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■rh^I ■■mhsbb • Jmmv r ~ •■•’’Sf.-iwqfF'F* - s tfi m&nt%$r> seen drawing up past scenes by the magic of his penal. Nothin" presents itself to.the as. toniahed vision of the lingering traveller but hraken columns, and shattered arches, yaw- ningtambs, and ruined porticos, as faint rem nants of what was. Where the freeborn an cient walked in majesty, the bondsman mod ern gropes in slavery. But if the spirits of Lycurgus, and Solon are yet pemlitted to lin ger about the grave of Grecian liberties, they may read inscribed on the Mausoleum, vice; while millions of those who once defended raid preserved hrr, look down from the battle ments of cter.iitv and exclaim, dissension ! \ic.c ! Her degenerate so:ts ypt hope for bet- i-*r days; but ales! the last hope which cheer ed the prospect of the Greek, died on the plains ta Missolonghi. The. proud Homan too, has felt the rod of affliction, and when the degenerate race of what o ice wasamighty people,looks back upon the exploits, and glory of their ancestors, they sigh to themselves and 9ay—ah! those jvere days of glory, which have passed, mid arc to come no more; the gods have so decreed, and shall man attempt to change his fate ? They solace themselves with the shame. Tul consolation that the memory of the past, is glory enough for them. And what has thus degraded the descendants of Scipio,. and the offspring of Caesar ? what has so chilled the souls of Cicero’s race, and caused a stagna tion in the lineal blood of him who said, «a day, an hour of virtuous liberty, is worth a whole eternity of bondage.” Was it the chil ling blast that damped their courage, or the howling temp'st that rocked the foundations of their government? Yes, the storm came, hut not when the country was'in youthful vig. or, or strengthened manhood, not while the rivalry of Carthage excited the jealousy, and roused the ambition of her sons. But when the decay • aid infirmities of a luxurious, and vicious old age had enfeebled her—when the overflow of wealth, which was scatter ed along the banks of the Tiber during her latter days, had gained its influence, then came the storm which levelled her greatness, and dissipated her glory. And Rome-’, whose eagles had spread their .wings in triumph over the world for more .than a thousand years—yes, Rome was 'doomed to fall. But what shall we say of the mom ra na. tious of Europe 1 what of the spirit of liberty which has alternately kindled and expired 1 In the early days of Switzerland, virtue reign cd supreme; no prostitution of morals was found among her citizens. The inhabitants of iicr villages were never roused from their peaceful slumbers by the noise of the bach- analian returning from his midnight revels. But a hardy, lreo-borh race, they were devo ted to liberty, and they spurned oppression At the approach of an invader, the beacon of war blazed on every mountain top ; the far mer left his fields, the shepherd dropped his crook, the lover took a farewell look at the object of his regards, smiled a benediction, and fled to the standard of his country. Swift us the avalanche, the patriot rushes from his native cliffs, nimble as the deer that feeds up. on the crasr, brave as the lion that wanders over the desert. Contemning the dangers of war when his liberties were threatened, he planted himself a bulwark of ftvedom, a bar- rier between his country and oppression, spirit of liberty pure as the snow-flake which covers the mountain top, burned in the breasts of those people. While the agents of despo. tissn were sent out to desolate the surrounding countries, the few small, but brave Cantons of Switzerland stood sublimely groat amidst the general ruin that encompassed them.:— They lenew no chains, they submitted to no oppressions, but they breathed an atmosphere uncontaminated by despositim, unpolluted by private, or public vices, physically great, mor ally sublime. No foemtp found a conquest (hoiv, but thq rathjcs$ .invaderinut a stubborn foe. Many nations of Europe were content to live ia vassallagc, and bend the knee in hum- hie submission to feudal lords ; at the call of the baron a multitude of slaves surrounded liim to defend his person, or execute his or- ders. Those were the days of chivalry; a warring spirit had gone out among the chief, tains, but no benefit accrued from their mili tary operations to the great mass of the peo ple. Tiicvravaged countries, besieged towns, stormed castles, and‘plundered vilages, but re turned home again to become slaves. Feu. dalb .1 had stamped its seal upon the fate ofthe people, and they acknowledged its power. A lifol ss stupidity seemed to hang over their ir.mds ; with the power to become free, they Lad not the knowledge to use it. Not so with the mountifecer,free as the wind that whistled across flic bleak cliffs of hi9 native Alps, he defied the powers of tyranny; and mocked at fhe victims of oppression. He fled not at the tocsin of war, but the first martial sound that echoed along the voles, found him at his post, uml the first focman that drew a hostile blade, Was met by a staunch antagonist. But the glory of Switzerland, too, is gone, her liberty but a name. The spirit that dwelt upon