The North-Carolina standard., 1846-08-26

most unavoIdable and that therefore had remain |
cd at my post IN defiance of Instructions, it would
have been untrue in my case, for, as have alrea>
DIV stated, knesO the bill would pass with or with
ont Iny vote was incapable of resortino to anv
such false pretexts for my defence AS Chris |
tan and gentleman it was nv duty to assume. /
as the party press at home would seem TO have ad.
mitled already, that the Hprincples" of these res
oIntions were TO DC e"carried out by the expert
mental tariff and not being able to obev, it was
therefore my right to resign. If there had
been any doubt about the other "principles set
forth in the foregoing resolutions, there was none
upon the principle of the senator's "duty to re-
sign" and his sc right" to do that was unques-
toned and unquestionable. 4
In so far as the Legislature intended TO declare
hostility to the tariff act of 1912, concurred with
them; and | again repeat that my embarrassments
grew altogether out of this ; that the act by which
It was proposed to get rid of the tariff of 1912,
was, under the circumstances of its presentation,
progress, and enactment, and in view of all Its
consequences to the party and the country, as bad
or worse than the act of 1912; and a support of
it by my vote was utterly repugnant to a sense of
duty to myself, and of fealty to North Carolina
and the Union; so that I retired from it as
would from political pesilence i did not do it
sooner for the reasons already given and for the
additional reason that the governor of the State
being whig, it was impossible to surrender my
office to the democratic pa rty that elected me. If
it was not my duty, it was certainly my right to
postpone it until the August elections, and that
right exercised for the benefit of the democratic
party, whose minions have been The first to de-
nounce me for i'll The people of North Caroli-
ma will not, they cannot in honor and justice. give
their sanction to such abominable iniquity. They
are too just too honorable, to approve of the exc
| cradle maxim that sails fair in politics"
Il may be regarded as no slight evidence ofthe
faithtulness with which adhered to my party OBJ
legations, that after conscnng under the pressure
of strong feelings to vote for the experimental ia
riff, provided it could be amended so as 10 postpone
its taking effect until 4th March next, had very
considerable doubts whether had not gone too
far. Yet, in my endcavors TO avoid complaint, [
adhered 10 my pledge; and nobody was suffered
to know OF my repnntence. The minute before |
resigned, it was made known that srOud abide
by that offer, and final answer was given by
those competent TO reply, that the bill sc0uld Ger.
toa"ty pass aoitont my cote and any Glte' alton OF
1t acouLd edanger ats passage IN the other House,
and therefore no amendment would be voted for.
This was communicated 10 me, and thereupon my
resignation was handed in to the Senate -
Now, my friends and countrymen, believe I
have told you all, and submit to your Justice
and common sense, whether ingenuity and malice
combined can make out more against my conduct
with this administration. upon the subject of the
tariff, than an honest difference of opinion2 Be-
cause the President recommended tax law must
your senator therefore approve of it. without cross
| ing a or dolting an 1? Because the admnistra-
tion wished to carry bill for revenues must your
senator, against his own judgment therefore vote for
h2 Because the Treasury Department may have
become committed to new experiment on the tariff
did hthereore become part Of the creed of democ-
racy, and bind senators who were chosen long be-
| fore this administration was clected2 When, and
where, and how, did these become part of the DO
| lltlcal faith of N. Carolina2 Who indoctrinaed
her and her people2 What book teaches it? What
precedents enforce it What age illustrates il 2
The CONSTITUTION provides that bills for raising
revenue shall originate in the House of Represen-
tahves but here is new doctrine in politics, and
new practice in carrying 1t out, as well as new
principle for laying duties And will you pro-
scribe me- simply because resigned rather than
give my vote thus 10 revolutionize at once and
without time for deliberaton, or opportunity to a.
mend the act all the past experience of the gov
eminent, and set aside the counsels oc Washing
ton, Jefe' son, Madison, Monroe, and Jackson
do not undertake to account, for the present at
least, for the extraordinary outrage that was per-
pctrated upon my rights as man and senator,
as soon as had resigned, and before had been
eIthe: asked for my reasons or allowed time to
speak to you for myself: nor to remark upon the
servilc spirit of some in our own State who were
quite eager to follow the ignoble lead There is
time for all things. But to those in North Car
o.
plnlon, beg leave to say word in which thew arc
interested as much as can be. How happened
1t that another democratic senator openly drnoun.
ced this very bill as absurd, disgusting and unfit
TO be touched, and HE was not noticed bv partv
censuresE How did it come about that another
democratic senator, in debate, averred most en-
Phancally that the omission of tax upon tea and
coffee for revenue "aOas acitho~t ercuse" and not
word OF complaint was made against H1M?-I
Whence was it that democrats of Virginia voted
against the administration upon the resolution of,
notice TO terminate the Oregon convention. and no
one was heard to proclaim THEIR want of fealtv
to the party or the administration And by what
influence was it that South Carolina democrats did
the ike, and THEY went unreproved2 Whence
happened it that a democratic senator refused fo
vote for the Mexican a0ar and still ne was GOOD
party man and administration man2 And that
other democratic senators voted against amend
ments to the independent treasury reported upon
the recommendation of the administration. and de-
clared by the secretary to be indispensable to his
gettsmg along, and yet THEY were treated as true
ana loyal, without any open reproaches2 And.
more than all, how will you account for il. that
other senators have denounced the President for the
Oregontreaty, and openly charged him with fraud
deeeat, and Hypocrisy and still THEY remained
" very excellent friends" of this administrators
and received no censures2 But a senator from
North Carolina, who enjoyed the personal conf.
dence of the President more than anv other eDr-
ported his administration moro eoiorel,, IL IT