat act is supposed to have been not ordinary
measure VI legislation, but the result of compromise
between certain great and conflicting interests on tho
difficulties then involved in the agating matter Of The
Tariff Hence though the act III the form Of law,
and therefore LIABLE IN proper case TO any future mo.
Obligation or repeal of its provisions IL is understood
that the parties concerned contemplated thereby
permanent arrangement Of the leading principles that
should afterwards control the whole subject The i'm.
porlance of the emergency which occasloned the pas
sage OF the law, the distinguished individuals who par
tici2ated more Immediately in adjusting its provisions,
and the salutay influence Of their operation up to the
present time, in impartng degree OF stability to our
manufacturing enterprise, sought in vain thrnngh the
previous fluctuations of legislation, have probably con-
trbuted to strengthen this impression.
"But however that fact may have been, and subject
to subsequent alterations, all laws must properly be
consdered yet, TO change the limitations in this one
peculiarly situated and to do il against the wishes OF
persons most interested, without the apology Of some
public exigency necessity of state would surely seem
to be unnecessary and al least, of doubtful propricy
This view is INV view of the binding obligation OF
faith and interest to d:sb this important act oil
legislation which once settled the harmony Of this
Union and to disturb which would he again to disturb
that harmony Gcnllemen say it is not compact but
say it is stronger than compact, it is compromise,
and ~ sacred. A compact SIr, hHsnt DC leSalueu is
bond or covenant is in sections, WHERE II either
be given the debtor thinks he NAV. if he can, avoid
payment or discharge Of the obligation because is
writing obligatory bu, if lie promises TO puy only, his
donor IS pledged and the debt is safe So here, Sir, il
this was constitutional ,aw gentlemen who plead II is
not compact nigh. canscIcatious!y claim the power
violate il Hcy usra!'y, IN ny "cin;cn 90 violate
that fcneameata; nstr,r,rn. which haze called
Constitution bat il IS merely statute law, not tie
bond which may n.t Dc denied ~: acir toasr;enec'
aside and cly opcn their toncr l. observe is s1th
Whence sprarg this act' From danger to the Union
out of resistance c uneGncl az oppressive taxation.
The bill Of aboninatons-.he tariff! Of ls2S lad con-
summatcd the protective policy. IN Sa2 the question
was of reduction Of duties The South Goa.
tended for reduction uPon protected articles, and Tor
q tax upon luxures. The tariff interest made almost
all uxures free, and left the duties on the protected
articles South Carolina aroused resorcd to her
served rghs-d declared herself he judge of the in
fraction and the mode and measure 0. redress pro.
claimsd her ordinance of notification ard swore BY
her altar and her gods that both should "snk together
in the dust sooner than she would submit to oppres-
sion. Gen. Jackson rose in his majesty, and swore
'by the eternal gods that he would ''See he laws
faithfully executed, and "hang Calhoun, llaynr, Ia
milton, and McDuifie,' as high as Humans gallows "
And his wrath was idle wrath-his threat no vain
threat. The State had summoned her chivary, and
as am informed, one of the members Of the Conven
ton, now member of this House, (Mr. Rhett,) went
even far az propose dissolution of the Union
and Jackson issued his proclamation and his orders &c
the standing Army and to the Navy. The nation was
called to 50 arms.-the nation against single State
No. Sir, the North against the South-section against
.ection-,he very Army and Navy would have been
divided against themseves-father against son, ant
brother against brother! nullifier. opposed
the doctrine opposed the theory upon which the re
sistance was founded. defeated its advocates in ar
election for seat on the floor. was Union ane
for peace. But let tell gentlemen that, if hac
begun, every Union man Of Virginia would have beer
q Southern man. No standing army would ever have
crossed her ancient lines 10 do battle agans, sove
reign State without first 6ghtngher sons Of every iaiif
at every pass where volunteers could have made
stand Why, Because, Sir, when the torch of civil
war between this Government and State had once
been lighted, the Union would have been dissolved
Once war, never more Cnion-a Union as Unlor
has existed and should exist After of that kind
it would have been Union Of constellation cemcntee
by blood, Such Union as no Union man OF my &C
quaintance would have been willing to sec exist.
doubt whether the officers of.he Navy or Army coult
have been brought to bear gun upon their own breth
rem in arms against what they solemny deemed uncon
stitutional oppression.
Here several gentlemen exclaimed-"Yes! Elliot
was there-Poinsett there, the present Secretary
Of War;
Mr.. WISE. Yes! and there were others here to pas
"Jlccdy bM,' against which my present honoret
constituent, the present Vice President elect, alon
roted, Elliott does not deserve to be called an office
ton of our country when this act passcdan act which
ifit be not compact, an act ofre.union-an act
peaceful compromise of civil hostilites which carried
s'healing on its wings" An act in the authorship
which consists the chief glory of an honoEed and dis
tnguished Senator, who acquired by its passage thu
ustrious title Of tThe Great Pacifcator." To tina
patriot ascribe all HOMER praise, and gratitude which
are due to him, and mean not to strip him Of aure
on his brow but there is part of the secret history
of this act which, to the honor Of another, has
yet been recorded, and which will take this opportu
nifty to reveal.
Sir, yesterday, alluded TO Mr.. Madison the only
lamp Of my public life. Him | never saw, and
should have remembered another model of wisdom
and virtue and patriotism whom have seen, and seer
in all situations Of lifelong and intimately did know
well did love him, and sacredy do cherish his me
mory. He no more. wish could initiate his vr
tuons and hallowed example in life. ! mean the la
nented Hugh Lawson White, servant of Tennessee,
son Of North Carolina, without whose aid this com
proni.e act never could have become law-withou
whose patriotism and firmness there would have beer
a civil war upon sovereign State and upon the Union
South Carolina ought 10 be told Of this: South Ca