the mountains, has been seen cowering before the modern tyrant. Yet they were not all who felt the shock of the fell destroyer. No! the greatest mcraarchs of Europe, who but codded and legions of subjects rushed to thejr arms, have quailed beneath the frowns of this unparalleled conqueror. France, too, the birth place and supporter of his power, yet feels the effects of iris elevation. France wished for liberty but she pursued it through crimes, she sought it ia the death of a peace- fal monarch, who wished the happiness of his people. Her people called for liberty, the goddess came, not robed in the white habil iments of happiness, and bearing in her hand the olive branch of peace as they had vainly anticipated, but girt about with the mail of war, and holding in her hand a gory dogger. Yet fan rejoicing citizens burst forth from every gaiter to hail her coming. The ensigns of royalty wer0 thrown aside for the badges of freedom, land the very image of a crown was 'banished from the imaginations of the cnlhu. jfe&ie populace, jljft* hdw ooim the notes were changed, the very Ups that shouted ho- sannahs to the mottoliberty and equality, were soon heard hailing filename of Buonaparte-— emperor of France, and tyrant of Europe. But where now is the greatness of France ? That power which once set out to gain the uni versal freedom of man, has found it3elf incom petent to secure its own. That power whose leader was once seen battling with the unof fending Mameluke beneath the eternal pyra mids-of Egypt, and at another time taking up his habitation in the Kremlin, while the terri- tory of Russia was illuminated by the flames of Moscow, has dwindled down to the limits of the ancient monarchy. Vice found its way into the chambers of government, corruption dwelt in the directory, the people were misled by the ambitious, faction contended with fac- tion, and demagogue with demagogue, till in the confusion of the timcs„the love of country was absorbed by the love of self, and France soon found herself a mere wreck, floatingup. on the ocean of existence, liable to be buffeted by every storm—a melancholy example of the intimate connection between moral degrada tion, and national decay. But leaving the eastern hemisphere to its follies and its crimc3, what shall we say of the western ? shall liberty here, too, find a grave ? shall insatiate tyranny, after driving the heav enly goddess front every covert in the old world, now hunt her with unabated fury from every comer of the new ? No! the countries- of Europe, situated as they were in the midst of so many crowned heads, and potentates, were not likely to be free. Accustomed from experience, and observation, to feel and see slavery in every form, a desponding populace were unable to possess liberty. Should some bold adventurers, roused to the noble under taking by a pure love of freedom, rise up and shake off slavery, tumble the thrones of their monarciis to the ground,and assert their liber ty,that liberty was only tenable so long as the in vading plunderer was kept at bay by the point of the bayonet. Tyrants, ever jealous ofevery thing like liber.:! principles, are not likely to be slum bering on their thrones while a single spark of liberty is kindling in the nations around them; but suspicious, and watchful, ’si the first movement for freedom they put their powers in readiness, and the first avowal ofin- dependence is the signal for destruction. But thank heaven, it is not so here; isolated from the nations of Europe, we look with an eye of indifference at the daily revolutions which are there taking place. It matters not with us, though the whole European continent should be consolidated into one powerful monarchy. No hopes of gain, however great, would tempt the invasion of a country, wiiich in its infancy repelled the embattled hosts of England with her boasted navy, and immense resources. And should an enemy now threaten us, party feuds, and sectional jealousies would be swal- lowed up ia patriotism, and the invading foe greeted on the beach by the sound ofthe trump, and the roar ofthe caunon. But it is not from Europe the destroyer is to be expected ; the fatal canker is supposed to exist in our own bosom, and come whose ex- "uberant imaginations have already seen our fields strewed with the dead and the dying, proclaim the beginning of the end to be com- menccd. Not such the humble opinion of your orator. Though the great luminary which shone with such brilliant splendour du ring the revolution, has sunk behind the wes tern horizon, and with him all the satellites which played around him, yet others have aris en to fill their stations, and those, too, whose knowledge of government, and skill in politic, al affairs, will be able to guide the vessel of state clear ofthe quicksands of the tariff, and the breakers of Nullification. There are some who are alike unawed by the proclamation of the President, and unintimidated by the threats of the military. Some in whose breasts the spirit of ’70 yet blazes, and in whose ears the era of that day yet reverberates. It is true jarring interests and contentions for right, have created a mighty gulf betweon the hearts of Southern and Northern men, but I yet hope there