Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/351

ANDREW JACKSON 293 of obtruding itself upon all sorts of discussions, as in the famous debates on Foote s resolutions, which lasted over five months in 1830, and called forth Webster s immortal speech in reply to Hayne. A few weeks after this speech, at a public dinner in commemoration of Jefferson s birthday, after sundry regular toasts had seemed to indicate a drift of sentiment in approval of nullification, Jackson suddenly arose with a volunteer toast: "Our Fed eral Union: it must be preserved." Calhoun was prompt to reply with a toast and a speech in be half of "Liberty, dearer than the Union," but the nullifiers were greatly disappointed and chagrined. In spite of this warning, South Carolina held a con vention, November 19, 1832, and declared the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 to be null and void in South Carolina; all state officers and jurors were required to take an oath of obedience to this edict ; appeals to the Federal supreme court were pro hibited under penalties; and the Federal govern ment was warned that an attempt on its part to enforce the revenue laws would immediately pro voke South Carolina to secede from the Union. The ordinance of nullification was to take effect February 1, 1833, and preparations for war were begun at once. On December 16 the president issued a proclamation, in which he declared that he should enforce the laws in spite of any and all re sistance that might be made, and he showed that