The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-02-21

concession made by Congress at the crisis
of the agitation, in the June of 1882, was
the abolition of the duties on articles not
needing protection. frey South Carolina,
baffied and disgusted, now proceeded to act,
or to talk vigorously of acting. A Conven-
tion of citizens, just as in our day, was
held, and ultimately an ordinance was is-
sued, proclaiming the then tariff law null
and void, forbidGing the duties on imports
epjoined by that law to be paid, and en-
phatically threatening secession If the Fed
eral Government attempted by force to levy
them. We seem to be reading the history
of South Carolina a few weeks ago in Mr..
Parton's description of the events of 1892
and 1893. tI iEsf-a-3 ---7
The Legislature of South Carolina passed
the acts requisite for carrying the ordinance
into practical effect. The Governor of the
State was authorized to accept the services
of volunteers, who were to hold themselves
in readiness to march at a moments warm
ing. The State resounded with the noise
of warlike preparations. Blue~ cockades
stitched by fair fingers with palmetto
button in the centre, appeared upon thoas-
ands of hats and bonnets. /" 1t is said, red
flag with a black lone star in the centre,
was adopted as the ensign of some of the
volunteer regiments. Nullifying steam
boats and hotels it is also reported, ex-
hibited the flag of the United States with
the stars downwards" Calhoun, the Fed
eral Vice President of the United States, re-
signed his high Office, and medals were
struck bearing the inscription, "John G.
Calhoun, First President of the Southern
Confederacy." ..,.
Had feeble, an irresolute, or a yacillat-
ing President been at the head of affairs
the disruption of the Union was inevitable.
But, whatever General Jackson's faults
these were not of them. Old Hickory
was at heart a. proteotionist this, however,
was a question Of rebellion. He hated
Calhoun and, further, it is but fair to say,
his native shrewdness showed him the abb
surdity of secession. g If this thing goes
on" he said to a friend, 4" our country will
be like bag of meal with both ends open.
Pick it up in the middle or endwise it VIII
run out"
When South Carolina had taken the atti-
tude described, jackson wrote and acted
with promptitude and decision. Even be-
fore the Convention of South Carolina Null
liiers had met. he sent secret orders to the
collector of the port of Charleston to uSe
force il impedcd in the execution of his
Federal duty. When the proceedings of the
dignant message, which could leave no
doubt as to what his policy was to be. He
applied to Congress for new powers, and
they were granted at once. He filled the
military posts Hs South Carolina trih troops
If the United States, and anchored naUeL
force off Charleston. Last, not least, he
publicly avowed his determination on the
reception of the news of one act of vio-
lence on the part of the Nullifers, to seize
Calhoun and every member of Congress
from South Carolina who had taken part in
the movement there, and hare them tried for
high treason.
According to the programme of the South
Carolinians, the notification of the tari #
laws was to take place on the lst of Febru-
ary, 1888. But the vigor and alertneSs of
the President dauhted them A few days
before the fateful first, a meeting OF Multi
hers met at Charleston, and agreed to delay
" action until talked-of compromise was
discussed in Congress. Ultimately, a COM
promise was not only discussed, but agreed
to by Congress, and notification melted into
air-intO thin air z5- -- 10 -
- In his last sickness, General Jackson"
according to Mr.. Parton, q declared that in
rejecting upon his administration, he chief
ly regretted that be had not had John-O@
Calhoun executed for treason My coun-
try" said the General, "would have sustain
ed me in the act, and his fate would have
been a warning to traitors in all time to
come" .|I.9 ea. sI
Mr.. Calhoun was not hanged, and few
years after notification had died, leaving in
the memory of threatened secession a dan
gerous legacy to the South, he became the
eulogist of slavery, and accused the North
of desire to interfere with the peculiar in
stitution in she Southern States His
first speech on that Subject says Mr. Par
ton very justly, /" contains every argument,
assertion, and fact which constitute at this
moment the capital of the party in power.
Until be spoke, the South generally felt
that slavery was only to be regarded as
choice of evil-an unfortunate inheritance,
to be endured as long as it must be endur
ed, to be abolished as soon as it could be
abolished safely. 1t was John C. Calhoun
that effaced from the heart of the South the
benign sentiments of Washington, Jefferson
Madison, and Randolph If the present
secession movement in the States is to be
charged to the account of any one politician,
John G. Calhoun" the nullifer of 1882,
the pro-slavery frebrand of few years
LATER is certainly the man.
In comparing the present with the past
| Secession movement in South Carolina, it
must be noticed that in 1928 the Presi-
dent was man Of firm purpose who knew
not fear, either in the camp or the cabinet !;
/ that there were neither traitors nor towards
in his council; that, his duty being to de-
fend the Union, he prevented civil war by
bringing a military and naval force right
down upon the centre of reasonable agita-
tion; and that his country relied, with mer-
tied confidence, upon his frmness and cour-
age in doing what was right, Andrew
jackson, had he lived in the present day,
would promptly have reinforced Fort Sum
ter, and every other national defence that
required to be streng gthened, without watt
| ing until Treason had grown strong enough
to raise its crested head and forked tongue
against the Constitution which has made us
the great Nation that we are. Unhappily
for the country, a spirit very unlike that
which put down Notification in 1928 al
present temporizes, rather than rules, at the
White House. -t--r ..,.s
MRO6 RODECT&,-W WeE .ER ~ n ~