are some few among us,-who like Cur- tius of old, would plunge into the yawning chasm to save their country, and that the mur muring sounds which now shake every portion of our fair land, like the thunder of a passing cloud, will soon die away in the distance. Religion, climate, and government, arc three grand modifiers ofthe actions, and char acters of nations. Here vve have religion in its purity; no connection between church and state; no superhuman power, or pretended God sits upon a Papal throne, to awe the pco- pie into subjection through superstitious fear. No great power is delegated to any-particular sect, or denomination, as an inducement for ambitious men to become pretended saints, But on the contrary, a spirit of liberty breathes through the proceedings of our most religious institutions. As for climate, our country embraces almost every variety, from the ice bound regions of Maine, to the wide spread, and luxuriant plains of Florida. 4 Containing within its limits soil ‘of every description, from the towering heights & projecting clifi's oftne Allegany, to the gentle slopes and evergreen valiies ofthe Mississippi Our government, though threatened at present with destruction, will yet be preserved, and long prove a protection for the innocent. Un <ter a government, then, like ours, in such a country, with such institutions, what nation could fail to be great, could fail to be happy! A revolution in morals, too, is fast going on, Who that has observed during file last few years, but has beheld a moral sun shining from on high, and the dirk clouds of vice dissipating before its rays. Under such auspices, what soul does not rejoice ? what heart does not beat high. ' ' America shall yet be great. As the sun whose face lias been shrouded for a time by clustering clouds, appears the brighter when the sweeping winds have cleared the heavens, so will America appear when the lowering storms and bursting thunders which now threa ten her shall have passed. Assuming a station more eminently great than ever, she will speed on to the grand ultimatum of national perfee tion. And in ages yet to come, when'Ameri ca shall stand on the highest point of greatness, the contentions which now agitate her will be looked back upon as the puerile follies of her infant days. The great political convulsions which cow disturb her peace, shall be-swal. lowed up in the vortex of time-,and only remem bered as evils that existed. Rising higher, and still higher in the - scale of bung, till she has attained the grand acme of human great, ness, she will there hold her stand, “ Till wrapt in fire the realmna of ether glow, And heavens last thunder shakes the world below.” Fellow Members of the Demosthsnian Society: Time ia its ceaseless routine of months, weeks, and days, has again brought us to this, the birth day of our Institution. A9 the an cient devotee bowed down to his idol, burned sacrifices in honors of his deity; or as the citizens of our own country corne up annually, on the birth day of their independence, to of fer oblations at the shrine of liberty, so do we come up here to day, to pour out oar libations on the altar of literature and elo quence. Of all the boons providentially given to man, there is none like that of intellect, and the power of improving that intellect.— Without it, what were man, and without the power of improving it, what were he still ? in every sense of the word, a brute. Without it, what can he do ? with it, what can he not do? With the powers of the mind rightfully cultivated, we have seen single men melding the whole energies of a nation, and directing them with irresistible force against its adver sary. With this mighty lever we have seen whole kingdoms and empires overturned; with it, too, we have seen whole nations sav. ed. It gives a man that influence which is otherwise unattainable. Who has not seen the orator leading the people as if by magic ? Who has not seen the ‘finished spea- ker now inciting the multitude to turbulence, anon calming it to death-like silence. By the gracefulness of his gesture, the dignity, of his look, and the expression of his counte nance, he becomes the centre of power, and like the mainspring pf a machine, puts _ the world work in motion. But this power is not the gratuitous gift of nature, nor is it altogoth er attainable by art. Nature Minist lay the foundation, but art must erect the edifice.— There are, indeed, some few meteor-like gen iuses, which occasionally flash .across the whole, hut they aie few and far.between. It' their influence is tlesirable, und the art of el oquence is indispensable to acquire it,' “ Who for tho palm, in contest high will join, Or who in equal ranks shall stand ?” Are there any among us who will suffer their mi.ids to pine in indolence, and finally wither ia obscurity. Are there any in whose bosoms a single spark of ambition has never yet glowed ? The burning ardour pf a youth ful soul says, no ! Then let us cultivate that virtuous ambition, that heaven-born emulation, which elevates the soul, and exalts ,the charac ter of man. Let virtue and a faithful dis- charge of the duties of our , Society * be our guide, and though the sorins’of adversity may howl around us, with these ut our helm we are safe. Emulation is the soil of gen ius, und a moral deportment is the support of character; with these combined amau must rise. ■ ■ j.. If we look around through our State, we may find many fast rising to. distinction, ma ny around whose brows a halo of glory is forming; and if we trace back tie hisior. of their past lives, we sh ill find tfiit the fouu. tain head of their distinction sprum up with in the walls of our Hall. With tuch exam- pies before us, what one is there but says to himself, « I will go and do likewise.”