The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-07-26
MIR. CalhOun's Speech
IN THE SENATE.

| "'"'Oh W sliihe out me I'm section.
Mr.. Calhoun addressed the Senate. The
South desired the enactment Of no laws to
give them any peculiar advantages. They
SIMPLY d. re that the territories shall be
'ei' open 10 oil, while they remain terrific.
'ies, and when they come into the Union
'ha! they shall be lief. to make their own
laws, with no farther restrictions imposed
upon them than are provided by the Con.
slliu,ion.
Va the great question whether the non.
saveholdlng States have the power TO pro
h'bI, slavery IN the territories, he should
claim for The South nothing to which they
were 20, clearly entitled, and yield no nigh,
guaranteed TO them by the constitution.
lie stood here uoconnecred with party
considerations, and should examine tie
question solely with view 10 What he con
sldored the true interests Of the country.
lie con'ended tia, the constitution never
n'erded TIA, there should be any d,scrim.
ina'ion, ~ regard TO the right. Of property,
between one section Of the United States
and nnoIher. Aud vet hey rere tod,
without particle Of proof to establish il,
lha, Congress has The absolute control over
the territories.
" here was the power 10 he found, he
asked, bv which IBIS absolute control is
conferred The clause OF the constitution
10 which The Senator from New York (Mr.
DIX had referred, giving to Congress the
power 10 "mtke all the needful rules aud
regulations respecting the territory and
other property Of the United States" re.
ierfed solely 10 the public lands, and in 1t
is no, 10 be found the scmblance OF govern.
mental po.ers IN reference 10 The people Of
The territories.
Was II TO he supposed tia, If the trainers
OF the Constitution intended to give ROY.
ernmeniai powers TO Congress, they would
have made another provision by which lie
gIslailon vas given 10 the people Of the
territories
10 reference TO the Ds,rc, Of Columbia,
he SAID thu, though Mary had ceded
certain powers TO the goycrnmeu, Of the
uol'ed States. within the District tie sove.
feign'y still continues to Mary land, ard II
~s' """e' chs ~'s- tLet al"-a.J... bod !
been retfoceltd TO Virginia.
In regard TO the Ordinance Of l7-7, he .
proceeded 10 show that IT was enacted On.
der different circumstances, aud without any
intention TO establish Il rs preceden, for
future government on this subject. 1t was
a compromise, 10 terminate long contnu.
ed controversy between two States, in re.
ference TO the delivering up OF fugitive
slaves-a comptom,-e which the South
have ever sircn faithfully observed q; but vet
this very iai!hulness observed on this point
IS now quoted against them. And he re
icrred TO organized associations 10 different
States, for on,lclng slaves TO run away from
their owners, as one Of The results Of tina,
/,
lie next alluded 10 the struggle, from the
admitting Missouri into the Unlon and the
adoption OF what is termed the Missouri {
Car arrangement which, he |
said, had never received the sanction Of !
he South, though they had strictly oh. q
ieryed oil its requirements. y
lie quoted letter OF Mr.. Jefferson TO the s
ale Hon. John Holmes Of Maine, in which
le dlsapprovcs Of the Missouri compromise, t
IS unfortunate for the peace aud happiness '
Il The country, and calculated to lead TO u
nos, unhappy local divisions and discus =
ions. And yet he had been here quoted o.
$ the originator Of the Ordnance OF l1-7 tc
From v hat he had shown, he con,endcd fl
he Ordinance Of Isl and the Missouri hi
both fell to the ground, and h.
we're Of no effect. p,
Ia regard 10 the acquisition Of territory, "
. admitted that the United States had the e.
Ieht 10 acquire bat whatever the origin OF
I the power, he insisted tha; il did not'ex- ii,
i as an absolute power, but subject to TO
which he pointed out. Con. vi
ress are the mere representatives. 10 dis kn
,se Of those territories fer The objects on
,n,emplated, They arc mere trustees for
&c benefit Of the United States without ha
e authority or right to make dIsc,im. er
alton, IN reference TO that trust, between lie
e ci,iztns of the slave holding and non. no
iyehodlug States. 70
Neither have the territories that power. d
l the arguments which he had used in
ference TO th. powers of Congress, he oh.
Intended, applied with equal force to the
rrl,oues, Neither Congress nor the ter exs
ones have the power to exclude slavery It
Nor is there any power ~ the laws eX- os
M in the territories, when so acquired, tail
exclude ii. No power, in any form or lha
ape, exists, by which II can be excluded. like
The slayehoIdng States, hc said, are ter.
nmon partners with the rest, having con lib,
buted their share in money aud lives 10 gle.
acquisition, and could not be excluded thrt
IN an equal participation in the benefits, say
ey have been full contributors, under
nv aspect OF tho case, and who could not
nd up, and in q transaction, under simi I
circumstances, in private life, say that not
v were no, entitled to be full parlIci. chu
its! Nothing but deep abiding preju will
o could insist on the contrary. wall
If the non. saveholding States we're dis. n
ed TO do right, let them vote for the be 81
endmeu, of his friend, (Mr. Jefferson q