Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-02-20
IN SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
Mn. CALHoUN's REsoLUTIoNs.


Mr. CALHOUN rose yesterday, iorthe purpose of present
ing certain resolutions in reference to the subject embraced in
the resolutions presented here from the Legislatures OF some
OF the States and in the provso attached to the bill from the
House making appropriation of three millions Of dollars
for the purpose of bringing the with Mexico concu
sonhe subject commonly designated the extension OF
slavery. What propose (sad Mr.. CD is before send
these resolutions to the table, to make few explanatory
marks. Ii was Mr.. President soiemny asserted this
floor time ago, that all parties in the sayehodng
States have to fixed and solemn determination upon
two points which Of the deepest interest the savehod
ing States One that there should be further admis-
sion Of any territory into this Union which permitted the
istence Of slavery and the other is that slavery shall
hereafter exist any of the Territories Of the United States
the effect Of which will be, to give the non-savehodng
States the monopoly of the public domain to the exclusion
the slaveholding States Since that declaration made
have abundant proof that there satisfactory ground
its being made for have already received resolutions
soemny passed by of the States
half OF the number Of the avehong States already the
Unon Iowa not being counted using the strongest possible
language to that effect and doubt in progress Of me
shall have similar resolutions from all the non-slavehodng
States But need not go beyond the walls of Congress
The subject has been agated in the other House, and bill
has been there brought prohibiting the extension Of slavery
Ito their language) to any territory which may be
hereafter acquired by the United and, the
time, resolutions which have been moved during the pre-
sent session. to extend the compromise line from the Rocky
Mountains the Pacific, have been rejected by decided
majority. 1888 res
Sir there installing the signs of the times and it
appears that is high time that the savehodng States
should inquire what is their relative strength in this
Unon and what it will be if this determination should be
carried into effect. Already in mnory-I the
word as regards supremacy-already in minority
in the other House, in the electoral college, and, may
say every department Of this Government except the
present Senate OF the United States Here for the present.
have equality, twenyeght States voting, counting
Deaware which is of doubtful character the side of the
nonsavehodng States but this equality of strength exists
only in this Senate One of the clerks my request gave
mp of
scpons of States in the other House Of Congress and
the electoral college There 22S Representatives, ncud
ing Iowa. which already represented In that House of these
1873 are from savehodng States, and 80 from slavehod
ing States giving majority in the aggregate Of AZ votes to
the nonslavehodng States In the electoral college there
are 6s votes belonging TO the noavehodng States, and
lls to the avehong States giving majority Of so. We
have, Mr. President at present. only position under this
Government by which make any resistance to this OPP
pressve policy against the South which the nsavehodng
States manests strong disposition to adopt And they
rapidly increasing in strength and consequently their
power Of carrying out this policy sraPdy increasing Already
Iowa IS State When she appears here there will be two
Senators of the slayehodng DIVISION At the next
session there will be two additional Senators from the
State Wisconsin, making majority Of four the side Of
the non-slaveholdng States. They will then carry every
branch Of this Government at their will and pleasure But
sir if this coercive policy upon us this determination that
there should be saveholng States hereafter admitted into
the Union and that slavery shall be entirely excluded from
every territory that we may possesf this to be the fixed
Sir there Is ample space for twelve fifteen of the largest
description of States in the territories belonging this
Government Already law has passed creating the State Of
Wisconsin, and there ample for another north Of Iowa.
and another north of that and then in that region extending
to the Rocky Mountains and lying between the forty ninth
degree of north latitude and the Texan line, which may be
set down about twelve and half degrees of latitude there
territory capable of being divided into eight large
States There is territory enough that already ours, with
out reference to Mexico 10 make of the largest sized
States, which may be and will be shortly added How will
then stand There will be fourteen the part the slave
holding States and wenty-eght the part of the nosave
holding double number. And, with the same
spropoon in the House and in the electoral college, the
Government will be entirely in the hands of the non-save
holding States They will have overwhelming majority.
Sir IT this state OF things to on, and the determination
soemny made and avowed be persisted in, where shall
stand far this Federal Government of concerned
We must look to rights, must look interests
must have justice done We have shield but the
constitution Upon this must rely, if upon any thing
And now put this solemn question: put it to all sides Of
the Senate Are not to be protected Sir look to the
constitution for projections If look the operation of this
Government, will that, from the beginning of the
Government to the present day. far pecuniay
concerned, far the supply and disbursement of
involved have been that portion Of the
nifty who have substantially supported the Government and
without receiving any thing like proportionate
But why should go beyond this very itselth de-
termination the part Of the non-slaveholdng States that
there shall be participation the part Of the saveholding
States in the benefits to be derived from the possession of ter
not say with what design it is adopted will say what
its arewheher proceeds from blind anatcsm, whe
hcr from hostile feeling of slavery honestly entertained BY
who not fanatics, whether it be the work of
who have been looking for political power and have agtad
this question the most eecua mode of attaining their OBJ
ect But the effect Of the policy will be monopoze the
powers and the patronage of this Government.
Now, ask Is there remedy Does the constitution
afford remedy, and ii not there any other These, Mr.
President most solemn questions not only but let
say gentlemen from nonslavehodng States, them.
Sir, the day which the balance between the sections
into which divided upon this question destroyed will
be day not very far removed from political revolution from
anarchy from civil The balance of system is in the
savehodng States they the conservative power they
sustained the balance will be preserved and for generations
to this glorious Union may be upheld but if this policy
to be carried out and they be reduced to hand
full to become ball be banded about TO be used for
the purpose Of carrying out the views Of parties in the pres
dental contes-f this is to be the case say, wo wo
the people Of this country. Now put the question in this
solemn form Does the constitution afford any remedy Is
there any provision it by which this aggressive policy thus
boldly avowed be arrested Is such policy ask,
sistent with the constitution No. sir Ii is in lifts features
deadly decidedly, opposed TO it. What those features
The wentyeight States 1.-THE wenty-nine including Iowa)
might like many Individuals stand consolidated for their
mutual benefit The constitution of the United States
not made for individual prosperity intended for
the benefit OF the whole Of the people; had higher
aims than those of individual benefit it intended that the
States constituting this Union should enjoy all advantages
natural and acquired which they entitled to enjoy and
enjoy them with greater security Tho whole system
formed upon principles justice and equality, perfect equality
between the various members of the Union Now this be
consistent with the policy which would make the public do
main monopoly for the benefit Of portion of the Union,
which would place the power in section Of the Union Is