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THE COHSTITUTIOXAUST. 1
nr otekv » H r.rrf;.
ip TERMS—For ihe Mmi-weckly paper, published }'
every Tuesday and Fnday moraine, A.') per annum
and fur the weekly A3, all payable in advance.
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For yearly adv. rtisenn-ni- private arrangement- arc
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j•' I' u•- lie paid on letters of bonnes?-
■
Com mmi 20th Audits', 1832.
To M* ssrs. (lm:v A Dime :
(it nll> i/i'ii , — I manner in winch \on hate i
policed rnv reply to your Editorial ar.icl -, t aii-j!
itig on the (' unJidab s for Congress for the ex
pression of tln-ir peffitical opinions, compel Is me j
again to addrt-vs yon. j
i run willing to admit that you, as tv II as all
others, have the right to know the opin'ums ot ,1
all persons who are Candidates for C-Tigress, o»
the Legislature, hut as it public joumalis , {'■ r °-
fessiu: to give information to the people, 1 can- ;
not b- lieve you have the right to withhold from
the public the names of camlidatee, utr.il you i
know their opinions, or even alter you do know
them, when they happen to entertain opinions
different from yours. \V e hav -, however, h<> h
expressed our views upon tins matter, and the
public must determine between us. ) hat part
of your Editorial article of the lltli inst. which!
now claims my attention, has relerence to 30m
strictures on mv poli’icaJ opinions as expressed ,
in my letter to you, in which you seem to have
great I v misundt rs'uod me, or you would not
have charged the course I intend to purine us jl
ba ;• d on the Carolina doctrine of Nullification, j
I am not certain that I know the pr. use mean
ing of. and extent to which that doctrine would!
go [ cannot, therefore, certainly say that you ■
have of..' Ime unjustly’, though I think t.iat
you have - ie - vou must admit, it was more ea
sy to make the cm rge, and denounce my opin
ions, than to have shown they were wrong and
that vou have preferred the easier task : I n
less I great I v deceived myselt. (and it I am.
I am willing to he undeceived, 5 my opinions and i
the course I would recommend Ceor.ua U> pur-,
sue in the last resort, arc based on the \ irgmia
Resolutions of ’9*, (the text hook of Democra-!
tic Republicans,) and he opinions of jo! ison.
(the ape.' i of liberty,) of Madison and othc rs,
their groat leaders, —Let us examine them.
My first proposition is, “ it is my opinion that ■
each State has the right to judge of the cons'd
lutionaliiy of every law of Cuimi-ess—.and iu.it
unconstitutional which it believes to he so 1 —
and that the time and the occasion when this
shall be done is only a matter of expediency.”— '
< third Virginia Resolution is as follows: — |
“ 'J'lett this assembly doth explicitly and peremp
torily declare, that it views llu powers <</ the i'c- |
deril (lovernmc nt, as r atltino from the com pari
to iv hi eh the ■ s 't.if v are parties, as limited by the i
•plain sense and intention of the instrument con-|
Slitut ng the compact, and as no further valid,'
than they are authorized hy' the grants ennme-J
rated in that compact; and that iiycase of a do-;
liberate, palpable, and dangerous exorcise of|
other powers, nut granted by the said compact, (■
the States who are jnirlies thereto, have thej
right, and are in duty bound to interposeybr ar
resting the progress of the e\il, and for main
taining within their respective limits, the uu-,
thoriiics, rights, atid liberties appertaining to 1
them.’' And Mr. Madison, in that celebrated Re-1
p» .* w 1 i a has immortalized his name, defend-[
ing this resolution against the attacks of the Fc-
O O
dcralists of that day, says, “ The Constitution!
is a compact to which t’tc States arc parties.— [
It np. vs to ’■•jur Committee, to he a plain prin-|
ciple, foumied in common sense, illustrated by
common practice, ami essential to the nature of
compacts, that when resort can he had to no
tribunal superior to the auihority of the parties,
the parties themselves must hr the rightful judges',
in the last resort, w hether the bargain made , h is
been pursued or violated.” Th ; Constitution of
the United .State? was formed by the sanction of
the Slates, given by each in its sovereign capa
city. It adds to the stability and dignity as well
as to the authori'y of the Cons'itntion, that it
rests on 'his legitimate and solid foundation.
The Slates then being the parties to the Consti
tutional compact, undin their sovereign capa
city', it fellows of necessity that there can he no
tribunal above their authority, and consequently u
that ns Ihe parties to it. they'must themselves J
decide in the last resort, such questions ns may ■
be of sufficient magnitude to justify' their inter- i
position.
Now 1 v.nnot see any' difference be ween the*
principles embodied in this resolution with Mr,
Madison’? Exposition of it, and those contained:
jn my' first propos.tion.
The sumo construction lias been given to that
resolution by the constituted authorities
people e i% Georgia more than once, and they,
have prac'ical comments upon it, in which they
have bee l fully sustained by those principles. ,
By the contract of 1802, (commonly called ,1
the treat v of cession,) between the United States
*ud the state of Georgia, the United Stales,
bound themselves to extinguish the Indian tide
.40 all the lands withih the limits of this State.
