Posted on 02/09/2009 6:12:01 PM PST by TheHound
Here is my latest quote. It occurred at the beginning of the end of state Sovereignty. I must first set the plate. After the War of 1812 the US was in debt, so it raised tariffs on imports. The tariffs weren't too extreme and a good deal of trade was occurring between England and the Southern States. The South supplied cotton to England and England manufactured products to the South.
The Northern manufacturers could not compete on price with England, so they got the Tariffs of 1928 passed. These were called the "Abominations". This forced England to stop selling goods to the South and for trade balance to stop buying cotton. The South now had to pay higher prices for New England manufactured goods while the price of cotton dropped.
When expected relief did not occur after the election Andrew Jackson, Vice-President John C. Calhoun resigned. Jackson then had passed the Tariffs 1832, but this was far too little relief for South Carolina which then passed an ordinance of Nullification, which declared the tariffs unconstitutional and void with in the boundaries of South Carolina.
So Begins the Quote:
Mr. President,
It was thus that, instead of relief--instead of an equal distribution of burdens and benefits of the government, on the payment of the debt, as had been fondly anticipated--the duties were so arranged as to be, in fact, bounties on one side and taxation on the other; thus placing the two great sections of the country in direct conflict in reference to its fiscal action, and thereby letting in that flood of political corruption which threatens to sweep away our Constitution and our liberty....
The people of Carolina believe that the Union is a union of States, and not of individuals; that it was formed by the States, and that the citizens of the several States were bound to it through the acts of their several States; that each State ratified the Constitution for itself, and that it was only by such ratification of a State that any obligation was imposed upon its citizens. Thus believing, it is the opinion of the people of Carolina that it belongs to the State which has imposed the obligation to declare, in the last resort, the extent of this obligation, as far as her citizens are concerned; and this upon the plain principles which exist in all analogous cases of compact between sovereign bodies....
The very language which we are compelled to use when speaking of our political institutions affords proof conclusive as to its real character. The terms union, federal, united, all imply a combination of sovereignties, a confederation of States. They never apply to an association of individuals. Who ever heard of the United State of New York, of Massachusetts, or of Virginia?...
In spite of all that has been said, I maintain that sovereignty is in its nature indivisible. It is the supreme power in a State, and we might just as well speak of half a square, or half of a triangle, as of half a sovereignty. It is a gross error to confound the *exercise* of sovereign powers with *sovereignty* itself, or the *delegation* of such powers with the *surrender* of them. A sovereign may delegate his powers to be exercised by as many agents as he may think proper, under such conditions and with such limitations as he may impose; but to surrender any portion of his sovereignty to another is to annihilate the whole....
Disguise it as you may, the controversy is one between power and liberty; and I tell the gentlemen who are opposed to me, that, as strong as may be the love of power on their side, the love of liberty is still stronger on ours. History furnishes many instances of similar struggles, where the love of liberty has prevailed against power under every disadvantage, and among them few more striking than that of our own Revolution; where, as strong as was the parent country, and feeble as were the Colonies, yet, under the impulse of liberty, and the blessing of God, they gloriously triumphed in the contest.
John C. Calhoun, "On Nullification and the Force Bill.", U.S. Senate, 15 February 1833
Note: After the Nullification was passed Jackson had the Force Bill passed, opponents of the bill referred to as Jackson's Bloody Bill. This bill authorized Jackson's use of whatever force necessary to enforce tariffs. A compromise tariff bill was worked out with the help Henry Clay, but in 1842 The Black Tariffs were passed which imposed tariffs of 60% to 100% on imported Iron goods and as they say the rest is history.
Ping list. Let me know if you want on or off.
Politicians........
When they are speaking, they are lying.
When they are not speaking, they are stealing.
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Thank you. Thank you very much.
BTTT
When your only tool is the power to tax, every problem looks like a lack of funding.
Thank you !!!!!
As regards certain actions recently taken by "he who would be president," without "life," "liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is only a hollow phrase.
Good quote....ping for later
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