Page:Nullification Controversy in South Carolina.djvu/83

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Nullification Controversy in South Carolina

not do for South Carolina to take any step without their co-operation.[1] The dinner was looked upon by many Unionists as a political move on the part of the Nullification-Disunion party to popularize its doctrines.[2]

The Webster-Hayne debate was a fortunate piece of advertising for the doctrine of nullification, and came just at a time when such publicity was most needed. The South Carolina papers printed many of the speeches almost entire.[3] The nullification press of course gave most of its space to Robert Y. Hayne, enthusiastically approved his exposition, and slurringly referred to Daniel Webster as the "Janus-faced, blue-light federalist" or in other terms equally reproachful. Webster was not without his worshipers, however, even in South Carolina, and a few papers pro-

  1. Mountaineer, July 16, 1830.
  2. It was said that the Mercury had wanted to hold a big public meeting to get Hayne's nullification doctrines indorsed, but had gauged popular opinion to be adverse; under the circumstances the best it could do, to get anybody at all to attend, was to give a dinner and invite Drayton; his friends attended because they knew he would disavow the doctrines of Hayne and Turnbull (see Gazette. June, 1830; Courier, July 9).
  3. Mercury, February 2, March 17, 1830; Telescope, March 5; Mountaineer, February 27; Times, February and March; Congressional Debates, Vol. VI, Part I; Houston, Nullification in South Carolina, chap. vi.