13v the tre ,*y a. the Indian SprT. ,s in 1825,
the Ihle of • Go k Indians to all the lands!
w.tld:. tin. e gia was extinguished.
The ituii.uio - coming dissatisfied, proposed A:
did make another treaty', hy which a new line 1
was agrot d upon. and a part of the land wliie.li
had already bet n ceded was to be taken from
the State of Georgia, and the title which had
been extinguished, again vested in the Indians.
Georgia remonstrated against this second;
treaty, called the new treaty.) as
serted her absolute title to nil the Crock lands,
within her limits, and declared that by the Con
stitution t 1 * United States had not the right to!i
deprive Georgia without her consent, of any
lands wit- in those limits.—And she also deolur-]
cd her determination to survey and gram them.
She was th:-a threatened w ith the arm* of the
United Stait*. and her troops were actually!
march- ! into the State, and quartered within
he • ’ .. sto awe her into submission. But she
kc v her rights, was not afraid to declare them,!
mi'j would ii'<t ho driven from hor position.
What was the cons-quence 1 Th.e General
Government avgs forced to make another treaty
with ho Indians, and purchase from them at an
extravagant price, the strip of land, (tne sub-,
jec; of controversy.) to r< lieve herself Item the
unpleasant and dis.igret.bie situation in which
she had been placed by the imprudence andj
rashness of h'-r Chief Magistrate. The troops;
of the Uniteo States were marched hack again,;
and Georgia and the principles of '9S trium
phod.
I am well aware there were not wanting per
sons h: that lime, who maintained the oiqnij*o
tence of the General Government, and her right
to sell a State ; b ! t you were not among them,
nor of them. \our voice was then heard ably
maintaining the rights of the State.
.two n that case and the principles under which
we then acted, and those for which now con
*l*l Was .c on ten ded that the General Goyern
• rnent had the right to make all treaties, rmd that
a treaty was the supreme law oi the land, and
That resistance to it would he treason. Geor
gia contended, and rightly too, that while trea
ti' s properly made, were like laws made in pur-J
suance of the Constitution, the supreme law of
the lan !, yet there was no power given by the.
Constitution which authorized any treaty by
which a State could he deprived of any partot,
her territory without her consent, and that the
new treaty with the Indians was unconstitutional,
and like an unconstitutional law was null and;
jvoid. .
i IMiere is another and a recent case which is (
j fresh iu the recollection of us all.
By a clause in the Constitution, Congress has
i'.he power to regulate commerce with foreign na-;
:lions, and among the several States, and with
| the Indian tribes.
j Under this power a law was passed, common
lly called the inter use law, not only to regn
-I:.rr* rv/.imerc- with t!i ; Indians, hut all other in
ju-rconrse. and to grant liconst s to white people
to 1 iv*• among them, for commercial and other
ipufjios- s. A few years back, the Cherokee In
dians undertook to assume sovereign powers,;
laud erect a s-parate and distinct government.
To put a stop to this encroachment upon her
soci reign rights, Georgia passed a iaw requii .ugj
the wliirc peoph living in the Cherokee Nation!
' to take an oath of allegiance to the State, or to;
;jl< rive the Indian territory within h* r chartered;
dlimi's, under severe penalties. i his was rc-j
■(fused hy some persons, and among others by S.j
\, Worccst»-r, a Missionary, belonging lotucj
! \me rican Board of Missions, and I*r. Butler, a;
; physician. They were arrested, tried, convict-j
ed and sentenced' under the laws of Georgia to;
j imprisonment in the Penitentiary. At the gate:
; of the Penitentiary pardon was tendered to them |
j upon condition that they should remove or take
j the oat.h ‘o obey the laws of Georgia, and tins
j was refused. At their instance, writs ot error
:{were sued out, to take the cause to the Supreme
Court of the United States. That court decided
ijthat the Intercours law was constitutional
that Worcester the Missionary had a right to
| remain there —that the Cherokee Nation was
; quasi sovereign and independent, and that the
| law of Georgia under which those persons were
|jtried and sentenced, was and
i void; and ordered the Superior Court of Gwin
uett county to reverse its decision end set ihe
)p; isoners free. Acting muler the principles of
’9B, the Judge (Judge Dougherty) refused obedi
( oucc to the mandate, and he has been, un i wid
!x> sustained hy all (ieorgiei. On that
pie of Georgia with one heart, w ith one mind,
and w ith one voice, will raise the cry' ofrests-
I tanee —winch echoing from the Savannah to the
i Chattahoochie, will reverberate among her
mountains, and not he lost in the tumultuous bil
| lows of her Southern boundary.—But it a “ still
; small voice” should he raised among us, in favor
: of the pow ,r of Congress be the Supreme Court,
' 1 will not do you the injustice to believe it will be
| yours.
i There is yet another case, and I have done.
The State of Georgia has passed a law direct
ing the Cherokee lauds within her limits to be
i surveyed and distributed by lottery among her
; people.
