66

66

66

66

never have taken place but amidst | speech, as the State Rights Evening "placemen and pensioners. Had they Post terms it, replete with warm and "been really the representatives of the enthusiastic sentiments of patriotism, people, they would have felt some- which was concluded by the reading of thing for the people; and, instead of a string of resolutions, occupying a co"incessantly calling for fresh sacrifices, lumn and a half of that paper, in which "and telling us gaily that we must the principles of the President's procla""retrench even part of our necessa- mation are denounced in the most un""ries," they would surely now at last measured terms, and all the doctrines "have held out to us some prospect of of nullification, to their fullest extent, "consolation and redress; they would are revived and enjoined. no longer continue to gorge upon the From the account in the Charleston "vitals of their country, but would Mercury we copy the following :"think themselves too well off, if they The Chairman was surrounded by were not justly compelled to disgorge veterans of the revolution, who exhi"their past infamous swallowings.bited throughout the proceedings an in"Gentlemen, in becoming a candidate terest and animation unsurpassed by "at the late election for your county, I that of the most ardent youth present, “do acknowledge, that I rather sought and none could look upon the assembly, a public, than a seat in Parliament. I and hear the burning words of the sought for, and have found, amongst speakers, and observe the eager sympayou, freeholders who would vote for thy with which they were met, and fail to "themselves, and not for any candidate be convinced that every heart there was —who would not give their votes as a beating warmly, and every arm nerved "favour conferred, but as a sacred trust and ready against tyranny, come in what "reposed in an honest man, to enable shape it may ! "him to stem the torrent against these The resolutions proposed were se"venal coalition Whigs, who are, by conded by General Hamilton, whose "their own avowal, hunting the peo-speech was frequently interrupted by ple of this country from the second bursts of enthusiastic applause. He "floor to the garret. That this system approved decidedly of the resolution re"of corruption and oppression may commending that we should avoid all cease, is the only ardent wish, and, conflict with the Federal authorities, "in spite of every calumny, shall ever while the bill modifying the tariff was "be the constant and unremitting en- yet before Congress. We owed this to "deavour of, Gentlemen, your most our friends out of the state. We could "obedient and respectful humble ser-pause with honour. His conduct would vant, be guided by the tone of the resolution proposed. He had imself made an importation, having made a shipment of rice to the Havannah, and ordered a return cargo of sugar. He would allow his importation to go into the customhouse stores, and wait events. He would not produce unnecessary collision; but, if our hopes of a satisfactory adjustment of the question were disappointed, he knew that his fellow-citizens would go even to the death with him At a meeting held at the Circus, on for his sugar. (He was interrupted_by the 21., at which more than 3,000 per- an unanimous burst of accord). The sons were present, Charles C. Pinckney, last message of the President made it lieutenant-governor, presided, and Alex- easy to forbear for the present, even ander H. Brown, was secretary. Judge with the most fastidious sense of honour. Colcock addressed the citizens in a We are armed and in the trenches for

66

66

"FRANCIS BURDETT."

IMPORTANT FROM CHARLESTON,

(From the Morning Chronicle, 21. February). By the ship Calhoun, Captain Sutton, from Charleston, we have received papers from that city to the evening of the 23. instant.

He gave a vivid and true account of the enthusiasm of the interior; told how That the declaration of independence the violence of the proclamation had was made by the people of the several been thrown back, broken into mere colonies as one community, and not by froth from the rock of Carolina firm-independent states, each acting by virness; how even the women of our tue of his own sovereignty, by which country laughed at the threats of the one nation was created, and not a contoothless tiger; but he warned us to federacy of sovereign states. watch the movements of the wild beast, now cowed by the glance of freemen, but who would spring upon his masters, could he catch them unawares. If Con- That the judiciary in expounding, gress granted the modest request made and the executive in executing the in the last message for dictatorial power, laws of the Union, are the only funcwhy we could but fight it out. The tionaries who of right possess the power whole interior were up in arms, and of finally and authoritatively deciding would pour in a torrent into Charleston on the constitutionality of these laws;

that this right does not belong to a state formed that instrument, assembled in in the Union, but was virtually surren- its ratification, and reserved to themdered when "the united colonies" selves all righ's not delegated to the agreed to form a single nation. general Government. That the "united colonies" having Resolved, That the separate soveagreed with the other states to form a reignty of the state is in no degree single nation, no state from that period jaffected by their delegating a part of possesses any right to accede. "To their powers, to be exercised through a say that any state may at pleasure se-joint agency, called the Government of cede from the Union, is to say that the the United States, whose laws are alone United States are not a nation, and that supreme and binding on the states when secession, like any other revolutionary right, is only to be justified by the extremity of oppression.'

