Statesmen . State, having determined to protectits citizens by an act of nullification, would putan impassable barrier in the way of any penaltyor sentence imposed by the Federal courts inconsequence of an act of obedience to the Statestatute. Nullification was an act by the Statenullifying within the borders of that State anylaw of the Federal Congress which might be dis-tasteful to a majority of the citizens of the contended that nullification did not dis-turb the legal relation between the State and theUnion, but rather confirmed it. He said thatthe States had entered the Fede
Statesmen . State, having determined to protectits citizens by an act of nullification, would putan impassable barrier in the way of any penaltyor sentence imposed by the Federal courts inconsequence of an act of obedience to the Statestatute. Nullification was an act by the Statenullifying within the borders of that State anylaw of the Federal Congress which might be dis-tasteful to a majority of the citizens of the contended that nullification did not dis-turb the legal relation between the State and theUnion, but rather confirmed it. He said thatthe States had entered the Federal Union andthat that entrance implied a free action on theirpart without binding any of the States to irre-movable consequences thereafter. Force couldnot be employed by the Federal Governmentbecause the question was a moral one, and nophysical resistance could be taken. The Legislature of South Carolina, in Novem-ber, 1832, passed an ordinance declaring thetariff act of 1828 null and void. It was also de-. JOHN 0. CALHOUN 85 clared that the payment of duties should notbe enforced within the State, and that any at-tempt on the part of the Federal Governmentto enforce its laws would absolve the State fromall connection with the Union and it would im-mediately establish a separate and independentgovernment. Secession would ensue if nullifi-cation were not agreed to by the Federal Gov-ernment. Great excitement in South Carolinafollowed the passage of this ordinance, and Pres-ident Jackson replied to it with a proclamationand a message to Congress threatening to applyphysical pressure to the rebels of the PalmettoState. It was even said (although this statementwas never verified) that Jackson threatened tohang Calhoun as high as Haman. Jacksonwas a bold and sometimes reckless officer, butnobody knew better than he that he had nopower to hang even a rebel leader, and Calhounspersonal courage was certainly equal to anyemergency, and it would be unjust to supposethat he was for a mo
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