Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-03-31
+ +. : :. ARrHuR' 4, sec'y,s
REMARKS OF MR.. CALHOUN,

| hCMhhh.o vi Ihs SshLtAoONNy
AT THE MEETING OF THE CITIZENS OF CHAR.
Tos. Tuesday Eoening, March 8, 1547.
Feltoo. Citizens lin complying with
the request Of your committee 10 address
| you on the general stale of our affairs, in
connection with the Federal Government,
shall restrict my remarks to the subject
:of our peculiar domestic institution, hot
otdy because il is by far the most impor-
lantt0 u.s. but. also, because havesfully
/ UTTTI55uu ry-svIUIysI suTy -PTacsM tue
Senate. on The only other ilhponant,su
fleet, the Mexican, war stss ~ safaafs )
+ II fullytconcurrin tho address ofyour
committees andI resolutions accompa.
nyiug il. The facts stated care JugqIes-
tiunable, and the conclusions irresisibl,.
Indeed, afterall that has occurred 1iu /.
ring thellast twelve mouths. il would be
alnost,idiolic 10 doubt, that "a, large ma
joriry of. both parties ini,he non.slayehold-
ing States, have come to fixed determi-
nation to appropriate all The Territories Of
the United States, now possessed, or here
afte- to be acquired, lo.ihenselves. to the
entire exclusion orlhe slaveholuiug States.
Assuming then. thai TO be beybnd doubt.
the grave, and to US, vital question is pre-
sehtet! srcr consideration have they the
power to carry this determination Into ef-
feet 80
1t will bo proper 10 premise, before un-
dertake TO answer this question, that it is
my ntention.lo place before you the dal.
ger with which we are threatened from
this determination, plainly and fully, with.
out exaggera.ion or extenualiou. aud, also,
The advantages we have for repelling it,
leaving il tb you to determine what mea-
sures should be adopted Tor that purpose.
1 / now return TO tho question, and an
swer, Yes, they have the power. as far as
mere numbers can give it. They will
have a, majority, in The next Congress,
in every department of the Federal Gov
ernment. The admission uf Iowa aud
Wisconsin, will give them two additional
States, aud a a:majorlty Of four in the Sen-
ate, which heretofore has been our shield
against this and other dangers Of the kind.
We ere already in minority in the Huusc
of Representatives, and the Electoral Col
lege; so that with the loss OF the Senate,
I'VE shall be in mi lorily in every depart
,nent of the Federal Government and
ever must cohticue So, if the non slave
holding States should carry into effect their
scheme of.appropriatiug 10 their exclusive
use all the Territories OF the United States.
But, fortunately, under our system Of go.
vernment mere numbers are not the only
| A.
which would give US ample means of de.
Tending ourselves against tho threatened
dan ger, if we should be true TO ourselves.
E. We have. lin the first place. the advan-
tage of having the Constitution on our
side, clearly and unquestionabiy, and in
its en!irefabric; so much 80, that The whole
body Of the instrument stands opposed to
their scheme of appropfiating the Terrific.
ries TO themselves. To make good this
assertion, it is only necessary 10 remind
you, that ours is Federal, and not Ma
uonal, or Consolidated Governments
distinction essenlialto correct understand. :.
ing of the Constitution, and our safety
1t ought never to he forgotten, or over;
looked. As Federal Government, the
States composing the Union are it's constit
uents, and stand in the same relation TO
it, in that respect, as the Individual cili:
7zens ola State do 10 its government. As
constituent members of'the Union, zaII the
Territories and other rproperyof Union
belonging to them, as joint owners oriparl:
ners. and not tothe Government, as Is er:
roueously supposedly some. 4TheeGo.
; vernlnent is but. the agenttentrustedswil
4 The management. And hence the Consti.
]. tution expressly declares. the Territory Il
4 Ibedhe property afthe' Uuiteds States-tha