The surveys have been made, the Commis
sioners of the Lottery are now at Milledgeville
preparing the tickets, and this fall the lottery
i will he drawn. —The principles of ’9B must be
j carried out, and the people of Georgia must ac f
I firmly, wh u action is necessary, or we must
! be prepared to give up those lands and wait till
I the Sovr.ni.ioN Cherokee Nation is disposed
i to csde them.
I As 1d" not believe there can he a difference
of opinion as respects the first part of my second
proposition, I pass on to the latter part of it and
to the-third.
It is my opinion “that we have no reasonable
hope of redress from Congress,’’ and “that as all
I the revenue intended to be applied to 'he pay
ment, of the public debt, will bo collected under
! tire act of 18*28, the time has arrived, and the
I occasion has presented itself, which imperiously
demand of the State to take the redress into her
own hands, and to exercise the high prerogative
j right of resisting the operation of (hat act within
| her own limits by all the means within her con
trol; and that a different course must neceSsari
| Iv destroy all the limitations of the Constitution,
(■ and result in unconditional submission to a mo
i nied or manufacturing aristocracy.”
I 1 will not here inquire whether the act of 1828,
: or that of ISS2 he most oppressive <o the people
of the South—there can exist but little difference
between them as regards the duties on protect
ed articles. Each has its advocates among thej
tariff and anti-tariff men. And the Bill of 1832
has been so artfully drawn ns to make it ex- 1
! t remedy difficult to determine which is the best. |
jOn one side we have George M. Troup, thej
N champion of State Rights, and on the other!
John Forsyth, who has opposed a “ceaseless and i
j uncompromising resistance” to the system, andj
j who is always “ready for trial” When the rightsj
of Georgia are invaded. There certainly is no;
difference between them in principle. The pro-!
1 tective principle is fully and amply recognized
in both. What said the tariff leaders in the
Senate, and more particularly Mr. Clay? “It;
contained a clear, distinct, and indisputable ad-j
mission of the great principle of protection.” ’“lt.
consecrated the principle of protection, and that, j
..too, alter the payment of the public debt.” “Thej
principle of protection, being thus sanctioned,}
when the nation was out of debt, furnished well-,
grounded hopes that it would be adhered to: and
if, hereafter, it shbuld be found that the protec- 1
tioti in any branch of domestic industry was in- j
adequate, the great principle of protection will
carry us out to afford further aid to it.”
If Mr. Clay has spoken the sentiments of the l
tariff majority in Congress, (and I believe he
has,) the painful conclusion is forced upon us, j
that we can have “no reasonable hope of re- ‘
dress from Congress.”
We have now to enquire whether Georgia
ought to submit, to the operation of this act, not,
quietly but sullenly and with slavish complain-j
ings, or w hether she ought to resist it ? and
wheth. r this is the proper time?
It is acknowledged by ail that the public debt I
will be paid off by the 3d day of March next,’
when this act is to go into operation, and accord
ing to every calculation a large revenue must he
collected under it, over and above the ordinary!
and necessary expenses of the Government:—
and from whom is this surplus revenue to be!
drawn, and for whose benefit ! It is an anomaly
in the history of nations, that any
call on the Government to impose higher taxes 1
on them when those taxes are burdensome vet :
the people of the manufacturing section of thej!
United States, are clamorous for high taxes,
while the people of the Southern States have!
been remonstrating against them.—This is de- 1
cisive of the question that the taxes are paid bvJ
and burdensome to, the latter, and for the bene-!
fit of the former. It is equally clear that al-t
most eight tenths of the taxe? are pajj by the!
Soutli without any corresponding benefit for
the surplus has been, and no doubt will be gene
rally distributed among the northern and west
tern States in Internal Improvements. Is this
right, or is it wrong ? And it wrong, ought the
South longer to submit to it 7 i
The excuse which has heretofore been urged
for a continuance of high duties, was the P a >
mentofthc public debt. i hat being now ta
away, the protective principle has been opcu.y .
‘ and boldly avowed, and upou • te passage o -tie
' Get was warnilv, zealously and successfully urg-;
cd. This then is the crisis, and it is now de
' manded of us, and we must answer : U ill you ;■
submit to this principle of legislation, or will you ;
i not f We cannot delay the answer, it wej
}1 submit now, we cannot hereafter open our,
d mouths against it, or we may prope: ly be told -
!■ When the act passed, the protective principle
1 was avowed bv i*s advocates, and you were
|: then told it would be continued, and “it any
branch of domestic industry should be .oead to
ibe inadequately protected, the great principle.
will be carried out and relief afforded.” Aoin
submitted 10 it then- Tuie, it was with mur-j
i murs and complaints—but you submitted, and j
von cannot now do mor vou may complain asj
; much as you please, but we will laugh at your|
! unavailing complaints. We iiuve no alfoiUa-^
I tive —we must act now or forever alter hold Ou: j
! 1
> peace.
