The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1848-07-06
THE OREGON DEBATE.

on Tuesday. We fiud in the N. Y. Commercial
the following sketch of the remarks of the South
Carolina statesman
Mr.. Calhoun began his remarks by abiding to
the insecure tenure upon which the South held
its slave property. He said there were organic.
ed associations at the North for carrying off,
or aiding the escape of, slaves from their
ters
Mr. Corwin asked him if he meant TO assert that
there were INCORPORATED bodies in the free States
having such objects.
Mr. Calhoun replied in the negative. They
were not incorporated and chartered bodies, but
they had organization efficient tor their
purposes as 1t they were recognized by the laws.
He referred to the design OF the Wimot Proviso,
and said he was glad to be able to vindi cate the
memory of Mr.. Jefferson, by showing that he
was not as alleged in favor of any such princ-
pie.
He sent to the clerk to be read two letters OF
Mr.. Jefferson, written during the discussions up
On the Missouri controversy. One was written
to Mr. Adams, and declared that the writer felt
greater alarm upon this question than upon any
other. 1t was the only one then existing that
threatened danger to the Union. In the letter to
MIR. Holmes, dated July %, 1920, Mr.. Jefferson
spoke with great earnestness of the danger which
menaced the constitution. He did not care for
property in negroes, Tor he desired to see tine abb
clifton of slavery, if ii could be effected with the
removal or repatriation OF the blacks, and he be-
lieved that practicable, with suitable sacrifices
lhls question was the rock against which he
feared the Union about to dash itself to pie
ces.
1t was not at all clear against whom Mr.. JEFF
Ierson directed his sentences, but it certainly APP
peared that they were leveled against the south
ern party to that controversy. At least the let
ters contained not word indicating Mr.. Jeffer-
sons opinions in favor OF the spreading OF slavery
or in opposition to the Wllmot proviso which was
the purpose for which they were introduced by
the speaker.1
Mr. Calhoun went on to speak of the Missouri
compromise as one OF the events in which had
originated the present feeling of the North
against the South. He said it was of no binding
force upon the South. Very lew representa-.
tlVes oil that part OF the Union voted for it,
though 1t was introduced by distinguished
Southern Mr.. Clay. The South had ac-
| guessed in it rather than agreed TO it He
seemed to repudiae and discard this compromise.
but though he did not recognize the line ind-
Gated In that enactment OF the least force or
effect against the South, he entreated gentlemen
| TO leave the question to time and the constitution
and he believed the result would be that the line
OIL 80 deg. ~ min. would be the general line OF
division between the free and slave States
lie proceeded to argue the question OF proper
ty, and contended, in about the usual terms, that
the South had an equal share and interest in all
the territories with the North, because she had
done as much toward conquering and paving for
them as the North. He forgot to alude TO the
facts that the North had paid at least double as
much as the South for Texas, that the war with
Mexico was but an atterpiece to anne alton and
that the South got the whole of Texas.1
1t was very mistaken notion which was uni
versaliy prevalent at the North, that labor was
thought to be degradation in the South no.
iuhi U
working men whom he employed thought it their
rlght to come In and share his meals, and he was
Wiling and glad to have them. Where was that
the case in the North? 1t was true, however,
that the Southern people would not consent to
become body or domestic servants, and he was
proud that ii was SO. They had too much pride
OF character to permit them to do it, and he hop.
ed it would never be. otherwise.
The hostility to slavery had its origin in a yerv
wide spread and very erroneous principle, a mere
trulsm, that all men are born free and equal 1t
was principle supposed to be taken from the
declaration OF independence, but was not to be
found there. Are all men born free They are
not born at all. Infants are born. But infants
are not born Tree; they are born subject to D
rents and they remain SO tor twenty -one years
The phrase in the constitution Tor which these
words are mistaken is, all men are created equal.
Is this true Are all men created? Certainly
| not. But two were ever created. The first
| pair. Adam was created, but the woman sprang
| from him, and was inferior. These two were
created, but not equal. None have since been
created, equal or unequal The principal of this
declaration was derived by he author of the De-
clsration OF independence from two writer's much
read then, Locke and Sydney. Their aphorism
| was, all men were created equal In a savage
state, which, ii true, was not practical truth
Mr.. Calhoun went on for some time longer in
strain which fear our Democratic friends
must have thought to be running down the De-
claration of Independence
The correspondence of the N. Y. Tribune in
sketch OF this effort the part OF the South
Carolina Senator to prop up the sinking instu-
| ton of slavery-and which he seems to regard
the Palladium of our liberties--makes the fol.
} lowing remarks:
"Mr. Calhoun denied, in the course of his ar
gument, that Congress had the power to abolish
Slavery in the District OF Columbia. The State
| OF Maryland. he said, hal granted to the United
States the soil and exclusive legislation, but had
reserved the sovereignty. How such sovereign.
| ty could be exercised made to appear after the
grant OF exclusive Legislation, he did not inform
| the Senate.
| He commended there were four reasons. acou;r-
ments or events that gave to Southern slayehold.
ers the right TO extend the institution into the
| newly acquired territory. lst Tho nuscho.n :.