Chauncey Samuel Boucher

“ Among the convention supporters there came to be quite a number of Union men who thought that a convention might be beneficial in showing the North that the opposition was not a mere factious one, and that it could protest against the tariff more effectively than could the legislature, even though its only weapon should be the same — resolutions. ”

“ In some places, however, the line of division was simply between Unionism and Nullification, apparently with the tacit understanding that all Unionists would oppose and all Nullifiers support a convention; but as the campaign progressed, the convention issue became confused in many parts of the state and did not mark a clear line of division between the two parties. Politics became the great business of life in many sections; the excitement was so great that not only the candidates, but many of the active partisans on both sides, spent their whole time in electioneering. ”

“ A little later, when Congress did discuss the tariff, and Mallory's report was published, it was referred to by the State Rights party as an avowal by the very leader of the tariff party that protection was the primary object of the law; that the manufacturers would continue to make common cause in support of the system ; that the separate items of the tariff would no longer be examined singly, because the system, as some South Carolina statesmen had hoped, might be destroyed that way. ”

“ They can scarcely believe that so much clamor could be raised against convention if by it the people are only to do in an aggregate capacity what they all do now individually—that is, assert the law to be unconstitutional and endeavor to devise the best mode of ridding themselves of it. ”

“ If, knowing it, they declared for a convention, then every citizen should abide by the decision and support its policy to the end. But he believed that it was too soon to act; South Carolina should wait for the return of good sense to the American people, which must come soon. [12] If, however, the state were resolved to act, it should do so openly and boldly, without any attempt to shield itself behind metaphysical constructions of the Constitution. [13]
It goes without saying that all supporters of the tariff in South Carolina were against a convention. ”

“ Henry L. Pinckney headed the ticket of the State Rights and Jackson party, as the Nullifiers called themselves. In its declaration of principles their organization denied the disunion charge, and, though not specific as to a program, asserted that the Union and the Constitution would be safe. [20] The opposing ticket was headed by James R. Pringle. The men of this party also claimed to be a Jackson party, and called themselves the State Rights and Union party. They were for state sovereignty as they interpreted it, but opposed to the calling of a convention, nullification, and to disunion. ”

“ Map III.—House vote on state convention, 1830
tariff supporters were "feeling power and forgetting right." Resolutions to inquire into the expediency of reducing various duties were rejected by large votes. This was especially galling because the resolutions were merely for inquiry, and ordinarily such resolutions were never refused unless the subject-matter was offensive to the House. This was taken to show that Congress intended that the protective policy should be the settled policy of the country and no longer open to discussion. ”

“ Some stressed the hopelessness of reliance upon Jackson for redress; some pointed to the folly of further patience and forbearance; some explained away the prospect of strife, simply in order to win convention supporters, while others honestly believed that a convention would adopt only peaceable measures; others, after belittling the fears as to the outcome of a conflict, delivered outright "war" toasts and speeches. [6] In many places the Conventionists asserted that their candidates would favor not only a convention, but with it "strong measures." ”

“ Of the sixteen state representatives elected in Charleston, eleven were Union men and five were State Rights men, though three of the former were also on the State Rights ticket. Of the five State Rights men elected, only three were said to be Nullifiers. Taking the average of the Union candidates, the vote was 1,261, and for the State Rights candidates, 1,245. The excitement over the election is shown by the fact that a much greater vote was polled than at any other election which had ever been held in Charleston. ”

“ Judge William Smith was another holding this view—against a convention because the tariff and internal improvement systems were fast crumbling away and would soon be demolished. ↑ The editor of the Camden Journal claimed just before the election that the Convention party would not number more than fifty out of 800 voters in the district and that there were not ten in the town. "But," he added, "there is not one 'submission' man" in the district. The editor of the Columbia Times and Gazette asked: "If you are opposed to a convention and yet not for giving up, pray what remedy do you propose? ”

“ Thereupon Daniel E. Huger moved a resolution that the legislature did not recognize as constitutional the right of an individual state to nullify or arrest a law passed by Congress, but this was rejected by a large majority. ”

“ There was no tariff to cause a ruinous fall from 33 cents in 1818 to 101⁄2 cents in 1823. In 1824, the year of the tariff, cotton sold for 141⁄2 cents, taking the average prices in January and June. In 1825, the year after the tariff, it was 27 cents in June, and in June of 1826 only 9 cents. ↑ See Houston, Nullification in South Carolina, chap. iii. ↑ Patriot, May 31, 1831. ↑ Courier, November 23, 1831. ↑ The protective system had been recommended, as both constitutional and expedient, by Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Adams, and Jackson. ”

“ From such a meeting, so conducted, great good may yet result even in time for the approaching elections. God grant it may." ↑ Mercury, September 24, 1830; Times, September 23, October 10. ↑ Mercury, September 24, 1830 ”