proclamation, setting forth the arbitrary measures which the federal executive sought to subject them to, and counselling them to resist these, even by force of arms, if necessary. The danger that impended increased every hour, notwithstanding the bold and decided stand, which the president took by the side of the laws of the union. In this respect his conduct is entitled to all praise. But it was not occasioned by any good or friendly feeling towards the protective system, nor by any diminution of his hostility towards this. He gave increasing evidence of his willingness to contribute to its destruction, by yielding to the rebellious state all she desired, in abandoning the principle of protection. This had been distinctly avowed, in the report of the secretary of the treasury, recommending the reduction of duties to a revenue standard, and on the twenty-seventh of December, Mr. Verplanck, from the committee on ‘ways and means,’ reported a bill which, in accordance with the recommendation of the secretary’s report, proposed to reduce the duties on imported goods, to an average of about fifteen per cent. upon the foreign valuation. This bill was designed to take immediate effect, and to make a further reduction of duties, on all protected articles, in March, 1834. Thus the administration came over to the ground which the nullifiers desired it to occupy. After the bill had been discussed about a week, the president transmitted a message to congress, together with the abrogating enactments of South Carolina, and recommended the course he deemed proper to be pursued in relation to them. A bill to enforce the collection of the revenue, was brought before the senate a few days subsequent, directing coercive measures to be employed, in case of resistance. Matters seemed fast coming to extremities. The disorganizers, though in a state of readiness, took no decisive steps, but seemed to be looking for an adjustment of the subject occasioning their disquietude, in a way to suit their peculiar views. But the prospect that this would be accomplished, grew every day fainter. At this critical juncture, when no source of help was visible, when the political heavens were continually gathering blackness, and the thunder of insurgency fell with appalling plainness upon the ear, Mr. Clay stepped forth to disperse the gloom, and clothe with the garments of peace, an almost distracted people. He clearly saw, that, to heal the breach which had been made, and which was continually widening, it was necessary to make a partial retrocession from the vantage ground, which by toil and strife he had gained, in relation to the American system. To yield an inch of this, of such vital importance did he conceive it to be to the country, was like allowing the sources of his own existence to be annihilated, one by one. But the salvation of it depended, at this crisis, on making this ♦retrograde movement, as well as the peace, and