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Rh force if necessary." Notwithstanding a general accordance with these sentiments, all the representatives with whom Drayton conferred declared their willingness and anxiety to cooperate in the furtherance of any reasonable expedient which might prevent a conflict between South Carolina and the federal government. To this end "several of the thorough-going tariffites" told him that they "would submit to great sacrifices of the pecuniary interests of the manufacturers by voting for large deductions from the rate of protective duties." This accounted for the Verplanck bill.

Although the Senate was believed to be less favorably disposed toward the bill than the House, Drayton thought that all signs pointed to the growing favor of free trade everywhere, and that surely by the next session, if not in this one, a satisfactory reduction would be made. He thought that the Nullifiers ought to see this and postpone action until after the next session. Calhoun, too, as the session progressed, thought that the prospect was good for a satisfactory adjustment and that the scheme of coercion would be abandoned if the South Carolina people continued firm but prudent and gave no occasion for the