The Book of Nullification/Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI.
1. Now it came to pass that while the people hearkened to the speech of Robert the Nullifier, James, who is called "the Deluded," caused certain men privily to gather together the fragments of the graven image Nullification.
2. And he sent the same to John the conjurer, to be set together again by the power of his sorceries and enchantments; and he also sent messengers to John, to beseech him to hide the graven image until the hour should come wherein it could be elevated in the place that is called Convention.
3. For that the men of Charleston were greatly wroth against Nullification, and would not bow down before it; but he trusted that they might be made to believe that Convention was a good thing, and worthy of all praise.
4. So when Robert the Nullifier had seated himself again amongst the people at the great feast, James "the Deluded" sought to withdraw the eyes of men from the ruin which had overtaken Nullification, and he arose, and with a great shout uttered praises to the name of William the just, and to the other counsellors of the South.
5. And the people with one accord joined in the shout, for their hearts overflowed with love towards William the just, and towards a certain other William, who was a Senator from the provinces of the South.
6. And these were the counsellors to whose names the people gave praises, but the deeds of Robert the Nullifier were set apart in their hearts for the day of reckoning.
7. Then Langdon arose and spake in a loud voice to all the elders, and the rulers, and the wise men, and the people who were gathered together at the feast, and said:
8. "Ye men of Charleston! behold I have pitched my tent amongst you, for I heard when I was afar off, that ye were afflicted, and that ye mourned in sackcloth and ashes, over the Tariff of John of Quincy.
9. "And lo! I have come amongst you in this your day of tribulation, to give unto you succour and consolation. For verily ye are bowed down to the earth with grievous oppression.
10. "And the land wherein ye dwell is but as a 'Colony' to the realm, and ye bear on your necks a yoke of bondage, weightier than that wherewith ye were oppressed in the days which are past, when George the King, beyond the great waters, had dominion over you.
11. "Behold your fields yield abundantly the fruits of the earth, yet ye prosper not, neither do ye flourish; for that which ye pay in tribute draineth you of your substance.
12. "Moreover when ye complain, your voice is as the voice of babes and sucklings, the counsellors of the King hearken not thereunto, neither do they yield unto you respect. Ye have cried unto them for succour, but to your prayers have they turned a deaf ear.
13. "Wherefore, O men of Charleston! call no more upon Andrew the King, nor upon his counsellors, but call ye upon those who have the like feelings, and the like passions with yourselves, even upon the men of the South.
14. And the men of the South will hearken unto your voice, and they will join with you to resist the men of the North: and then will ye compel Andrew the King to give way to your prayers.
15. "Peradventure it shall come to pass, that Andrew the King will send a power against you to enforce the statutes of the realm, and ye may do battle with him, and thereby ye may be brought to rend in twain the provinces of his Kingdom:
16. "But be not dismayed, for I say unto you, the evils which ye suffer are 'not to be borne,' and they 'ought to be resisted at any and every hazard.'"
17. Now when Langdon had ceased speaking, the people marvelled greatly at his words, seeing that he had been an indweller for many years among those of whom he now spake bitterly, and had not, during all that time, opened his mouth to convince them of the error of their ways.
18. And they were yet the more astonished at his speech wherein he said, that he had come amongst them to share their sorrows; for they saw that he lived upon the fat of the land, and that the lords and the princes of the city offered unto him daily sumptuous feasts, and that he partook thereof.
19. And they were confounded at his words, so they held their peace, and waited patiently to see what time would bring forth.
20. Now when James, who is called "the Deluded," perceived that Langdon had said not a word giving praise to Nullification, or to its abiding place Convention, he began to fear lest the heart of Langdon was in secret turned against the followers of John the conjurer, and that he would not bow down before the work of John's hands.
21. And James became sorrowful thereat, and his spirit sank within him. But a certain Richard called upon him in a loud voice before all the people, and declared that he, James, should be made a Governor to rule over them, and the words of Richard gave comfort to his soul.
22. Now Richard was a man of great riches, but his stores of knowledge were not abundant; and he desired greatly to be made a ruler and a Senator over the province called Carolina, and he believed that James the Deluded had great power, and could minister unto his desire, and he became a faithful follower of James.
23. Then James the Deluded opened his mouth and said, "Verily, O men of Charleston, I give thanks unto you all, and more especially unto Richard, (whose name shall dwell in my remembrance) for the favour ye have this day shown forth, in setting me up to be made chief Governor over this province.
24. "Ye all know that in the days which are past, I James did join with the counsellors of the North, in ordaining statutes which you now declare do bow you to the dust, and which despoil you of your substance.
25. "But when it was made manifest that the path which I pursued would lead me far from your favour, and that ye would take from me all power and honour, I saw the error of my ways, and turned from the weaker to the stronger side.
26. "And rather than suffer for conscience sake, I confessed unto you my sins, and declared that I had been under 'a Natural Delusion,' to which my eyes are now open.
27. "And I will now pronounce openly before you all 'the creed' in which I now believe, and ye shall see that I am strong in the faith.
28. "I believe the Tariff of him called Mallary, to be a palpable, deliberate and dangerous violation of the ordinances of the realm, and that it is a device of cunning men to despoil you of the fruits of your labour.
29. "I believe that ye are oppressed, and ruined, by the statutes which have been ordained by the great council of Andrew the King, and that desolation will soon cover your land, even as the waters do the great deep.
30. "And I say unto you, O men of Charleston, that ye may cry aloud for relief, but ye shall find none at the hands of the Yankees, your enemies; wherefore arise at once, and stand forth in your might: ye 'ought, and must resist.'
31. "Peradventure some of you shall say, how can we resist without doing battle with Andrew the King, who hath sworn before Heaven, to enforce the ordinances of the realm.
32. "But I say unto you, fear nothing; and if Andrew the King, shall do that which he hath sworn, upon his head be the blood which shall be spilt—for it is his fault, and not ours.
33. "And if he send forth a power to enforce the Statutes of the Realm, assuredly his reign will be a "Sanguinary Despotism," against which our fathers have taught us to rebel.
34. "And we will defend ourselves with our own right arm; and if in the heat of strife we shall spill blood, or rend asunder the Realm—of a surety this is not 'Disunion or civil war,' but it is that which is called glorious revolution."
35. Then all the people were astonished at the words of James, and they arose with one accord to cast him out; but when they came near unto him, they saw manifestly that he was still under "a Natural Delusion," and they had compassion on him.
36. For behold his eyes shot forth a lurid glare, and a thick vapour descended from his nostrils, and passing upwards before his eyes, caused him to see as through a glass, darkly.
37. And it was now made manifest to all the people, that Jamess the son of James, saw not as other men saw; and that all thing, were visible to him through a false medium, and they all cried aloud, 'of a surety this man is well called 'The Deluded.'"
38. And the elders, and the wise men, and the counsellors of the South, now remembered the words which Thomas, of Winyaw, had spoken in the days that were past, and they feared in their hearts that the fulfilment thereof was at hand, and they secretly resolved to set their faces against "The Deluded," and his followers.
39. And they saw manifestly that the heart of James was hardened, and that Robert the Nullifier, had conspired together with him, and they feared greatly lest Langdon was given over to them—but they all held their peace.