— Our predecessors are now uLrtul ia the world, they have gone fort!-- to reap the beh- efit, and improve on the foundation they laid while here. Once they lillcd-foe places we now occupy; they then supported the digni ty, ansi honor of the body; the weekly re turns of their regular meetings \yere hailed as a kind of sabbath-day to their feelings; the sound of the bell on those days raised a throb in every heart, and with hasty steps they flocked to the Hall to partake in the de lightful duties of the day. But they are gone —we may now find them in venous occin putio.is of life; some iu our Congress Hull, pleading for our rights and lib rties; some on the bench, dispensing justice to the untor- tunate criminal; and some, urged by a feel ing of humgnitv, may be found (tiding with medical - skill the helpless invalid. On us now devolve those important duties which i was theirs once to perform; it is with us ei ther to support, and dignify the name of De mosthenian, or disgrace,-and degrade it. And is there any one among us who will shrink from file important, yet pleasing task? Are there any who are willing that our name should be handed down to those who may ranarfe. lor honor* IA virtue, Ategrily, («***%'** a^ an, hoajAate competition, bo the rule of t-ctam.unset, lor its «*. The ; your conduct. Let nothing but true merit lift you above others, and sbould you be thus elevated to Itigh places in the State, with pleasing reminiscences on the past, you may look back to that Hall, and say there is the first stepping stone to the eminence which I nbw possess. If you persevere in the pursuit of that knowledge, and that elo quence which gives one the power over many, the name of Chatham, Burke, or Fox, may yet give place to that of a Demosthenian.— And while, by a stern adherence to virtue and morality, you are benefiting mankiud, the whispering applause of a greatful people will cheer you on the road to fame. fiat* come after us, tarnished and degenerate? If there are any such, they deserve not the name of Demosthenian. But I flunk I read ia the countenance of every one before me, a determination to preserve" in its- pristine purity, that name which was given to us by our predecessors, and transmit it un- stained to our successors. While the mem. bers of our rival are. awake to the interest of their own body, we should not be found wan ting to ours, but we should exert that activi- ty, vigilance, and perseverance,: which can alone ensure success in -any undertaking. To support our name, and dignity a body, is indeed an important duty; but there ore other duties no less important, which we owe to ourselves , as individuals. Tie who wishes to hold ariforiunent. stand in after life, must hero lay the foundation. It is here the mind receives that bent, which is to r 'charac terize it through . the whole course of after existence. *Tis hero the character receives that torn which is to elevate the pbssessor to honor, or sink him to infamy. Cultivate* then, those noble qualities of the soul, which can alone adorn and embelish the human character—“mactr virtute, sic itur'iid astrif.” And when you leave these walls, and go forth on the wide arena of the world, mingle in the busv scenes of life, .and contend with From the Cor. of the Charleston Courier. SOUTH CAROLINA CONVENTION. Columbia, March 11. The Convention met pursuant to the Proc lamation of the President—was called to or der at 12 o’clock, and opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Ware, a member. The President (James Hamilton, Jr.) then addressed thef members as follows: Gentlemen,—-In exercising the power of calling you together, which you were pleas ed lo place in my hands at your adjournment I have both regretted and been sensible of the inconvenience to which I must have subjec ted many of you in being compelled to leave your homes at a season so essential to the success of the agricultural labors of the whole year. It must, however, have been mani fest to you from the nature of the proceedings of this body at its former meeting, that its re-assembling after the adjournment of Con gress, was an event, of highly probable oc currence. Before, however, this necessity was demonstrated, I was officially Apprised by the Governor of South Carolina, on the 5th February, of the arrival of a commissioner on the part of the State of Virginia, bearing cer tain resolutions adopted by the General Assem bly of that State, respectfully soliciting of this State, a suspe.ision or rescindingoi the Ordiu race of her Convention until the adjournment of the next session of Congress. These resolutions were accompanied by ail application ou the part of the gentleman in this commission, that this Convention should be convened at an early moment. The high source from which this mediation emanated, the friendly dispositions by wnieh it was obviously dictated, borne, too, and advocated by a gentleman so long and so advantageously known as among the most able and devoted champions of the rights of the States, left me by what 1 was quite sure would be your own decision, no other alter native (if my own inclinations had been wanting) than a compliance with the wishes of ttiat distinguished Commonwealth as com municated by ner worthy Representative.