Is the occasion one which demands such ac-
Ition?. I have not enquired into the amount j
which has been imposed on us. —Heavy as it is, |
that is a matter of little moment. Hut, it I ' tr, ,
I to do SO, it could easily be shown to be much:
i greater than the duty qf threepence on tea, which ;
I gave the first impulse to the Revolutionary ;
: ball, which rolled on to the independence ofj
! these United "dates. It is the principle which I.
i deprecate, and which Georgia ought to resist, |
■j if she resist at all. Before the tea was cast into,
•I the harbor at Boston, our lathers had petition- i
[ ed, remonstrated, protested lor years. M*•
l| have done the same. When they found peti-|
J tions, remonstrances and protests unavailing,:
■ they acted —and we should bo recreant to their |
■ principles, and unworthy to bear the names of|
I freemen and Americans, it we hesitate longei.j
But how are we to act !
• “It is rny opinion, more effectually to accom- j
! i plisli this object, the people of the different coun
■ j ties ought to elect Delegates to represent them
■ iin the Convention to be held at this place (Mil
(j! Jedgeville) and determine cn the measures most
• I proper to be adopted.”
;j J cannot add strength to this suggestion —Ij
fj am not one of those, and 1 am sure you are not |
.1 who believe that the people are not to be
! trusted with their own business^— that they are j
i \Wlar r ‘iy n u^s’il f tor 'Yliou* ow n interest, i i
, lieve ihey are. lam satisfied they are ready
■ to suffer and will suffer while the evils are suf-1
; fnrable, and when the evils of the existing gov-!
• eminent become insufferable they will thtow off
■ that government, form a new government in its
1 stead and transmit to their children the inheri
■ tance of freedom.
, I believe it is the right, mid that it is the!
’ ! bouuden duty of the people of Georgia, to meet;
in Convention and to determine on the inode:
. and measure of redress for themselves and their
• children.
' Nor am I without high authority for this:
1 opinion. Mr. Jefferson in reply to the author!
Jof a book printed at Boston in 1821 says : “ you
•I seem to think that the Judges (of the Supreme!
1 j Court) are the ultimate arbiters of all Constltu. j
! tionnl questions; this is a very dangerous doctrine |
j indeed, and one which would place ns under the j
! despotism of an oligarchy .” And in his letter to 1
ij Judge Johnson he says ; “ that the ultimate]
i; arbiter is the people acting by their deputies jn j
It Convention.” And what are the people to do)
j when assembled by their deputies in Convention?
■j Whatever they may deem best calculated to re-|
i dress the grievances, and remove the burdens.
1; under which we labor. If my name were before |
j the people of the county to represent them in
a the Convention, I would not hesitate to make j
•known the course I would recommend: but I
j have not and will not arrogate to myself lliej
■; right to dictate what course the Convention!
ij ought to pursue. The members will come from!
j all sections oftheS*ate, and will bring together’
■ the wishes and feelings of the people. And as
one of the people 1 am prepared to go heart andj
i hand with the course they shall adopt ; under;
■ the full confidence that they will select the!
means best calculated to promote the interest,
i and preserve the rights of the Stare.
If these principles and this course are based on
the Virginia Resolutions, and the opinions of
Jefferson, and Madison, I must stand acquitted
by nil democratic republicans—but if on the
i; Carolina doctrine of Nullification, then I s’and
■i convicted by my own confession before the
f people of Georgia. But if I have understood
j that doctrine rightly, there is a wide difference
| between us. It is contended by them that the
j State may pass a law declaring an act of Con-j
gress unconstitutional and giving to the importer \
j an action against the collector for seizing hisj
j goods—and that all their Judges and other offi- :
| cers arc bound by it till the General. Govern- j
j mem invoke the opinion of the States,, and if i
j! three fburhs of the Siatostiecide the act of Con-1
jj gross to be constitutional, the State must be bound i
jby it. To this mode of redress, I object* Ist. Be-i
j cause such a law passed by a State, would bo cn- 1
I! tircly useless and inoperative. If the act of Con- :
jl gress be unconstitutional the Jaw of the State does.
ij not make it so. If it be constitutional the State law i
, cannot make it unconstitutional. If an action is j
; brought under the Stale law, the act of Congress!
i must be judged by itself and by the terms of the]
Constitution, and not by the law of any State, i
I And why ? Three fourths of the States cannot,!
; make any decision on any act of Congress which !
| would have a legal force and obligation. Not!
! even twenty-three out of the twenty-four States |
} could do it. V\ hen two thirds ot Congress re-,
j commend it, and three fourths assent, an am-j
, endment may be made to the Constitution. But'
, this must only act prospectively, and cannot]
] operate retrospectively. j
One word as regards myself. You have:
. charged me with inconsistency, for being a con- ■
■ didate for Congress, while I believe we have noj
reasonable hope of redress from them. Th.sisi
not done with your usual candor, and I think on
reflection you will do me justice. My name!
was not presented by myself to the people of *
Georgia. And whilst believe we have no reason-!
■ able hope of redress from Congress in this |
j matter, 1 may yet believe Georgia has other]
jj rights and interests before Congress which may:
j| require the attention of her Representatives.
■ ) But °ne thing lean assure you, and, through you,
j the people of Georgia, if they have determined!
