Whole No, 420.
Tarborough, (Edgecombe County, N. C.) Tuesday September 18, 1833,
Vol. IX No. 4.
The "North Carolina Free Press,"
ISV GEORGE HOWARD,
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SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Charleston papers have published a letter
from Langdon CAeves, lvq. addressed to the
Secretary of the Sumtemile Union Party meet
ing, declining, in consequence of a series of do
mestic, afflictions, his appointment as a Delegate
to the Convention proposed to he held by that
party, at Columbia, during the present month.
In this letter, Mr. Chcves advocates the proposi
tion of a Southern Convention, as the best mea
sure to be adopted, at this lime, by the Southern
Slates in reference to the oppressive acts of the
Government. "Every other remedy," he says,
is less powerful, less certain, and probably less
peaceful. Any other remedy, which has any
power, has ominous forebodings of evil stampt
upon it." In reference to the State Rights, or
Nullification party, Mr. Cheves remarks:
"The measures of excitement to which
they have resorted, I am obliged to think
arc dangerous, at once, in their operation
and example; and Nullification, the great
ultimate measure to which they are hur
rying along, and to which all their acts
tend, I fear will be an awful experiment
with the power, and upon the welfare of
the good people of the State. I must
not, however, be understood to impute to
the parly any impure or dishonorable mo
tives. On the contrary, i believe the
great mass of both the great parties of
the State is governed by the most patri
otic feelings."
Col. Draylon lias also published a long and
able address to his constituents, detailing his
views of the present Tariff and the reasons which
induced him to vote for it. The add i ess is too
long for our columns, and we can only give the
following extracts:
"It is alleged in all the newspapers in
this State, which adopt the reasoning of
"the Address," that no spirit of compro
mise or conciliation entered into the
composition of the late Tariff act, and
that its sole object was to confer addi
tional bounties upon the Tariff States,
and to increase the burthens upon the
Planting States. My opinion of that act
I have already expressed; and it is not
my intention to ascribe to it merits which
1 have hitherto denied to it; but I cannot
refrain from admitting, that the act of Ju
ly, 1832, does contain some provisions
which proceeded from a spirit of com
promise and conciliation on the part of
the advocates of protection. It is noto
rious that ioud and reiterated complaints
were made in the Southern Slates, and
particularly in South Carolina, on ac
count of the high duties upon coarse
woollens and blankets, and upon cotton
hagging, and that the duties upon them
were diminished, to gratify and concili
ate the South. After March, 1333, upon
coarse woollens, of a value not exceeding
35 cents the square yard, ami upon blan
kets, of a value not exceeding 75 cents
each, the duty will be almost nominal,
being 5 per cent, ad valorem; and upon
cotton bagging, the duty will bo reduced
from 5 to 31 cents the square yard. I
have read in numerous publications in the
newspapers of this city, that.the woollens
and the blankets which are imported by
the planters for their negroes, cannot be
purchased at the prices limited by ihe act,
so as to be included within the reduced
duty of 5 per cent. My reply to this
statement, I should presume, would be
perfectly satisfactory. I am informed by
the most competent and respectable au
thority, that such woollens and blankets
the planters arc in the habit of impor
ting for the negroes, can now hh m.r,l.n
sed abroad at the prices specified in the
act, and that no doubt is entertained that
this wdl be the case, after. that act shall
be in force. Should this, however, be
an error, as the reduction of the duties
upon these articles was made, and was
expected to be made by the advocates of
the protective system, exclusively, fur the
accommodation of the South; and as
they repeatedly and positively declared,
that the articles could be procured at the
prices mentioned, I cannot hesitate to
believe, if the fact be otherwise, that up
on satisfactorily establishing it, such a
law would be passed at the next session
of Congress as would rectify the mis
take. However desirous the restriction
ists may be, and unquestionably are, to
preserve what they consider to be their
interests, it would be doing them injus
tice to suspect them of so gross a dere
liction of principle, as a deliberate de
sign to defraud, or of the commission of
so egregious an act of folly, as to calcu
late upon being able to deceive, when the
means of detection would be so soon and
so easily afforded.
"The minimums upon woollens, which
created peculiar discontent, for the stron
gest and most obvious reasons, have also
been abolished for the gratification of
the South."
