The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-07-08
ORIGIN OF MODERN NULIFICATION.
CALHOUN STILL LIVES.
A Voice from the Grave Of Jackson.
LETTER FROM FRANCIS p. BLAIR.
SILVER srnIso. April as. 1856.


GENTLEMEN: 1t is grateful to me to receive
an invitation to unite in your effort to restore
the patriotism of the time when republicans
of every party were arrayed in opposition to
the sinister designs Of the nullfers of the
south.
They are more formidable now than ever.
They have an admin istration installed at
Washington to aid their plots, which recev.
ing its power from the democracy, has be-
trayed It's organzation--its name, and the
accumulated confidence gathered around it,
by the laborers of the illustrious restorers of
the principles derived from, together with the
authority it conferred on those entrusted with
the government, to assist the worst enemy of
its cause.
II, .,so q. l.viuviy lIIIsIse s'se aemocr0cy hds
been sold om to Calhoun's nulifying party;
a party which owes its origin to artful ap-
peals made by him to the slaveholding inter-
est, operating on the fears of some, the avar-
ice and ambition of others.
A brief account of the rise Of this party
will be useful, as explaining the source of Its
power and of the present troubles of the
country.
Mr.. Calhoun, after failing in his effort to
attain the Presidency, by the sacrifice he
made of southern interest in manuf cupidity,
in the first protective tariff, which he con-
tributed to enact, changed his tactics, aud
devoted his life to achieve the object of his
ambition by consolidating the slave power
thro' appeals to its interests. He reversed
his tariff, and pronounced the protective sys
tenn robbery of the south. Agricultural was,
indeed, everywhere oppressed 10y an exces-
sive tariff, but Mr.. Calhoun and his partizans
insisted that the whole burden fell on the
south, although the north paid double the
duties paid by the south.
His own and Mr.. McDuffie's powerful ap-
peals persuaded South Carolina that the I'm
ion was a mischief to her, and that as the
central scaboard state, she would prosper more
as the head of the southern coniedcracy, than
.sa little slave oligarchy in the midst of great
republican commonwealths, then looking to
he gradual progress Of fee principles for ag-
grandizement.
The more prosperous states Of the south,
although hostile to the tariff would not adopt
Mr.. Calhoun's notification for redress. His
attempt to identify Gen. Jackson's administra-
ii with South Carolina principles proved
abortive. The plan to effect it was ingenious
" contrived. A dinner, in honor of Jetfer-
sons birthday, was the occasion devised to
inaugurate the administration and the doc
trine of notification together. The senti-
ments prepared for PRONUNCIATION with this
view wer laid by the side of the new Prpsi-
dents plate, to receive his sanction, but they
met his rcprobation in the famous toast; The
federal Union must be preserved" which he
inscribed on the paper. Mr.. Calhoun's next
step was to bring South Carolina alone into
the arena, to defy the general government
aud broach civil war, relying on the sympa-
thy of the slave states to unite all in making
common cause with her when coerccd by the
general government This hazardous plan of
combining the slaveholding power in a war
upon the Union, fell under the proclamation
and the force BILL
Mr.. Calhoun did not abandon, under this
defeat, his favorite design of embodying the
south as section, to command the north or
separate it, The cry that slavery was in dan
ger, was his next iallying cry. The names
of Tappau, Garrison, and other speculative
enthusiasts, who argued the cause Of the AT
rican race, in the hope OF reaching the feel
lll1S skllAl NOlctituSAo VI ah'nS "AN he'' 49,
power of giving them freedom, were made
watchwords Of his party. Mr.. Calhoun en-
dcavored to impress the feeling that these
movements portended the invasion of the
rights of southern slave-owners 10y the power
of the northern states. There was not the
slightest pretext for the apprehension. The
great majority in all the free states condemn
ed Interference with the domestic institutions
of the south. Even discussion of the sub
iect, with view to moral effect, was in the
northern cities frowned down. But Mr.. Cal
houn was not content with this demonstration
of public feeling in the free states. His next
move was to convoke q sectional convention
of all the states holding slaves, for the pur-
pose of demanding Of the northern legisla-
tunes, the suppression Of the abolition socie-
ties, headed by Tappan and others; and he
declared, that the south must dissolve the
Union, unless the north obeyed his call to
suppress the freedom of speech and of the
press, if employed by its citizens in discussing
the mischiefs of slavery. This extraordinary
movement to enforce the persecution of free
opinion in one section by demanding penal
enactments, menacing revolt in the other,
on failure to comply, had the desired effect.
1t gave importance to the aboltionists, which
it is impossible they would 9th rwise have ac-
quired. Multitudes were ready to defend the
fre edom of speech, who were strongly op-
posed to the abuse of it.
The legislatures of the north would not
persecute atMr. CaIhoun's bidding. He then
appealed to Congress to suppress the circula-
ton of what he called the ''ineendiary" tracts
of the abolitionists, and introduced bill,
supported by long report, to enforce sort
of censorship over every publication lodged in
the mail. All wero TO be suppressed that
could be Construed as affecting slavery. Mr..
Calhoun denounced separation of the I'm
ion as the necessary consequence Of the fail
ure of this measure. 1t failed as an enact
mcnt, but did not fail TO increase the agita-
ton which it was destined TO provoke.
Then followed the era of petitions from
the North, which were multiplied as repulses
to the insults heaped upon their authors, BY
Mr.. Calhoun and his southern coadjutors.--
\ A. h..