■to submit to the tariff acts—to the arbitrary
|j dictation of an interested majority—if they have
determined to sit down quietly or complain 1 nglv,
and rivet the chainsupon themselves and transmit;
this badge of slavery to their children, I do not!
desire to be selected among those Representa
tives, who shall be charged with this duty. If
j such be their determination, I should consider a
; private station the post of honor,
i I am, gentlemen, yours, respectfullv.
SEABORN JONES,
PUBLIC MEETINGS.
MONROE MEETING.
In pursuance of a resolution passed at a plu
vious meeting, a forge and general assemblage
r • of Monroe county took place at
Foil, court House on Friday last, for the pur
pose of deciding upon the necessity of “ State;
Convention, to point out some mode for the: re-1
dress of the grievances indicted upon them by
: the ProtcctiviTSystem. Wm B Stephens, Esq
was called to the Chair, and Col. Wm. 1 • pin
rv appointed Secretary. The meeting c,n r>
organized, the following preamble and resolu-j
lions, prefaced by appropriate remarks, were
presented bv Geo. W. Gordon, Esq. and passed,|
( after considerable debate by an almost imam- j
i raous vote. . . . , I
Whereas it is a most sacred obligation incum- j
I bent on every free people, to take care that then j
!liberties be maintained in the practice ot go\-|
I eminent as well as in the theory of the lons .-
tution. And whereas there is not, nor in the;
j*nature of things can there be, in written consti
tutions any inherent efficiency which ot itacllj|
!I will suffice to restrain or recall Government irom, j
usurpations or oppressions to which it may be
r inclined ; but the spirit which atone can impart ii
i-practical effect and controlling efficacy to writ- ;
Hten Constitutions, must live and act in the great jj
j! body of the people, and through them must be jj
|j brought to bear on government: whence the jl
!people ore the only true and efficient guardians;
hand conservators of the Constitution ; and a per- j
II inane nt acquiescence on their part under gross:
hgovernmental violations oi the Coustiiiition, is;
jja betrayal of the Constitution itself, and a-vir-j
jitiuil abandonment of all contitutional libcity ;
yof which, whenever any people can be guilty,
they are ripening rapidly for slavery: Ami
! whereas we are thoroughly satisfied that all that
' series of Congressional legislation lor years past,
i which has had for its object the encouragement
of certain branches of domestic industry, by
: the imposition of what arc called protective du
i tics, on foreign imports, has ever been and is
i flagrantly violative of the Constitution of the
•! United States, and peculiarly oppressive and nu
i inous to the interests of the Southern portion ot
! the Union. And whereas the people of Geor-
I gia have in every form and way to which free
j men could fitly resort, vainly sought the repeal
of this odious system at the hands of Congress;
and whereas they have heretofore borne the
I burthens of this system in the confidence that
the period of the extinction ot the national debt
j would be the era of the commencement at least,
I of a poliev which should look to the ultimate en
j; tire removal of those burthens; but now the}
j behold every hope of this sort blasted bv the
( open avowals and correspondent actings of C<*»-
| {miss in the passage oi the tariff act ot tlie P ie "
jjau*. , - j vt..a to tllclT
ii a system which in its operation on the south
j j must forever be one of legalized robbery* and
• I oppression is to become the settled and unaltera-1
| ble policy of the government: And whereas we
cannot brook the thought that the stupendous
j curse and slavish principle of this system should
be perpetually fastened on us and our posterity,
i Resolved, therefore, That we regard the con
: tinned perseverance of the general government
I in the policy of encouraging by burthensome
I duties on foreign imports, some branches of do.
1 mesfic industry at the expense of others, mid to
: the oppression in a peculiar manner of the in
jterests of the southern States, as a subject on
I which the people of Georgia-ought to meet and
! act decisively and definitely* in convention.
1 Resolved, That we concur in the proposition
which has been made by our fellow citizens of
it other counties, for the call of a Convention to
meet in Millcdgeville on the second Monday in
I ~ ; *
November next, for the purpose of taking this
J whole subject into consideration, & determining
[some “ mode and measure ” for the relief of the
j country from the oppressions of the “ protecting
: system,” and bring back the government to the
1 true principles of the Constitution on that sub
!i ject.
Resolved, That we will proceed on the first
'j Monday of November next to the election of
!j delegates to represent the people of Monroe
j county in said Convention.
I After the above preamble and resolutions
,i were adopted, the following resolutions were
proposed by Gen. Elias Beall, and also carried
;| by a vote equally unanimous,
it Resolved, That we view with regret and ab
ihorrcnce the proscriptive resolution of the late
! meeting at Augusta, which has clothed a Com
j miltee of three, with the authority* of catechis
; ing our candidates for Congress and the State*
'ii legislature, on the subject of their political faith.
!j To the people, alone, in tJiuir collective capaci
,i;ty, belong the right of instruction—and they
will recognize no attempt :u wrest that right
from them, by the dictation of a triumvirate Com
tuiilee.