I have thus, fellow-citizens, submitted
to you my reasons for the vote which I
gave upon the passage of the late Tariff
act, and my views of thut act, both in its
immediate effects, and as compared with
the existing Tariff. 1 feel confident that
my vote will be approved of by all of you,
who prefer conciliation and compromise
to a rupture' with the members of our
confederacy. When a system has long
been established, u Inch -extensively con
trols the national capital und labor, how
ever unwisely it may have been introdu
ced, it cannot, suddenly be abolished,
without spreading desolation and ruin
among millions, and communicating a
perilous shock to our tranquillity and se
curity. However tec may deprecate a
protective tariff, in its principle and in its
details however indignantly we may ar
raign the mbtives in which it originated,
and the consequences resulting from it,
the majority of the people, are neverthe
less, convinced, thut it is warranted by
the Constitution, and recommended by
the soundest policy. From the preva
lence of these sentiments among the ma
jority, and ihe legislative encouragement
ot them by high and stimulating protec
tive duties, immense capitals have been
invested in numerous and complicated
branches of human industry, which, it
must be obvious, ought not to be interfe
red with, excepting with the utmost cau
tion, deliberation and forbearance. Thus
impressed with the importance, tluTintri
cacyand the delicacy of thissufiject, when
the consideration of the tariff' was bro'l
up, during the last session oPCongress,
my anticipations of its improvement were
limited to such alterations as would light
en some of its burthens, obliterate some
of its most obnoxious enactments, and
manifest a temper and disposition indic
ative of still further amelioration. When
the foundations of the system should be
thus undermined, the cheering prospect
would be presented, that Congress would
gradually act upon the principles which
ought never to be lost sight of that do
mestic industry should qnly be incident
ally protected by duties upon foreign im-
portations. Although the tariff act of
1832 is, in my opinion imperfect, altho'
it still requires great and radical im
provements, yet it docsT appear to me that
it makes such approaches to what it
ought to be, as to render it worthy of ac
ceptance, at this time, to every patriotic
and reflecting statesman, who seeks to
obtain the recognition of the principles of
Free Trade, by temperate and practica
ble means.
"To what extent the duties and the re
venue will be reduced by the late tariff
act, 1 have already shown. Surelv. a di
minution in the protecting duties of
$i,ttoy,uao and in the aggregate of the
revenue from the customs of 5,187,078,
is a relief, in the gross and in the detail.
Surely a diminution in taxes, which redu
ces their neit receipts from $17288,645
to 12,101,567, is a general benefit.
These ameliorations, combined with
some concessions of the South, and the
repeal of the minimums upon woollens,!
ought to be hailed, with some satisfaction,!
as the harbinger of belter times, and as
leading to a more auspicious consumma
tion; and more especially, ought we to be
inspired with confidence, when it is re
collected that these reformations were
effected, although they were opposed, to
the utmost, by the, firmest zealots in the
cause of protection, and although the bill
which contained them, was voted against
by six of our own delegation, in the
House of Representatives. If thus much
was achieved against obstacles so formi
dable, the hope is, proportionately flat-!
termg, that those who are willing to sac-!
rifice the pride of opinion, and the lust of
power, to a spirit of amily and compro
mise, and Mo lay their resentments, and
passions,vand prejudices, upon the altar
of their common country, will accomplish
greater objects by their judicious and
persevering appeals, addressed to the
reason, good sense, and real interests of
the community; JSy honest exertions
thus directed; it mayvell be anticipated,
that the delusiorfsWvhich have been crea
ted by a selfish theory, will be dispelled
lhat the revenue, at no distant period,
will be limited to the proper cxpences of
the government that the tariff will be so
regulated, as equally, to diffuse its bur
thens and its blessings, among a free, a
prosperous, and a uuitell people. When
a career lias been openedwhich may
carry us to thejjoal at which we would
arrive, shall we falter in the course which
we have commenced shall we stop short
in the progress to which we are invited
shall we, supinely, slumber on our posts,
when the victory may be won, by discre
tion and perseverance? Shall we instead
of availing ourselves of that "tide in the
affairs of men, which taken at the flood,
leads on to prosperous fortune," abandon
whatever is dear to us as patriots, what
soever renown we have derived from our
ancestors, whatsoever of glory we have
acquired abroad, and whatsoever of lib
erty and happiness we have enjoyed at
home, "and, raahly barter away these in
estimable treasures, to plunge into the
vortex of Nullification? Shall we yield
ourselves to be entangled in the mazes
of political abstraction, which is either so
subtle or so paradoxical as to mock the
understanding, or so false and so perni
cious as to lead us into error and danger?
