Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-12-05
THE ENQUIRER.
seiciassloasi, Deceliabcr 3.
SOUTH CAROLINA


tativcS, and was elected, and Mr.. Angus Pauer
son was elected Speaker of The Senate A long
and important Message WIS transmiltd BY Co
vernon j. ii. Hammond, iroin which We make
! the following copious extracts in ra ton 10 the
| TARIFF and Texas;
81 cannot omit TO invite You 10 an earnest con-
sderaiun of Federal affairs, and Ilc peculiar re-
/ lalions OF this Stale 10 the Fedora Government,
which have become highly inlceslins and i'm
poItani. The proceedings o. Ii: lasi session Of
/ Congress form an epoch in our history W IN
/ the events which preceded, ami De circumstances
under which the acl OF Congress cal!edihe COM
promise Act was passed, you an familiar. That
! act was in fact a treaty, made bdwcen beliigerent
partcs-wilh arms in their Enthusiastically rai-
I lied hv the Federal GoyernnleD on the one part.
] and a Convention ut tiir Stale. South Carolina
/ on the other and deposited among the archives
/ of our country. No treaty WIS ever made more
important in lis character, or more sacrctllv
binding in its obligations. b. that treaty S. Car
DINA bound herself To submitlor nine years long
cr 10 an unconstitutional and nost oppressive Ia
riff. in consideration thai lis 0acIiuns were 10 be
gradually reduced during Ihatpcrod. aid that, al
Ter the expiration OF it, no higher TaIii should
again be levied Than was Necessary 10 deiIav the
7
I Government; and that the lat oi duties should in
I no event, but the cmeIgencypl war exceed %
per cent. adj valorem. Our Sac faithfully dtilie-
red 10 the compact and patie,ily boe the heavy
burden which had been IMPOSED upon her In
1912, the period arrived for Tie Federal Govern
mcDttoulill lis stipula,ionS, mi reduce the Tariff
10 per cent. al valorem, or lover, il so much wa
no, requisite fol tie support o. an economical adj
miuislralion. But instead OF reducing them the
rate OF duties was increased-aclually increased
to point higher than the Tariff which South
Caiolna had declared null aud void within her
limits in 1889; which declaration led 10 the Com
promise ACT. History iurni,hcs no instance ol
grosser u more insuljin. bpaci OF faith. while
perhaps no law has ever been elac,e,! By TIC regular
government OF Il civilized cd,nlry. ST. subycrs.rc
of the rights and destructive 10 The interests Of
any respectable portion OF ispeopc, as the Ia
rifl' act OF is42, considered il all lis bearings is
10 the rights and interests ol he pianlin States OF
this Conicdcracy. IL might naturally have been
supposed and probably ii wis expected that this
State, in conformity with hepriGcpcs She had
50 long proic>sed, and Oh Which she had hereto
fore acted, would Immediately Eu!liy this Act:
but she did not. Closely United al the time with
the oIea, Democratic party the Union on the
general principles of Government, and on GER
tain questions OF federal polly OF the umos, mo-
ElCIl-StCillo tlldl paw
lions to the House OF Representatives. ly large
maJoriiy-and Justly regarding il as pledged 10
free trade, and bound to reDca this exolbitant
Tariff, she paused, and determined 10 await The
action OF another Congress thus furnishing
fresh example OF her patiidc lorbcarance, and
sincere devotion 10 the Peaccand integrity OF he
Union. The new Congress met, and has teriIi-
mated lis first session. Propositions were made
in both branches 10 modify The Tariff, and sig
nailv defeated In the Hous, where the Demo-
cratic majority was large, theprcposion was dis
posed OF almost without debate, and majority of
The Democrats from the States North OF the Po-
tomac actually voted a.ains' it, while in the Sc
nate some OF the leaders of that party from the
same section did ST. likewise Thee seems there
fore To be no reasonable. or even plausible ground:
on which 10 rest hope thai this hw. 20 uncon-
slituiional and ruinous 10 Us, will ever be re-
pealed, or reduced 10 the standard o the Comp.o-
mise. The friends OF the Tariff do not appear 10
entertain the slightest idea Of such Thing. They
have distinctly proclaimed 10 oc The settled poll
CT of the Federal Governments and, in fact,
they scarcely conceal that they regard our
further circumstances on trc subject IS in
trusvc and impertincnt. Nor coEd We al
Ter the utter contempt whichlh:y have manifested
for their plighled faith, reposs with safety upon
any concessions which they nisih by ciscum-
stances. be forced again 10 MAKE.
