New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-07-19
MIR, Calhoun on slavery Esten-ion-The True
Issue.

Mr.. Calhoun on slavery Extension-The True
Issue.
We do like a manly whole -souied au'e's@',
who dares look great question i0liy Ia lace anu
no, only state his whole demand but meet every
legitimate consequence Of bis doctrines Oioouise'
we like John c. Calhoun. WIN unsurpassed
.b;,v rare subtety and force Of logic, and perfect
frankness of avowsl, he argues the question Of
Slavery Extension with thorough CONSEQUENCES
~ IL. overpowering importance and stern reso-
Iu,;on 10 gain his point by direct aud truthful
means He is not the man to cheat the Free
States by representing the question IN dispute as
a mere abstraction-a punctiliO-a matter oil form
and precedent On the contrary, he tells us frankly
that he wants Slavery legalized in the new terri
tories in order that It shall be practically planted
and established there, thereby overriding not
merely the fundamental laws hitherto existing IN
those Territories but the spirit of the Jefersomsn
Ordina,. Of a. Of the Missouri Compromise
and even Of the radical basis Of the Declaration OF
Independence Surely, none can read his speech
sna not realize that the question Of Slavery Ex-
tension is paramount to all others which now al
vide the American People and cannot be disre'
earded by any without evincing indifference 10
vital principle and gross direhction from duty
Most heartily do we thank him for this new exni'
bition Of his candor and consistency.
In saying this we by no means admit tha' ne
has fairly stated the questions at issue out ohy
thathe has not Intentionally perverted them Inc
fault turks in obliquity Of vision, not IN dssllnula
tion of purpose Take the great first principle ne
xo beabors-' that all men are created Tree ana
eousl, What does it fairly assert Not surely
that 10 point of fact all are so born Tor we al
know that some are born 10 wealth, others to
poverty some 10 state, luxury ana desPotc
power. others to beggary, hunger and vassalage
some 10 intelligence and liberty, others to lgno-
rance and slavery. Mr.. Jefferson and his asso-
ciate Sgners never meant TO dispute these ho'o-
rous facts nor yet that some are born win natufal
capacities and qualities far superior TO those oil
others Nobody has ever understood them as
contradicting the uniform experience and common
reuse of mankind on these points any more
than as denying that the human race are born
male and female. But what they did as
sert and have been understood to assert,
is the equal moral right of all men before the law
the natural right of all TO control their own per
sons, acts and possessions, subject only to such
legal restrictions are just equal and necessary
TO the perfection of those social and political insti
tutes which their mutual happiness requires.
law which dooms the forger or thief to imprson-
ment does not contravene the natural right OF all
men to liberty f; but one which would subject the
feon's descendants through several generations to
share his punishment clearly would. law
which enables rich man to educate his children
better than his poor neighbors can afford to does
not violate the equality asserted; not so with
law iorbiddng the poor man 10 educate his
children at all. may have scarcely any property
while my neighbor rolls in wealth, without ln-
fruging our rghtful equality but let the law step
in to say that Lazarus being poor and ignorant,
shall work for and be the chattel of his neighbor
Dives, who is rich and knowing, and that law
plainly outrages the fundamental principle
serted. Mr.. Calhoun fights as one who beateth
the air. Admit that one mans ignorance and vice
may rightfully deprive him OF an equal voice in
framing and altering the laws of the land, and you
have not the least ground for maintaining that
those laws may be shaped by the shrewd and
pow eriul so as to perpetuate their advantages in
their class and enable them to make convenences
and chattols of those socially beneath them. The
application TO the case in hand cannot be difficult
Now let us consider Mr. Cslhouns idea OF inc
quality between the North and the South, with his
assertion that the South require no legislation in
the premises-ask only immunity from legislation
Let us put this to the test of practice a North
ern farmer sees tit to migrate it'll his children
and movabes his hired laborers and his live stock,
20 New Mexico or California. a Southern plant.
or does the same, with his slaves and other plum.
der Very well: there is no law against all this.
and nobody proposes any. So far all is equal and
smooth. Having arrived in the new territory, the
farmers and the planters help work, obey and
live just as they always did. All right still
nobody objects nobody asks any Legislation
that will interfere with any Of them. But by aud
by the planter undertakes TO sell one OF has help
which may be his own child and may not-and
the convenience SO bargained away refuses to be
handed over-revolts against the arrangement
The farmer we will imagine, undertakes TO do
likewise with one OF his hired servants, with
hike result. Each appeals to the law, or inflicts
some personal injury on the contcmner of his an
thOrity, which provokes an appeal to the law from
this planter, this farmer, any right recognized by
the laws OF the land, to sell, the one has alleged
slave the other his hifeling' What right does
either really possess to override the voitIons
and control the actions Of his hitherto depend
ent How shall the Courts decide Now
Mr. Calhoun, while talking OF equality, and
non interference, leaving the whole subject where
it stands, &c &c means all the time that the whole
question shall be decided by the Federal Govern
ment, and decided against us. lie requires no
legislation, because he assumes that the existing
legislation completely subsercs his purpose
HIS whole argument implies that. by the mere
circumstance OF annexing territory to the United
States, the laws which create and sustain SLAYER,
are extended over said territory and become opera
tive throughout It's entire area He asks nothing O
Congress, because he claims that he already hs
everything. Against this assumption, We most de
cidedy protest And. since the oam has been set az
we insist that the Government and theCountry sha
decisively pass upon it. Ii it be not reboked' an
Congress proceed las is proPosed) 70 organize tel
ritorisl governments for Oregon, California an