— As 1 was, however, perfectly satisned that uo decision on flic propositions of which he was bearer, could be made prior to the aujourn ment 01 Congress, toe period of your assem bling has been arranged to meet both contin gencies. \ ou have thus assembled, Gentlemen, and the proposed mediation of Virginia is met concurrently by tn- passage of ail act by the Congress of tne bolted S-tutes mutinying the ’lurih oi the 14th of July last, ana by an act entitled “an act more ellectualiy to provide lor the execution oltae Revenue Laws.” In cringing noth these taws to your view, and invoking your mature consideration ot their provisions and objects, it would not be- come me to make any suggestion as to the course it behoves you to pursue in reference to these measures. If the hrst is not in all respects satisfactory, as coming up to that measure 01 justice to which the South hau fair claim, and is liable to some impor tant objections, it, nevertheless, provides tor the commencement of un e..rly, though grau. ual amelioration of that system, against winch we nave so long complained, and lor un ulte rior recognition of the consiitutfbual princi ples upon winch our rights ure assumed to rest. In forming your estimate, however, of whatever may be its intrinsic value, you will not be insensible to the tact, that it is a com- promise of extreme vexatious and conflicting, interests made in the spirit of peace, as un ottering to the concord und tranquillity of our common country'. In such a spirit our Rep resentatives in Congress voted lor it, ami in such u spirit must we consider it, what ever may be our final decision on the meas. ure. This adjustment, however, coines to us at least with this compensation for the justice which it yet withholds—that all that has been beuchcially accomplished by it ior the coun-- try, is to be attributed to the action of this' Convention, and the energy, decision, and love of liberty, of that people, by whom our pro ceedings have been sustained. We may surely say this without an unworthy vaunting, when the most able of our op|>onents, has borne testimony to the (rath pf this fact. • it is greatly to be regretted,, with a single view to the harmony and repose of the coun try, that this adjustment should be accompa nied by the other measure to which I have in vited your attention. If we could regard the act, which provides by its title, “ for a more effectual execution of the revenue laws,” but which in fact, provides lor the coercion of a sovereign State in this Union, os an empty defiance, got up as a mere salvo for, the wounded pride, or to grat- ify a worse passion ofthe Executive, we might permit if silently to pass by, with that repro bation with which not posterity alone, but at an early moment, a contemporary age, will visit it standing impotently, as it will stand, a dead letter ou our 'Statute Book; hut as a precedent engrafted on our laws, it is of the most serious and portentous import, furnish ing, "as it does, the most unequivocal evidence, that as far us the authority of law extends (independently, thanks be to' God ofthe spirit of a free people) by. a single act of le gislation, the character of our Government is changed, and a military despotism placed at the disposal of the Executive, when he sfiall igencyvhas arisen for its exercise, broad usurpation in this law of the right on the part of Congress to coerce a Sovereign State in this Union, when this power was sol- emnly withheld by the Convention that formed the constitution, the utter annihilation of our judiciary in cases clearly within their exclu sive jurisdiction, and the still more revolting circumstance that in obeying the laws ol their own State, and executing the mandates of their own Courts, the lives of our citizens are placed at the mercy of the standing forces ofthe Union, all coiicut to present an epoch in the public liberty of the country, which ought not to he allowed to pass without your animadversion. And you will permit me fur ther to remark, whether the adjustment of the Tariff be deemed satisfactory or not, that much remains for you to do in making of constitutional record in an enduring form those great conservative principles which have borne i,s yet through this contest, to say 110- tliing ofthe necessity of providing those secu rities which may in all future time command the fealty and obedience of those who receive the protection of our laws. You will now, I trust, allow me to refer to a matter which is personal to myself. The system, flie labor and capital ofthe plantation S-ates mist be forever tributary to the manu- ‘^ Unn S ^es, and that weshould in