That a state having no right to decide in the last resort, whether the compact has been preserved or violated, this right devolving exclusively on the department of the Federal Government, the executive has the power to enforce by military coercion what he believes to be constitutional law, although declared otherwise by a sovereign party to the compact.

Resolved, That this meeting view with equal astonishment and indignation the claims of power set forth in the foregoing summary, which is a correct exposition of the doctrines contained in the text of the aforesaid manifesto.

made in pursuance of the constitution. We therefore utterly deny the flimsy sophism, that a state is not sovereign because its citizens are bound to obey a constitutional law of the United States made in strict conformity with an express power, which in her sovereignty such state has clearly delegated.

Resolved, That the claim which the President of the United States has set up by his previous acts, and the context and tenour of the aforesaid proclamation, of being himself the final and exclusive. judge of the constitutional validity of the laws, which he is called upon to execute, coupled with an avowed negation on his part of the right of a similar nature, appertaining to a sovereign party to the compact, not only puts an infeResolved, That the alleged origin of rior department of the Government, the Government of this confederacy, as created by the compact above the soveset forth in the said proclamation, is reign parties to the compact itself," but historically untrue. That by disinge-stoops at nothing short of concentrating, nuous verbal refinements, its authentic in the hands of a single functionary the history has been perverted to the ex- whole power of a union. traordinary purpose of erecting on the ruins of the sovereignty of the several states a great consolidated Government "without limitation of powers."

Resolved, That it is an unfounded reproach to the memories of the great and immortal spirits who declared our independence and formed the confederation of 1776, to say that a consolidated Government was created by them, and not a confederacy of free, sovereign, and independent states.

Resolved, That we view with abhorrence the direct and immediate corollary flowing from the aforesaid premises in the aforesaid proclamation · To wit: That no state has a right peaceably to secede from this union.

Resolved, That we regard the ulterior right of secession as inseparable from the sovereign character of the parties to the compact, that no claim to perpe tuity is set up in the instrument itself, not among the enumerated powers in Resolved, That the allegation also any power given to the general Governmade in the aforesaid proclamation, that ment to coerce a seceding state into the by the constitution of the United States Union. And hence it ceases to be a a similar consolidation of the Govern- subject of surprise, that in expounding ment is ratified, is equally without foun- a written instrument in which no such dation, as is proved by the separate and power is found, the President should distinct capacity in which the states have taken refuge in the poor resource

of all arbitrary Governments for the justification of this power-the stale and dangerous pretext of state necessity.

With these views and sentiments, we not only affirm the right of a state peaceably to secede from the Union, should any occasion unhappily arise to require the exercise of such a right, but are prepared to peril, if need be, our lives in the assertion of this claim, 0 essential to the civil and political liberty of the states.

liberties of our country should be daringly assailed; and we exhort our fellow-citizens to persevere in these public-spirited efforts.

Resolved, That this meeting has viewed with indignation the concentration, by the Government of the United States, of military and naval forces in this harbour, and on the frontiers of South Carolina, such concentration being uncalled for by any public exigency; and if intended to control public opinion Resolved, That if we are shocked at the by appealing to our fears to carry into principles of arbitrary power which are effect the proclamation of the President, avowed in the aforesaid proclamation, we must regard it as an impotent attempt we are equally mortified at the undig- to accomplish a most unwarrantable nified vituperation and reproach in purpose by unlawful means; an attempt which the President has been pleased to which could only have originated in a indulge in the same against a sovereign total ignorance of the true character state in this Union, acting through the and condition of our citizens, whose past highest organs of the constituted au- history has shown, that while they can thority. Nor are we the less indignant be conciliated by kindness, they cannot at the menaces of military coercion by be driven from their purposes by threats. which the enforcement of an unjust Resolved, That although we have felt system of Government is threatened, it to be a sacred duty to manifest these and which we are prepared to meet in a determinations, and to express these manner that shall become the high duties we owe to our posterity.

sentiments, we have nevertheless seen with lively satisfaction not only the inResolved, That we highly approve the dications of a beneficial modification of manner with which the legislature of the tariff, but the expression of sentiour state and its executive have met the ments in both branches of Congress, as crisis presented by the aforesaid pro-well as in other quarters, auspicious to clamation, and have every reason to the peace and harmony of the Union, feel a just pride in the lofty spirit of the and that these indications shall be met people of our state, who are prepared by corresponding dispositions on our with united hearts, and strong arms, to part-it is hereby declared, that it is the fly to her standard, in vindication of her sense of this meeting, that pending the dearest rights and liberties. process of the measures here alluded to, on all occasional collision between the federal and state authorities should be sedulously avoided on both sides, in the hope that the painful controversy in which South Carolina is now engaged may be thereby satisfactorily adjusted, and the Union of the states be established on a sure foundation.