Resolved, That we consider the contemplated
Convention at Milledgcvillo as not intended to
j denounce this or that candidate—but that we
: look upon it ns a convocation of the Repre
; sentatives of a sovereign State, who arc to
i be called together to exercise a legitimate privi
: lege in defence of our dearest rights. As such,
■. every candidate, nominated by the people to that
i Convention snould stand untimidated by the
; threats of political proscription. In a republi
; can government political pledges, demanded in
i the spirit of the Augusta resolutions, are but
! bribes held out to the unprincipled—and, as
j such, they* question the integrity and honour of
; every patriot statesman who may appear before
j the people for their suffrage, and should conse
• quently be spurned with merited indignation or
: cold contempt.
Resolved, That the proceedings of this meet
| ing be signed by the Chairman, and counter
i signed by the Secretary, and that all the papers
: in the State be requested to publish them.
WM. P. STEPHENS, Chairman,
i Wm. P. llexky, Sec’v.
From the Savannah Georgian of August 30.
GREAT UNION MEETING,
i The meeting which took place yesterday* w*as|
pronounced by many competent judges to have)
|ibeenoneof the largest ever seen here. The]
ij long room of the Exchange was literally jam-1
jmed and we have no doubt that if the room had;
| been larger, many more would have beer. pre-|
:senr. Never, in any community, was there ex-1!
j liibited a greater unanimity of feeling than by jj
jithis meeting. “ Carolina’s conservative spcci-;!
tic. Nullification,” was utterly* prostrated. Butil
jjpne solitary voice was raised in favour of Caro-jj
1 ilinn Nulhfica cn, and the gentleman who rais-ii
c i*. at ♦he cn *of the meetin . offered a reso-li
: 1 a in favour of the re-ei .n of Gen. Jack
ij-'■ .v hen Judge Vv uyn-.- to address the j
• me- * ng, he wrs salute..; wi.h enthusiastic ap-|i
ula s-.v Daring the wiuela course of his re
marks lie was I s .'ne J to wi:’n the uhnost atten
tion,- ex’ept when he was interrupted, as he of-j
( ten w;..s. oy the plaudits of the audience. On'
taking his s at. tno meeting spontaneously* gave!
three cheers, an • tne room rung with the loud]
approbation of I;■■ . . rets. His speech was an!
able vindication t Ids course m Congress, and
i his constituents m Coatha l ave rendered to
him, (what we hope his constituenis, in other
f parts the State *HI do,) the award,
done, Ihou good and fa.thtul sort ant. nr
time and limits do not, at present perm.t a de
tailed account of the sentiments expressed by
the speakers. We shall in our next give the
substance of the speeches delivered. \V hen
the oucstion was put upon the final passage o |
the Resolutions, there were but four dissenting!
voices, and two of thdse came from a couple of,
boys perched up in the music gallery . Nul fi-j
cation ? “ Farewell, a long farewell to all thy .
greatness ! ,J in Chatham county.
At a meeting of the citizenss of Gliatbamlj
countv, held at the Exchange on -dax.j
i29th August, in pursuance oi the not ce a
(call of the 25th inst. William B. Bi LLOCH,|j
! Esq. was unanimously called to the Chair a
j \V. W. Gordon, Esq. was appointed bec rotary .
i The objects of the meeting were explained ,
|| by the Chairman in an address of some length jj
I to bo, to devise measures to resist the operation:
| of the Tariff', and to express the feelings and
ij sentiments of this community on the groat po- |
i ilitical questions which are now the subject ol
! j -renora I consideration th roughout the btate.
!j VV hereupon it was unanimously Resolved,
! that a Committee of Seven bo appointed by thej
! Chairman to draft Resolutions. The Chairman
( then appointed, xTI " , T r
!| 1 Judge JOHN C. NICOLL,
Col. M. MYERS,
Col. JOSEPH W. JACKSON,
I Col. WILLIAM HARRISON,
JOHN P. WILLIAMSON,
JOSEPH GUMMING,
S. B. PARKMAN,
To compose that Committee, who retired, and;
after a short absence returned and offered the
following Resolutions :
The citizens of the county of Chatham, im-|
pressed with a sense as well of the oppressions
to which they, in common with the inhabitants
of the Southern States, are subjected by the’
laws imposing duties on imports, ns of the dan
gers with which the public security, the stabili
ty Os our institutions and the existence of the
Union arc threatened by the feelings which
; those laws have engendered, do avow their
[firm resolution to maintain and defend the Go
jvernment of the State, as the most effectual;
shield of private rights, the most faithful guar
dian of those principles which constitute the ba
sis of our Union and the surest bulwark of our.
Republican system of Government; and do in
like manner avow that they “ cherish a cordial,
and immoveable attachment to the Union of the;
States,” as the source of our national strength,
ie as the main pillar in the edifice of our real in
dependence and the support of our tranquilhty*,
Ulld artist r ett litmrc ox«i jWJfICC clt>rOtlUj aild
to the Constitution of the United States as the
covenant of that Union, as the charter of equal
rights among the several States, and as the Se
curity of Liberty,
j While they regard the Tariff Act of July, j
1832, as an alleviation of the burthens of which
they complain, and as a partial concession made
by* those interested in manufactures, to the just
demands and the rights of the South, they*, never
theless, in the spirit of the sentiments they* have
avowed,
Do Resolve, That they* most earnestly and
solemnly* protest against said Tariff as designed'
to retain an unjust, unequal and oppressive tax
upon the capital and industry of the Southern j
States, in violation of the spirit of the Constitu
tion, and for a purpose not sanctioned by that
instrument, and that they will employ ail and
every means consistent with the Constitution ;
and with their allegiance to the Government of'
the State, to reduce the provisions of the same
within the letter and spirit of the Constitution.