with what confidence VI, may rely, on The
other hand, upon the Northen section of the
Democratic Party 10 carry III he Free Trade
principles which they profess we are well adj
moashcd by the history, no. dIlv al The last So
sion OF Congress, but Of the P'o.ectivc Policy il
sell. The act of lS2S, The mei stringent OF he
Tariff acis. save that Of lSi2, was carried b? The
votes OF the Democratic lea,ers @! the Stale o!
New York, given under yerf peculiar clfcum-
stances and this iast act by h. votes OF Demo
cratic leaders from The saac state. aud from
Pennsylvania. And it may ie regarded rs GER
tan that the friends of the Protective System
will be able at all times, 10 command as many
votes among the Northern Democrats as may be
necessary for their purposes.
"Nor can we, fear, anticiTaie any demonsFa-
ton OF such fixed, determined, and combined
resistance 10 that policy on The part OF The South,
as will force the North u abandon II entirely
For this apprehension there are many reasons,
bn, one is paramount Unfortunately, the Eicc-
tors OF Presiden, and Vice President are chosen
by the people in all the Souham states. except Our
own. They are, in consequence, al all tunes nj.
most equally divided about slcn and interested
politicians spare no pains o impress II on tic
voters that the salvation OF the country depends
rpon the elevation OF this or mat Individual 10 The
Presidential Chair In this exciting contest, mca-
consequence and though ills well known, that
no President, whatever may have been his poll
teal creed has vet had frmlcss 10 veto Tariff
bill however monslrou>, and that no anontel
candidate even, has ever been able, July ana
consistently, 10 declare himself against the Pro
tccive Policy, they still persist in The pcrnlclous
delnsion, that everything will be secured BY the
triumph Of their iavorc. While erery Other
question, however vital 10 Liberty and The Constl-
tuition, continues 10 be made subordinate TO THIS,
and 10 be estimated solely b. lis influence on t'e
Presidential Election: and while That election
continues 10 I've made directly by the masses, IL is
almost vain 10 expect that III. people OF any State
can be united among themselves, or Tie states oil
any section combine unless under extraordinary
impulses, 10 resist elcclually the usurpaticns OF
the Federal Government.
"Under these circumstances, il dcrolVcs on
South Carolina to decide what course she VIII
pursue in reference TO The Tariff. The period
has arrived when she can 10 longer postpone her
final decision. 1t is due from her II Is expected
of her A nd if she fails 10 announce II, her 81
lencc will nevertheless be conclusive. Whatever
may be the technical validity, or legal iorce, OF
The opinions on this important question, when
your predecessors have placed upon yonr records,
il appears clear TO me, that our State IS Found py
her past history, and the principles she PROCESSES
anu OWES IL ~ county daih u'i'Siii " So
such measures as will at an early period bring all
her moral, constitutional, and, il necessary, ply
steal resources in direct array against policy
which has never been checked but by her Etcrpo-
siiion, and which impoveTishcs our country, revo-
lu,onzes our Government, and overihrnWs our
liberties. The expediency, the manner and the
precise time OF doing this, are Tor your grave de-
liberation.
"The las. session Of Congress was also signal
ized BY The rejection OF Treaty for the anncSa-
ton Of Texas 10 the United States. The cause
assigned for this rejection was, that Mexico moi
Texas, ii wond be violation OF our treaty OF
amiy and peace with that powcrto receive Tex
as INTO the Union. It is 4, least question, whe-
Their the United States has not claim 10 Texas
paramount 10 any 10 which Mexico can pretend.
II NAV also be questioned, whether the terms on
which Texas united with the Mexican Republic,
and formed Department Of il, did not en,ite her
of right TO Withdraw whenever she saw proper.
Be that as it may, she has in fact dissolved the
connesion, and has been recognized as an indie