Proclamation Regarding Nullification: Tone
Proclamation Regarding Nullification: Tone
Indignant, Judicious, and Accusatory
There's a reason Jackson was nicknamed "Jackass" (for more on how he earned this nickname, check this out). He was stubborn, willing to carry a weighty load if need be, and had no problem with kicking you in the face if you got on his wrong side. And he didn't have too much of a problem playing that part.
He wanted to warn the Nullifiers that they had dug themselves into a deep hole and that they were running out of options for escape. He absolutely refused to budge on his convictions about the Constitution, to the point of sounding indignant for even having to muster a response to South Carolina's arguments. He also wanted to show them that he was a leader, capable of handling delicate matters with judicious composure if need be.
He's clearly shooting for inspirational when he talks about this glorious country of ours, but mostly he sounds just plain enraged. He tries hard to make it sound like righteous indignation.
But he really wanted the Nullies to feel responsible for this whole situation. They were the ones who nullified, they were the ones who threatened to secede, etc. And because it was their fault, argued Jackson, it was their responsibility to fix what they had broken.