effect be a ® condition of colonial vaksr-ilage, South Carolina felt herself constrained, by a just regardJor her own rights and interests, by her love ol hoerty, and her devotion to the Con. 1 u on, to interpose in her sovereign capacity for the purpose of arresting the progress of the evil, and maintaining, witliin her own limits, the anthontics, rights and liberties appertain- aS0Verei!rn Sta te. . Ardently at. South r> ,1< r. Un ' on °f the States, the people of emUrehna were still more devoted to “3 S i n h„„ regulation of the whole labor and capital of this vast confederacy by a distinguished station I now occupy, I owe great cenl ra! Government ',37 7 tionl ffiev^ , e n rUC ^ a0t '° ur free institu- feTrWk ^ ?, kesitatetothrowthemselves fearlessly into the breach, to ,: r rest the lor- rent of usurpation which wassweepin- [ u -ibr<v it ifll that was truly valuable in ‘ our political system. pouucal The effect of this interposition, if it l m n 0 t equalled our wishes, has been bey and what existing circumstances would have authorized us to expect. The spectacle of a single State to the accidental circumstance of my having been the Chief Magistrate of this State, when the Convention first assembled. Another individual now on this floor, fills that post* I feel that I am not alone paying a proper deference to an established and valua ble precedent, but a just homage to superior per sonal eittims and more eminent qualifications, when I signify in the presence of this Con vention, that it is my purpose, after the rea- ding ofthe correspondence I now communi cate, between the Commissioner from Virgin ia and the public authorities, of this State, to resign this Scat. In making this declaration, permit me to super-add to it my unfeigned acknowledgments lor your past kindness and confidence, and my fervent prayer that the God of all mercy and truth may so order and govern our 'pro- ceedings, that they may redound to the liber, ty, peace, and happiness of our country. The Roll was then called, and 131 mem* bers answered to their names. After. which the correspondence was read, the Preamble and Resolutions of the Legislature of Virginia and a Communication, from Mr. Leigh, to the Convention, touciiing the matters at isste be tween the State of South Carolina, and the General Government, which were ordered to be printed. The President resigned his seat, when a ballot was had for a successor; and on counting the votes, Robt. Y. Hayiie Esq. having received 128 votes, was duly elected. Messrs. Job Johnson and Thos. Pinckney, were appointed a committee to wait on the President elect, and conduct him to tne Chair; which having been performed, Gov. Hayne addressed the Convention. Mr. James Hamilton, Jun. submitted a res olution permitting the iloiu B, VV. Leigh, to take a seat on the floor of the Convention; which having been agreed to unanimously, he w -s iiitroducedby Messrs. Earle, Haywood and I’On. A Resolution was submitted by Mr. C. J. Colcock, appointing a committee oi' Twenty- one, to take into consideration the acts ofCon- gress, spoken of in the address of the late President, and o: such other business as should be hereafter presented, whereupon,the president re.appoiuted the same gentlemen who composed the Committee of Twenty-One in November last. Mr. Harper moved the printing of Ihe Acts of Congress ; Mr. I’On, that the members of Congress, not members ofthe Convention, be permitted to take seats iu the Hall of the Con vention ; and Mr. R. B. Smith, that the same courtesy be extended to the members of the Legislature; which having been agreed to, the Convention adjourned to 1 o’clock to-morrow. [On the 12th, the committee of twenty.one not hav ing made their report, no business of importoiicc was transacted.] March 13. The Convention met, pursuant to adjourn ment, and was opened with -prayer by the Rev. Mr. Wafford. “Mr. C. J. Colcock, from the Committee of twenty-one, submitted thefollowing REPORT: The Committee to whom was referred the communication of the H011. B. W. Leigh, Commissioner from the State of Virgiuia, and all other matters connected with the subject, ind the course which should be pursifcd by the Convention, at the present important cri sis ofiour political affairs, beg leave to Report (in part,) That they have had under consideration the ict passed at the late session of Congress, to modify the “act of the 14th of July, 1832, and all other acts imposing duties on imports;” and have duly deliberated on foe course which it becomes the people of South Carolina to pur sue at this interesting crisis of our political affairs. It is now upwards often years since the people and constituted authorities of this State, took ground against the protecting sys tem, as “unconstitutional, oppressive, and un- just,” and solemnly declared in language which was then cordially responded to by foe other Southern States, that it never could be submitted to “as the settled policy of the country.” After remonstrating for years against fins system in vain, and making every possible effort to produces redress of this griev- a.tce by iuvoking file protection of the cougti. : ration, and by appealing toaihe justice of our brethren, we saw during the session