Page:The Book of Nullification.djvu/17

 2. And the heart of Robert yearned towards the men who dwell in an Island beyond the great waters, and he loved them with all his Soul, so the men of Charleston called Robert, "the Englishman."

3. And Robert in his heart hated Andrew the King, who reigned over the realm of America; for the same Andrew it was, who slew near the great river Mississippi, thousands of enemies, who came from the distant Island which Robert loved.

4. And John the conjuror, saw into the heart of Robert the Englishman, and he wrote letters unto him, giving praises unto the graven image called, which John had made; and saying, that it was mighty, to make the provinces of the South one realm with the distant Island, towards which the heart of Robert yearned.

5. Now, Robert the Englishman had faith, and believed in the words of John, and he came also to the great Feast of Nullification, to do honour thereunto.

6. Then the rulers, and the elders, and the wise men, and all those who came unto the feast, gathered together, and were seated around the tables in the Great Hall of the city, and they did eat.

7. But James, who is surnamed "the deluded," and Robert the Nullifier, feared much, lest the eyes of William the just, should alight upon the graven image,, for they knew he would expose it to all the people.

8. So they set the Idol in a high place, and covered it over with a Cloth of Stripes and of Stars, and William saw the cloth, and believed it was the banner of the nation, and he knew not what was beneath.

9. And all the people did partake of the feast, for they nothing doubted but that they thereby made manifest their love and their veneration for the name of him whom they delighted to honour.

10. And they called aloud on William the just, and gave praises unto him, "as a cherished son of the South, disciplined in her best schools of chivalry and honour."

11. Then William arose before all the people, and gave thanks for the love wherewith they had honoured him, and he opened his mouth and said,

12. "Verily, O men of Charleston, ye have heard much clamour against the Statute of John of Quincy, even the Tariff, and ye have been entreated to resist the same, even though Andrew the King hath sworn to enforce all the Statutes of the Realm.

13. "And ye have been told by certain men, if ye will but take into your hands a cunning device called, ye will thereby be enabled to overthrow the power of the King, without peril to your lives or to the realm.

14. "But I say unto you, Men and Brethren, this saying is vain; of a surety Andrew the King will perform the oath which he has sworn; and if ye set at nought the statutes of the realm, Andrew will send a power against ye to enforce obedience.

15. "And ye must then do battle with Andrew, and if ye be subdued, then will ye be put to shame; and if ye gain the victory, then will ye have stained your raiment with the blood of brethren, and ye