Shall we, with our senses awakened, and
our faculties roused, and our vigor unim
paired; march tamely under the banners
of those, who while they profess to put
down usurpation, themselves usurp a
power paramount to the Constitution and
laws who while they proclaim, that they
will emancipate us from federal oppres
sion, by a peaceful, efficient, and legiti
mate remedy, would reduce us, either to
the alternative of submitting to the gov
ernment we resisted, or of seceding from
the Federal U uion? The first alterna
tive would be degrading humiliation.
Should we adopt the other, the United
States, from the imperious dictates of
seli-deienco, would prescribe to us such
terms, as would prevent them from being
injured by our separate commercial laws
and regulations; and to deliver ourselves
from their invasion of our sovereignty,
should we resort to an ally, the price of
his aid, w ould be the sacrifice of our in
dependence. "I will dwell no longer upon such
gloomy scenes. That the Supreme Ku
ler and Director of human affairs, may in
his mercy, so incline our hearts and guide
our counsels, as that the fierce and stor
my passions which threaten us with civil
dissention, which distract our social in
tercourse, w hich embitter the harmony of
our domestic circles, shall be banished
from our bosoms, and only be remember
ed as solemn and enduring warnings for
the future, is the fervent prayer, of your
faithful and obedient fellow citizen,
WM. DRAYTON."
CTAt an election held in Charleston,
on the 3d inst. for lntendant and War
dens of that city, the Free Trade (or Nul
lifying) Ticket succeeded by a majority
of about 160 votes over the Union Tick
et. The result of this election, exhibit
ing an increased majority over the elec
tion of last year, may be taken as evi
dence of the fact that the cause of Nulli
fication is gaining ground in that section
of the Union. Pet. Times.
OCTA man gives an account in the
Charleston Courier of a gross outrage
committed on his person in the streets,
and attributes it to political hostility,
lie says he got "somewhat intoxicated"
at night, and when he came to himself in
the morning, he was lying in the Public
Market, tarred all over, his head shaved,
and one of his whiskers shaved off, his
pantaloons and coat cut, and his body
mutilated. He knows no other reason
for all this, but that he is a Union man.
We ihiuk'he must have been "gloriously
drunk" to have undergone all this with
out waking.
A general rote had taken place at the
house of a Mr. Campbell, a few nights
before, and the parties are edifying the
public with their different versions of it.
The election for City Officers was to
take place yesterday, and to the elec
tioneering and treating incident to that
occasion, we suppose these things may
be attributed. Fay. Obs.
Georgia Bank Notes. An auction of
rather an unusual character, was lately
held at S avannah. At a large collection
of persons, a quantity of the notes of
some of the Georgia banks was put up
and struck off to the highest bidder
Those of the Bank of Macon, which has
recently exploded, broughj from 15 to IP;
cents on the dollar, and from what wo
can gather may prove rather a dear bar
gain to the purchasers. Notes of three
or four other banks were sold at ratest
somewhat higher.
Counterfeits. Counterfeit American
half dollars are in circulation in Balti
more. They are smooth to the touch, of
light weight, have no ring when struck,
and may be readily delected if examined
with any care.
The Comet Much disappointment is
expressed in New York at the non
importance of the Comet which has just
made its appearance in these heavens.
It is, they say, "absolutely without a tail,"
as smooth and snug as a soap ball. We
advise the getting up of a few indignation
meetings, to express public sentiment.
It is out of all character lhat "a Comet"
of any character should be tailless, and if
nothing else is done there should be a
few stars strung up like onions, to make
a pendant for the visiter. We doubt in
deed whether a Comet, etymologically
considered, has any right to come'without
a hairy tail, and we think it would be on
ly right to turn the tailless intruder
out. U. S. Gazette.
Lead cannon. We learn from the Ga
lena Gazette, that leaden guns have been
cast for the defence of a stockade at Col.
Hamilton's, on the Pick a-ton-e-ka, thir
ty miles east of that town as no iron
or brass pieces were to be obtained, re
sort was had to ingenuity, and the lead
en pieces were found to be well fitted
for the object desired.
a
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