Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1860-12-01

suall atteUpt W eDiVIce tne tarlu laws, now
existing, by means OF its army or navy, By
closing the ports OF the State or preventing
the ingress or egress Of vessels, or shall in |
any wny harsss or obstruct the foreign com.
merce Of the State, then South Carolina piu
no longer consider herself member of the |
Federal Union the people of this State tciU |
thence forth hold hemSelres absolped from oil
further obiga ion TO maintain or preserve
their political connection rith the people of the
other States, and wiH ytorthpih proceed to
organize a separate gopernment and do oil
indedendeat States may of a right do"
The commotion which this document crea.
ted 10 the minds OF the people throughout the
country is yet fresh and green in the memo.
res OF many OF your readers. Robert Y.
Hayne, one OF South Caroina's most brilliant
and eloquent sons, and the master spirit OF
the nullifers was elected Governor Of the
State. He pledged himself not only to carry
out the acts of the Convention, but every act
of the Legislature, and every judgment OF
the courts which might devolve on him. He
recognized mo allegiance ns paramount to
that which the citizens Of South Carolina
owed to the State Of their birth or their
adoption" The Legislature endorsed the
acts Of the Convention and the Governor, and
authorized the raising of volunteers. Medals
were worn by many OF the most prominent
citizens, bearing the inscription - John {.
Calhoun First President OF the Southern
| Confederacy"
Gen. jackson promptly made euch deposit
tions of the naval and military forces as
| would enable him to act with swift efficiency
/ Gen Scott was ordered to this city for the
| purpose of experimenting the safety of the
| forts of the United States in the vicinity.
Congress met a short time after. jackson,
in his message, says Parton, dismissed in o
single paragraph, the troubles OF South Caro-.
! lima, aud expressed the hope OF the speedy
adjustment Of the difficulty" His memorable
proclamation soon followed, and electrified
the country. Argument, warning and en-
treaty were blended in its composition. 1t
refuted, one by one, the leading positions
assumed by the nulli6ers. The right to
annul ard the right o secede, as claimed by
them, were shown to be incompatible with
the fundamental idea and main object Of the
Constitution, which was, to form q more
perfect Union" He admitted that the tariff
act complained of did act unequaly "but so
did every revenue act that ever had been or
ever could be passed"
The right OF state TO secede was as
strongly denied then as it is now at the North
II was then held-"To say that any State may,
at pleasure, secede from the Union, is to say
that the United Ssates is not q nation. How
can that State be said to be sovereign and
independent whose citizens owe obedience TO
laws not made by it, and whose magistrates
are sworn to disregard those laws, when they
in conflict with those passed by another 2"-
General Jackson, as is well known, was o
native of South Carolina, and many, at the
r time, feared be would falter. But be was
made of sterner stuff. He gave the people
of South Carolina distinctly to understand
that in case any forcible resistance to the
laws were attempted by them, the attempt
would be resisted by the combined power and
resources Of the other States But, says
Parton, for every word OF this kind, there
were hundred Of cntreaty."
J A compromise after stormy debate, was
passed. by Congress. 1t was concocted by
The enemies of General jackson, though be
signed it. Mr.. Calhoun hastily joutneyed
: home, met the Convention at Columbia be
fore they had taken any additional steps
II found that he bad to contend with some
fiery spirits, though his persuasive eloquence
soon overpowered them, and the notification
ordinance was repealed.
Since that time q new generation OF man
has sprung up, and they are all imbued with
the same ardor and spirit which prevailed in
the bosoms Of the nulli6ets Of 1928. If il
took all the eloquence Of such men as Jack
son, Clay, Benton, Clayton, Calhoun, Web
ster, McLane and Verplanck, to effect even
} a sorry compromise | leave it to the wiser
beads than mine to say what it will take
now to overturn the revolution which will
take place SO sure az there is difference
between light and darkness.
) The biographer Of Jackson spoke prophe
tically when he said that it would have been
more like Jackson to have vetoed the Com.
promise. "1he time may come chen the people
ofMe United States ciH ,rish he had retoed ii
and thus brought to an issue and settled finally
a question ~hich, at some future day may as
sume more awkward Dimensions, and the
country have no jackson 10 meet t."