n ordinance and the
legislation supplementary to it, and expressed confidence that, if the
sacred soil of the State should be "polluted by the footsteps of an
invader," no one of her sons would be found "raising a parricidal arm
against our common mother."

Thus the proud commonwealth was panoplied for a contest of wits, and
perchance of arms, with the nation. Could it hope to win? South
Carolina had a case which had been forcibly and plausibly presented.
It could count on a deep reluctance of men in every part of the
country to see the nation fall into actual domestic combat. There
were, however, a dozen reasons why victory could not reasonably be
looked for. One would have been enough--the presence of Andrew Jackson
in the White House.

Through federal officers and the leaders of the Union party Jackson
kept himself fully informed upon the situation, and six weeks before
the nullification convention was called he began preparations to meet
all eventualities. The naval authorities at Norfolk were directed to
be in readiness to dispatch a squadron to Charleston; the commanders
of the forts in Charleston Harbor were ordered to double their
vigilance and to defend their posts against any persons whatsoever;
troops were ordered from Fortress Monroe; and General Scott was sent
to take full command and to strengthen the defenses as he found
necessary. The South Carolinians were to be allowed to talk, and even
to adopt "ordinances," to their hearts' content. But the moment they
stepped across the line of disobedience to the laws of the United
States they were to be made to feel the weight of the nation's
restraining hand.

"The duty of the Executive is a plain one," wrote the President to
Joel R. Poinsett, a prominent South Carolina unionist; "the laws will
be executed and the United States preserved by all the constitutional
and legal means he is invested with." When the situation bore its most
serious aspect Jackson received a call from Sam Dale, who had been one
of his dispatch bearers at the Battle of New Orleans. "General Dale,"
exclaimed the President during the conversation, "if this thing goes
on, our country will be like a bag of meal with both ends open. Pick
it up in the middle or endwise, and it will run out. I must tie the
bag and save the country." "Dale," he exclaimed again later, "they are
trying me here; you will witness it; but, by the God of heaven, I will
uphold the laws." "I understood him to be refer