Resolved, That the whole state-rights and free-trade party of Charleston will volunteer en masse to the Governor; and that four citizens from each ward, and six from the neck, be appointed by the Chair to receive their enrolment, that they may be organized and arranged to such uniform and beat companies as may suit their several inclinations, locality, and convenience.

Resolved, Should these expectations, which we sincerely and patriotically Resolved, That we have seen, with cherish, be disappointed, and the state the most lively satisfaction, the patriotic be left to no other resource but in a firın spirit which has impelled the citizens of reliance on her own sovereignty, we mu the country parishes composing this dis- tually pledge ourselves to each other trict to organize volunteer troops of and our country, to sustain the ordimounted gunmen, for the purpose of re- nance of her convention laws, made in pairing to this city in case the public consequence thereof, and our consti

Resolved, That the proposition made by the President to supersede the jurisdiction of the courts of this state over our own citizens, in cases arising under her ordinance and laws, and giv

tuted authorities, be the hazards what with dictatorial powers, and giving to they may. And in order that our citi- the executive, to a certain extent, an zens may be shielded from the payment absolute control over the lives, liberties, of the protecting duties imposed by the and property of the people. act of Congress, pronounced by the convention of the people of South Carolina unconstitutional, null, and void, the chairman of this meeting is hereby requested and authorised to nominate and associate with himself three commis-ing to the federal courts an absolute sioners to open a correspondence with the citizens of the different districts and parishes in the state, for the purpose of organizing and forming a free-trade importing company, in order that, if practicable, the whole of the articles of foreign merchandize consumed by the people of this state may hereafter be imported, free from the odious and unconstitutional tribute which we have hitherto paid.

control over the judicial tribunal of the state, would, if carried into effect, be utterly subversive not only of the rights of the states, but of every principle of civil and political liberty; and if submitted to, would establish amongst us a foreign judicature having cognizance of our state laws, and giving judgment in cases arising between our own citizens, contrary to the whole form and structure of our Government, and in manifest violation of the constitution, both of the

Resolved, That while we cannot submit to the imputation of having acted rashly or unwarrantably in adopting measures of defence in reference to a system against which South Carolina has been in vain protesting for upwards of ten years, we deem it proper once more solemnly and publicly to disclaim all the objects which have been imputed to us, save only that of relieving ourselves from the operation of a system which we believe (in the strong language once held by our political opponents themselves) to be "utterly unconstitutional, grossly unequal and oppressive, and such an abuse of power as is in

Resolved, That while this meeting sees with satisfaction from the Presi-state and of the United States. dent's recent message to Congress, that he now acknowledges that, under the existing laws and constitution of the United States, he has no right to resort to MILITARY FORCE, for the purpose of coercing the state, and of enforcing within her limits those acts which have been pronounced by her convention to be "unconstitutionally void, and no law." Yet we cannot avoid the expression of our regret at the reiteration by the President of the imputation upon our citizens and constituted authorities, of a design to levy war, or commit some act of outrage against the United States, when all our measures, as well as our public declara-compatible with the principles of a free tions, have manifested a determination not to resort to force, except the same should become absolutely necessary, in self-defence, to repel invasion, or to maintain within our own limits the authorities, rights, and liberties apper-colonial vassalage. taining to the people of South Carolina, as a sovereign state.

Government, and the great ends of civil society," and which we still believe must, if persevered in, reduce this fertile state to poverty and utter desolation, and her citizens to a condition of

Resolved, That the executive committee of thirteen of the state-rights Resolved, That we should regard the and free-trade party be revived, and that conferring by Congress upon the Presi- they be authorised and requested to take dent of the extraordinary powers de- the proper measures, and that the whole manded in his recent message, as a gross party in the parishes of St. Philip and and palpable violation of the constitu- St. Michael may be organized in such tion of the United States, as investing a manner, as, when called upon to aid the chief magistrate of this confederacy peaceably in our civil capacity as citi