ofCoitgress which ended in July last, a modification effec ted avowedly as the final adjustment ofthe Ta riff, to take effect after the complete extin- uishment of the public debt, by which the pro jecting system could only be considered as riv- 'etted upon the country forever. Believing that under these circumstances, there was no hope of any further reduction ofthe duties from the ordinary action of the Federal Government; and convinced that underthe operation of this unaided and alone, standing up for her ri influenced by no other motive than a am. cere desire to maintain the public liberW and bring about a salutary reform m the adminis. tration ofthe Government, has roused the at", tention of the whole country, and has caused man) to pause mid reflect, who have hereto, tore seemed madly bent upon the consutnm- ■ ion o'" a scheme of policy absolutely fata! to foe liberty ol the people, and the prosperity 0 a large portion of the Union. Though reviled and slandered by those whose pecuniary or po. litical interests stood in the way of a sutisl'act. ory adjustment of the controversy,deserted by many to whom she had the right to look for succor und support, and thre.itened with vio. lence from abroad, and convulsions within S. Carolina, zonscmis of the rectitude of her inten. tions and the justice of her cause, has stood un. moved, firmly resolved, to maintain heir liber, ties, or peiish in the conflict. The result has been a beneficial modification ol' the Tariff of 1832, even before the time appointed for that act to go into effect; and within a few mouths alter its enactment, accompanied by a prov:s. ion for a gradual reduction of the duties to the revenue standard. Though the reduction pro- vided for by the Bill which lias just passed, is neither in its amount or the time when it is to go into effect, such as the South had a right to require, yet such an approach has been made to the true principles 011 which the duties on imports ought to he adjusted under our system, that the people of South Carolina are willing, so lar to yield to the measure, as to agree that their Ordinance shall ueuceforth be consider. ed as having no force or effect Unequal and oppressive as the s\ stem of raising revenue by duties upon imports, must be upon the AgricuV tural States, which furnish more than two- thirds of the domestic exports of the United St;ites ; yet South Carolina always has been, and is still willing to make large sacrifices to the peace and harmony of the Union.— Though she believes that the protecting system is founded on the assumption of powers not granted by the Constitution to the Federal Government, yet she has never insisted on such an immediste reduction ofthe duties, as should involve the manufacturers in ruin. That a reduction to the lowest amount necessary to supply the wants ofthe Government, might be safely effected in four or live years, cannot, in our estimation,-admit ot*a reasonable doubt; still, in a great struggle for principles, South Carolina would disdain to cavil about a small amount of duties, and a few years more or less in effecting the adjustment, provided she can only' secure substantial justice, and secure a distinct recognition of the princi, le for which she basso long co .tended. Among the provisions ofthe new Bill, which recommend it to our accept nee, is the estab lishment of a system of ad valorem duties;— and the entire abEaidonment of the specific duties, and the mnitmuns; tyrannical pro visions, by whi -ih duties rated nominally at 25 per cent, were in many cases raised to up wards of 100 per cent, andby which the coarse and cheap articles used by the poor were taxed much higher than the expensive arti cles used by the rich ; an unjust and odious regulation, against which we have constantly protest ed in the most earnest terms. The re. duction before the expiration of the present year of one tenth part ofthe duties ou all arti cles “ exceeding twenty per cent, on the value thereof” (embracing the entire mass of the protected articles) and a gradual reduction thereafter, on such articles down to 20 per cent, (the duties upon which, under the tar. iff of 1832, range from 30 to upwards of 100 per cent, and average upwards of50 per cent.) are great and manifest ameliorations of the system, to the benefits ot which we cannot be insensible But - great as must be the ad vantages of these reductions, they are small in comparison with foe distinct recognition, in the new Bill, of two great principles which we de em of inestimable value—that the duties shall eventually be brought down to the reven ue standard, even if it shall be found necessa- ry. to reduce the duties on the protected arti cles below 20 per cent, and that no more mo- ney shall be raised than shall an economical udauiustralioad *' 0 ment. . . These provisions embody foe gr~(tt prmci- ples in reference to I* « ub J eCt for ®* Carolina has so long and so earn X , tended, and if the pledge therein continued shall he fulfilled in good fiuth—they their operation, aixest the abusea which ha erowni out of fob unauthorized appropriate S£2» -*• w. ahead ““mite economical adminimr-iioa ofthe Government,” as one of the happiest wS could possibly toko place tn . ■ 1 * m: