Every movement was taken with deliberation, and every movement
then taken was wholly independent of the action of anybody else; unless
it be intended, by the remarks made here, to refer its action to the
great principles of those who have gone before us, and who have left us
the rich legacy of the free institutions under which we live. If it be
attempted to assign the movement to the nullification tenets of South
Carolina, as my friend near me seemed to understand, then I say you must
go further back, and impute it to the State rights and strict-
construction doctrines of Madison and Jefferson. You must refer these in
their turn to the principles in which originated the Revolution and
separation of these then colonies from England. You must not stop there,
but go back still further, to the bold spirit of the ancient barons of
England. That spirit has come down to us, and in that spirit has all the
action since been taken. We will not permit aggressions. We will defend
our rights; and, if it be necessary, we will claim from this Government,
as the barons of England claimed from John, the grant of another _Magna
Charta_ for our protection.
Sir, I can but consider it as a tribute of respect to the character for
candor and sincerity which the South maintains, that every movement
which occurs in the Southern States is closely scrutinized, and the
assertion of a determination to maintain their constitutional rights is
denounced as a movement of disunion; while violent denunciations against
the Union are now made, and for years have been made, at the North by
associations, by presses and conventions, yet are allowed to pass
unnoticed as the idle wind--I suppose for the simple reason that nobody
believed there was any danger in them.
Pages:
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837