Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-05-20
iCOMMCNICATED

On INC .tln uaS OIL NONeluDSf, loo-, luC
assumed leaders of small majority Of the
politicians Of South Carolina, in a caucus
assembled, declared in an instrument of
writing, called an "Ordinance," that the
revenue laws of the United States, known
as the tariff, were unauthorized by the con-
stitution of the United States, null aud void
and not binding on the citizens of that State
or its officers"
They also declared that liz no case Of law
or equity decided by the courts Of that
State wherein the validity OF any part OF
said ordinance should be called III question,
should al appeal be allowed to the supreme
Court Of the United States or copy CT the
record be permitted or ralloWcd for that pur-
pose.
They also declared that the passage Of
any act OF Congress, having III view the
coercion Of those engaged in commercial
pursuits in that State iii the collection of
imports; claimed under the above Laws,
would abSovoti the State Of South Carolina
from Mi obligation TO maintain Or preserve
their political counexicn with the people of
the other States, and would justify her Ill
Immediately organizing . separate govern
ment and in doing ell other acts and things,
which sovereign and independent States
may of right DO. They also declared that
anV citizen Of the State, who should ald or
abet in the collection Of said duties, by force,
should be guilty OF treason TO the State, ana
be punished as Il traitor
] have been reminded Of these facts,
by tho late editorials OF the Washington
Post, assuming TO speak for the majority OF
the democratic members Of Congress, on
the same suhjcct-the alleged unconstitu-
tional character Of the revenue laws. These
caucus politicians assumed then, as those OF
the present day do now, that the obnoxious
laws although they purport to be for ''rais-
ing revenue" are really intended for pro-
tcC,ion OF the manufacturers, and are assert
cd TO be unconstitutional in consequence
thereof. They &c not deny that the express
power Of laying and collecting imports Is
given 20 Congress By the Constitution but
they draw i'll question its constltutlonallty,
from the motives which they assumed 10
have controlled those who had passed the
laws.
From what source is derived the power
of sitting in Judgment upon the motives OF
their fellow members or Of stepping il
between them and their constituents, with
q caucus dictum? There can be no authori-
" found for this, either in the Constitution
or laws Of the State OF Federal Government;
and in hoSsism or machine tactics can 1t
alone be paraleied. When these offensive
and insulting Gogma5 were put forth IN
South Carolina, IN 1892, the then President
OF the United States, himself Il native OF
tha; State. issued = proclamation TO the
people OF the United States. President
Andrew Jackson, not accepting the dogma
Of South Carolina as truth, but merely
the creatures of metaphysical sub!ety, in
pursuit Of an impracticable theory. and
nanlcstly tending to destroy tie Union,
ANNOUNCED 20 the people Of that State
as well as TO the people Of the whole
United States, that he had sworn duty TO
perform which was, to sec That the laws
of the United States ~ere executed that In
doing 50 he had no discretionary power
whatever; for the duty is distinctly eX-
pressed, il the constitution OF his country.
If the execution Of the laws be resisted by
armed force, that act must be rePeiied ny
The Government Of the United States, and
those who bear arms IL opposition 10 the
| Government. are expressly guilty OF the
crime Of treason against the United States.
| These were in substance, the views ot
Gen. Andrew Jackson, in 1882, and they
were sustained by the common sense of the
people of three fourths Of the country, at
least and are so to this day. The people
wish not the diclation Of partisan leaders,
in most cases, self appointed; but would
much prefer that their members OF Congress
should attend to their own legal duties, and
cease to agtate them with impracticable
theories.
The resolutions of 1898, in Kentucky, were
the bases of the democratic organization in
that State, Al that time, they were also the
foundation of the party of Modification in
South Carolina in 1882; a common origin
may account for the similarity of the dog
ma enunciated And as the source was rev.
outionary, in 1882 and 1860, in effect, so
it is now! Anarchy and despotism alone
can result frcn the attempts to enforce such
dogma, They have no justification in law,
constitution or Union! and are paralleled only
by the rawlings of q Danton, a Robespierre
or Thad. Stevens. They CRATE harshly
on Freemans ear, and we wish to hear
no more of it. Respectfully, A.