o convince the Supreme
Court, the leanings of which were at this time decidedly in favour of
Nationalism. The Carolinians therefore took their stand upon another
principle, for which they found a precedent in the Kentucky Resolutions.
They declared that a State had, in virtue of its sovereignty, the right
to judge as an independent nation would of the extent of its obligations
under the Treaty of Union, and, having arrived at its own
interpretation, to act upon it regardless of any Federal authority. This
was the celebrated doctrine of "Nullification," and in pursuance of it
South Carolina announced her intention of refusing to allow the
protective taxes in question to be collected at her ports.

Calhoun was not the originator of Nullification. He was Vice-President
when the movement began, and could with propriety take no part in it.
But after his quarrel with Jackson he resigned his office and threw in
his lot with his State. The ablest and most lucid statements of the case
for Nullification are from his pen, and when he took his seat in the
Senate he was able to add to his contribution the weight of his
admirable oratory.

Much depended upon the attitude of the new President, and the Nullifiers
did not despair of enlisting him on their side. Though he had declared
cautiously in favour of a moderate tariff (basing his case mainly on
considerations of national defence), he was believed to be opposed to
the high Protection advocated by Clay and Adams. He was himself a
Southerner and interested in the cotton industry, and at the late
election he had had the unanimous backing of the South; its defection
would be very dangerous for him. Finally, as an ardent Democrat he could
hardly fail to be impressed by the precedent of the Kentucky
Resolutions, which had Jefferson's authority behind them, and, perhaps
to enforce this point, Jefferson's birthday was chosen as the occasion
when the President was to be committed to Nullification.

A Democratic banquet was held at Washington in honour of the founder of
the party. Jackson was present, and so were Calhoun and the leading
Nullifiers. Speeches had to be made and toasts given, the burden of
which was a glorification of State Sovereignty and a defence of
Nullification. Then Jackson rose and gave his famous toast: "Our Union:
it must be preserved." Calhoun tried to counter it by giving: "Our
Union, next to our liberties most dear." But everyone understood the
significance of t