They do further Resolve, That they clispprovc !
the recommendation of the meeting at Athens,'
to “the citizens of the several cdundes ” to elect
Delegates to a State Convention, and “ to invest,
them with full power in behalf of the good people
of Georgia to maintain, preserve and defend the
rights and privileges of the free citizens of this
State.”
Bee use, in the Legislature of the State re
sides all power noj repugnant to the Constitu
tion of the State or of the United States : to it
therefore, belongs the power, and on it is impos
ed the duty “to maintain, preserve and defend
the rights and privileges of the people ” and of
the State, and the fact upon which said recom
mendation is predicated, that the people of Gcor- •
gia, by their Representatives in the Legislature,
have repeatedly and solemnly declared the sev-f
eral acts lay’ing duties on imports, to be unjust,
’ oppressive and unconstitutional, and have so.
Icmnly announced their determination not to
submit to such unlawful exactions, and their con
sequent resolution to resist them, if after a rea
sonable time they should not be repealed, as it
affirms that the Legislature is ready and ade- '■
quate to the discharge of its duty* and the exer
cise of its power, evinces that a Convention for,
the same purpose is unnecessary.
Because the investing of said Convention with
the power proposed would be an usurpation of;
the powers which appertain to the constituted
authorities of the State, and a divestiture of these
of the authority which the people in the legiti- !
mate exercise of their supremacy* have confided'
to them, would be subversive of the deliberate
and sovereign will of the people as expressed in
the Constitution of the State, anti-republican in
its tendency, destructive of the fundamental
principle of democratic government, for “the
very idea of the power and right of the people
to establish a government presupposes the duty
of every individual to obey the established gov.
eminent,” revolutionary in its character, and.
would have a direct tendency, by bringing the
State government into disregard and impotency
to prostrate the chief bulwark of the rights of
the people and of the sovereignty of the States
and to precipitate the States into a consolidated
| government. If the individuals who shall com-,
| pose this convention can thus set at naught the i
I established government, upon whom will their
! acts be obligatory* or whose authority can they
i be regarded as exercising ?
Because the power proposed to be conferred
I upon said Convention is without limit—unre
; strained by any restriction whether of the Con
! stitution or of law, but above and beyond either
not subject to the adoption or rejection of the
| people and to be exercised by thosp who, not re
|! turning to them lor re-election, are not respon
jjsibleto them, and might, under the impulse of
;) passion or of factious intolerance, be employed
Bn the enactment of bills of attainder, in the *de
jportation or other more grievous punishment of
r the generous and confiding citizens of the State
11 or for other purposes however despotic, or in
o'her modes however tyrannical.
,! Because as the elections of delegates to said
Convention would not be according to the forms
of the Constitution nor in obedience to, nor by
j the authority of the constituted authorities of the
j States, they would not be by “thy people ” —the
body politic, or organized political society*, “of
tlie fcstate,” but by* individual citizens, as individ
; uals, who could consequently confer authority* to
control, or act for themselves only, and that on
ly* in coincidence with established law, and who
could not therefore invest said Convention with
any “poweein behalf of the good people of the!
/
1 Slate* —an assumption of ttie Exercise
hi behalf of whom would be palpable usurpation.
Resolved, That after the evidence furnished
by the late and present Congress, of a returning
sense of justice, and of a disposition to conciliate
the south by the passage of acts which ameho.
rate the protective system, and moreover diinin.
ish and sever the interests by which that system
has been hitherto sustained, and with an Exocu.
hve Magistrate, a gallant achiever and the most
illustrious defender of our liberties, who is faith,
ful to the Constitution and friendly to our inter,
csts, and who holds that it is the duty of gov*
I meet to confine itself to equal protection and c.
equal benefits, “and that that which he administers
|is nut to be maintained nor our Union preserved
jj bv invasions of the rights and powers bl the
■ several States,” but that “its true strength eon.
fsists in leaving individuals and States as much
!as possible to themselves” —and with a State
I Legislature, the Constitutional representatives
i|of the people’s will, and immediate guardians of
I their interests and ofthe sovereignty of the State,
|| who have ever been vigilant in detecting the on.
croachmcnt of the Federal government and linn
j in maintaining the rights ol the State, no othef
I means, for relieving themselves from the op.
! pression of the Tariff, than the continued, per.
•{severing & energetic employment of those which
I have been thus far successful, seem to this meet,
i jug, to be, at this time, necessary, and especial.
11v when the readjustment, under the recent ecu,
sus, of the representation ol the people in Con
gress, promises to bring an accession of the ad.
vacates of free trade into that body.
