The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-07-26
Mr.. CALHOUN'S SPEECH ON THE
OREGON BILL.

Mr.. CALHOUN'S SPEECH ON The
OREGON BILL.
U S. Senate, Tuesday. June eth, 1s4s.
Mr.. CaIhoun-Thcre is very striking
difference between the position in which the
sIaveholding and non. slaveholding States
stand in reference 10 the subject uudcr con.
siideration. The former desire no action OF
the government, demand no law to give
them any advantage in the Territory about
To establish ed, are willing to leave 1t and 9th
er territories belonging to the United
States, open to all their citizens, so long as
they continue to he territories. and when
they cease TO he so, to leave il to their in
haLiiants 10 fnrln such governments as might
suit them, without restriction or condition..
except that imposed by the constitution. and
prerequisite for admission into the Union.
In short, they are willing to leave the whole
subject where the constitution and the great
fundamental principle Of selfgovernment
place Il. On the contrary, the non. slave
holding States, instead of being willing to
leave il on this broad and equal foundation,
demand The interposi,ion Of the government,
and the passage of an act to exclude the cit
izens of the sIavehol Ing States from emil
grating with their property into the territory
in order to give their citizens and those they
NAV permit, the exclusive right of settling it,,
while il remains in that condition. prePara.
tory to s,bjectmg it to like restrictions and
conditions when it becomes State. The
18th section Of this bill IS intended to assert
and maintain this demand Of the non-slave-
holding States, while it remains territory,
aot openly or directly. but indirectly, hy ex-
tending the provisions of the bill for the es-
rablishtnent of,he Iowa territory TO this. and
by ratifyiug the acts ofthe informal aud self
constituted government of Oregon, wh"h
among others, contains one prohibiting the
intrudaiion of slavery II thus, in reality a.
,Iopts what is called The Wilmot Proviso. not
only for Oregon. but as The bill now stands,
for New Mexico and Ca ifnrnia. The a
mendment, on the contrary moved by the
Senator from Mississippi, near me (Mr. Da-
vis), is Intended to assert and maintain the
posi,ion Of the sIaveholding States. ltleaves
The territory free and open to all the citizens
ofthe United States, and would overrule. If
adopted, the act of the self-consttutcd ter
ritory Of Oregon and the 18th section, as
far as il relales to the subject under conside-
ration. We have thus fairly presented the
proundstaken BY the nonsIaveh"lding States,
or as shall call them for the sake Of brew.
~, the Northern and Southern States, in
their whole extent for discussion.
The first question which offers itself Tor
consideration is, Have The Northern States
the power which they claim, to exclude the
Southern from emigratin9 freely with their
property into territories belonging to 'hc u
nited States, and t. monoPoizc them lor
their exclusive benefit.
/, is, indeed, great question. propose
10 discuss it calmly and dispassionately.
I shall claim nothing which does not fairly
and clearly belong 10 the Southern States,
either as members of this federal Union, or
appertaini lg to them in their separate and
individual character; nor shall yield any
thing which belongs them in either capacity.
lam influenced neither by sectional nor
party considerations. If ! know myself,
repsl as promptly and decidedly any aggres:
sion of the South on the North as ] would
any on the part The latter on the former.
And let me add, I hold the obligation to re-
pel aggression to be not much less solemn
than that Of abs aiming from making aggres-
sion: and that the party which submits to IT
when it can be resisted, to be not much less
guilty and responsible for consequences than
that which makes it. Nor do | stan'l on
party grounds. hold it TO be infinitely
higher than that and al other questions The
i day. shall direct my efforts to ascertain
what is constitutional right and just, unde'
B the thorough conviction that the best and on
" way of putting an end to this, the most
dangerous Of all questions. to our Union and
institutions. is to adhere rigidly to the con
stitution and the dictates Of justice.
With these preliminary remarks. recur
to The question. Has the North the power
which il claims under the 10Th section Of lhi:
billi ask at the outset where is the pow
er to be found7 Not certainly in the rela
ton in which the Northern and Southern
States stand TO each other. They are the
constituent parts or members ola common
federal Union; and as such, are equals in al
respects. both in dignity and rights, as is de
ciared by all writers on governments foun
ded on such Union, and as may be nieret
from arguments deduced from their natur'
and character. Instead, then, OF atford'n,
any countenance or authority in favor OF ih
power, the relation in which they stand t
each other furnishes strong presumption