The Book of Nullification/Chapter 3
CHAPTER III.
1. Now in the second year of the reign of Andrew, he commanded the governors, and the rulers, and the captains, and the wise men of all the land of America, to gather together at the city called Washington.
2. And the commandment of Andrew was hearkened to, throughout the land, and the governors, and the rulers, and the wise men, stood before him; and Robert the Nullifier was among them.
3. Now Robert, in the beginning, was upright, and feared the Lord, and eschewed evil; and he increased in substance and in honour before his people.
4. But he hearkened to the voice of John the conjuror, and his heart became changed in the sight of Heaven, and prudence departed from him.
5. And he arose before all the rulers, and the captains, and the wise men, who were gathered together in the city called Washington, and he set up before them the graven image which John had made, even the image Nullification, and he commanded them to bow down before it, and worship it.
6. Then John the conjuror became sorely troubled, and his spirit was disquieted within him, and he rent his garments in vexation, because Robert had neglected to hide the graven image in the place called Convention, and had openly brought it forth before all the people.
7. And he feared greatly lest the graven image should be cleft asunder, and lest the enchantments and sorceries which he had placed therein, should be destroyed by the wise men who stood before him; and his fears were not vain.
8. For a certain Daniel arose and smote the graven image, and threw it upon the earth, in the sight of all the rulers, and captains, and wise men of the realm.
9. But Robert straightway arose and set it up again, and he placed around it a palisade of osiers, and beyond the same he erected a patchwork, gathered together from the East, and from the West and from the North, and from the South.
10. And over the whole he caused to be written a superscription in letters of English, "The Carolina Doctrines."
11. Then Daniel girded up his loins, and stood forth before all the rulers, and the captains, and the wise men; and he tore into fragments the patchwork which Robert had made.
12. And he overturned with his feet the palisade of osiers, and he smote a second time the graven image, and he cast it down before the people, and he struck from it the head, and broke the body into pieces.
13. Now Robert was greatly wroth at the act which Daniel had done, and he seized upon the pieces of the idol, and endeavoured to set them together before the people.
14. But a certain wise man named Edward, a ruler over the province of Louisiana, and an elder of the people, arose and stood before Robert, and said unto him.
15. "Peace be unto thee, O Robert! let not thine anger arise within thee against Daniel, for I say unto thee, thy path leadeth to error.
16. "The graven image which thou hast set up is made of sorceries and enchantments, and is evil in the sight of God and of man; and though peradventure Daniel hath dealt hardly by it, and by thee, yet I, even I, Edward, who have stood by thee in good report and in evil report, must say unto thee, of a surety this thy Nullification is but emptiness and vanity.
17. "Wherefore, O Robert! deliver to me the fragments thereof, that I may cast them forth upon the face of the earth."
18. So Edward took the pieces which Robert had gathered, and scattered them as dust before all the people.
19. And all the rulers, and the captains, and the wise men of the land, departed from the presence of Andrew the King, and returned to their homes.
20. And Robert the Nullifier departed in sorrow, and would not be comforted; and he went down by the sea to the city called Charleston, and sought out James, the son of James.