Resolved nevertheless , That if the general
prevalence of a contrary opinion should render
it proper for us to elect delegates to a State Con.
vention, such delegates shall have authority on.
! ly to deliberate on, devise and recommend the
i best means of relieving the State from the op*
pressions of the tariff —under instructions to re
sist the adoption of any measure having a ten.
1 dcncy to violate the Constitution ot the United
States, to enfeeble br bring into disrepute the
I authority of the State Government, or to weak
-1 en the bands of the Union.
Resolved, That we entertain no doubt of the
purity of the motives, or the patriotic intentions
by which any and all of our delegation were in.
: fluenced, in the course pursued by them, during
the recent session of Congress, and have seen,
: with regret, the hasty and unfounded suspicions,
which have been objected against our Senator
and Representative, Messrs. Forsyth & Wayne.
; That we approve of the efforts' made by these
gentlemen so to reduce and modify the Tariff
Act of 1828, as to render it less oppressive to
this State, and regard their course in relanon to
; trie ufllid US Wll IP SShlg for
them, their firm resolution by judicious and ef
ficient opposition; through a gradual reduction,
and by constitutional and peaceful means-to ac
jl commodate the Tariffof duties to a just revenue
iI standard, and as furnishing unequivocal evi
idenceof their fixed opinion, that the protective
M system should not be recognized us the settled
policy of the country.
Resolved, That wc consider the doctrine of
i Nullification, u political heresy, impracticable
1 as a peaceable remedy for our grievances, in.
j compatible with the spirit of our Constitution,
and destructive of the peace and welfare of our
■ country.
The Honorable James M. Wayne arose and
addressed the meeting, for a space of two hours,
in explanation and justification of his vote on the
: recent act.
L. S. D’Lyon, Esq. moved to take up and
i consider the resolutions singly—-motion nut
'seconded.
Col. M. Myers, seconded by Col. Shellrtian,
moved to take up the resolutions together —car-
ried with one dissenting voice.
Col. Joseph W. Jackson arose and addressed
the meeting in opposition to the resolutions, in
. part.
L. S. .D’Lyon, Esq. then addressed the meet,
mg in opposition to the resolutions.
lie was replied to by John C. Nicol!, Esq.
I who defended ihe resolutions and maintained
the consistency of that in relation to Nullifica
tion, with the principles of Jefferson.
The resolutions were then adopted without a
division, and with not more than three or lour
dissenting voices.
On motion of Levi S. D'Lyon, Esq. second
ed by Joseph W. Jackson, Esq. it was nnani
i mously Resolved, that wo have unshaken con
fidence in the talents, patriotism and Republican
( virtue of ANDREW JACKSON, that the best
interests of our Country require his re-election,
and that we pledge ourselves to use all honora
ble means to promote it.
On motion. Resolved, that the proceedings of
this meeting be published, and that ihe thanks
of this meeting he tendered to the Chairman
i and Secretary.
(Attest.) ' WM. B. BULLOCH,
, Chairman.
I William W. Goudov, Scc’ry.
Eatonton, 22d August, 1832.-
On Wednesday, the 22d instant, a respect*'
i ble number of the citizens of Putnam county
I convened at the Court House in the town of Ea
tonton, to make arrangements preparatory to
obtaining a general meeting of the citizens of
the county, to take into consideration the reso
lutions passed at the late Commencement in A
thens, in relation to the Tariff.
On motion, John C. Mason , Esq. was called
to the Chair, and Sampson TV. Harris was re
quested to act as Secretary.
On motion, that a committee he appointed to
, report, at some subsequent day, on the proceed
ings ot the meeting at Athens, the following
gentlemen were selected for that duly : Messrs.
Lewellcn TU. Hudson, Pulaski S. Holt, Josiali
Flournoy, Thomas Cooper, Charles P. Cordon ,
Thomas Hoxey, and Wiley W. Mason.
ihe day to which the committee should re
i P°rt, was eventually determined to be, Friday
the 21st September.
On motion, a committee to notify the people
of the county of the proposed meeting, and to
solicit their general attendance at the Court.
House, in the town of Eatonton, was appointee,
which consisted of Messrs. Joel Branham, Mark
A. Cooper, Pleasant A. Lawson, Irby Hudson,
and John G, Lumsden. •
'1 he meeting then adjourned to the 21st
September.
JOHN C. MASON, Chairman.
Sampsov W. Harris, SocTv. . „
The Georgia Journal, and nil papers friendly
to the furtherance of the objects of the meeting,
arc requested to give a place in their columns
to the above proceedings.
All the citizens of Putnam county, arc res
pectfully solicited to attend at the Court House,
in the town of Eatonton, on September 21st.
The Committee of Notification.
Kvoxville, August 25, 1832.
At a respectable meeting of some of the ci
tizens of Crawford county, held during the
Court week, in Knoxville, Capt. Benjamin Col
lier, was called to the Chair, and James A. Mil
ler, Esq. appointed Secretary. John Hannon,
Esq. rose and stated the objects of the meeting#
in a pertinent and lucid manner. .