The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-11-09
SPEECH OF MIR. CALHOUN,
OF SOUTH cARoLINA,

the bill from the House for establishing territorial
government for Oregon, proposing extend the Mis-
Souri, compromise line 10 the Pacific
Mr. CALHOUN said | shall vote against this amend
ment. but for reasons very different from those assigned
By hs ss senator G IS u.s. acs
ambiguous In proposing to extend the Missouri
compromise line westward to the Pacific, il makes no
provision whatever protect the rights of the South TO
the portions OF New Mexico and California south of la,-
tude $50 30, while il surrenders TO the exclusive
psncy of the North all that lies north Of it. Whether it
gives any security not TO The portion lying SOUTH
left entirely to construction The most Jealous advocate
of the Wimo Provso may vote for the construction
that sucnders to the North all lying north of the line
and leaves open contest all south of it, while on the
opposite construction, that by implication the
rights of the South to all lying south of the lne zeal
Gus opponent OF that poviso may vote for it AS TO my
self am for plain dealing allquesons, and especially
this, IN reference 10 which we have already expert
enced much bad faith the part of the North and
such opposite construction. 1t is time that all ambiguity
should cease this question: and hat every portion OF
the Union shall distinctly understand what to expect in
reference it, Should this amendment be adopted il
certain side the other will be deceived nor can
there be much doubt to which it will be Ii NAV be
laid down as an established rule that where the stronger
party refuses to be explicit in this case, the %eake
Yields Its assent will in the end, be deceived and de-
frauded
shall in the next place vote against this amendment
tor another reason not less conclusive with me- The
senator from Massachusetts (Mr Webster) and others
who act with him this OCCASION oppose because
they are resolved to pass the bill il came from the
assert the absolute and unconditional power OF Congress
over the Territories and then to establish precedent in
ihs case to exclude the South from all other Territories
OF the United States, possessed or hereafter to be
CURED 1t is that, and the exclusion OF slavery from
Oregon where they well know there is no probability OF
It's introduction which make, them so unyieding and
intent passing this bill it from the Hohse but
they cannot be more intent asserting the power than
am against its assertion, and IN maintaining rights
and equality in reference 10 all the Territories belonging
20 the Union. for one shall not yield inch nor give
vote which can by implication be construed to surrende
our fall right and equality members of the Union The
North cannot have deeper interest in asserting absolute
power over the Territories than the South has in resist
ing It, 1t be important to her, the of extend.
ing her power and ascendency over this il is
still more to the South resist it, only as nds
pensable to the preservation of her rights and equality
but her safety itself Thus thinking, neither vcc
Tor the amendment the bill with the Amendment if
1t should be adopted.
go further would not vote for the bill, even with
the amendmeGt proposed on q former occasion by the
senator from kontucky, [Mr UNDERWOOD as etectua.
~ as that would protect the portion Of New Mex
co and California lying south of 36e 3O'. would not
because might be construed to admit by implication The
absolute power over the Territories for which the North
is so senuously and obsinaey conendng But although
would not vote for it, would acquesce, should the
offered in the spirit of harmony, and should receive her
support in the same way that acqueseed in the Mis-
sour Compromise and from the same mcive-a cherish
ed regard for the Union. But while would acouiesce
IN compromise thus offered and supported cannot i'm
as'ne course more Illuminating and dangerous than for
inc south, the ieeeer party to propose such compro
ZION OF the votes of the North against the votes and the
bold and arrogant claims of the rest to the absolute pow
er 10 exclude us at pleasure from all the Territories In
stead OF compromise, it would be surrender on our
part with pistol at the breast Its mpolcy would not
De less than Its infamy; for what possible assurance
would there be that such compromise would be respect
ed The evidence it would afford of our want of spirit
would but tend to unite and animate the North In al
short time, the few who voted with lbs from that section
would be discarded as in the of the Missouri Com
promise, and others hostile to would take their place
when the united North would regard proposition and
vote as surrender OF the power, and with merited
scorn our humiliatng and base surrender
Having now announced the course intend to take in
reference to this amendment and BILL PROPOSE before
conclude to avail myself of this as fit occasion to state
What believe to be the present state of this question
and in what must end, unless it should be speedily and
efectnally arrested In executing what PROPOSE deem
II to De duty 10 my constituents and the country be
perfectly explicit and unre.erved in my remarks To un.
dersand the nature of disease, and the laws by which
Its progress Is governed and the stage which it has
arrived is the first and indispensable step preparatory to
applying remedy
There diseases of the body polite as well as our
natural bodies, that never will stop of themselves Abo
iton is one of them If left to ITSELF will pass through
all its stages from the first agitation until it ends in
emancipation and destruction OF the government The
to be found the of the disease connect
ed with the character of our political institutions, as
shall proceed to show.
II traced to its source it will be found to originate in
the belief of not small portion of the people of The
North that slavery sinful outstanding The author
y OF the Bible to the contrary 1t not necessary with
the object in view to ascertain the of this belief
that the conviction deep and sincere with not few
But certain it is that the belief is of recent origin There
was period, and that not long ago, when it did not ex
Isl, when the northern States slavehOldny commu
mites, and extensively and protaby engaged in import
ing slaves into the South. 1t would be not little curl
Gus and interesting to trace the which have led
IN SO short hme to so great change; but forbear the
attempt because It would give greater range than pro-
pose to my remarks But it is pertinent state that an
increased attachment and devotion TO liberty
enumerated among them On the contrary, the standard
of liberty instead of being raised has been greatly low
cred with the progress OF aboltonism Before it took
Its rise, no people regarded free who did not live
under constitutional governments With us the stand
ard was so high that regarded people as free who
DID not 1--we under popular, it then called, re-
publican governments. Even within my recollection it
wasa subject of dispute whether the English people
were Tree, az they were governed part by king and
aristocracy. But every people called free how
ever desPotic the government Even if conquered and
subject TO the unlimited control of foreign govern.
ment, they regarded as slaves, but free In
deed, serfs scarcely regarded slaves and have
little OF the sympathy of the abolitonists. The |
term slave is now restricted almost exclusively to AT.
rlcan slavery, il exists this continent and its
islands, and it is only in that form that exctes the
sympathy or claims the attention of aboltonists In
none other do they regard sinful. they to be
Judged by their acts In their eyes, sugar. Coffee cotton
any other article made by the conquered and enslaved
Hndoos or serfs of Russia is free made, and that only
made by ensaved Africans this continent its islands
- slave made To 80 low a standard has freedom or |
hherty sunk; and yet those who have degraded ii
claim to be its exclusive friends and in their elusion re
gard all other forms of slavery innocent except that in
which 1t exists with u.s. To abolish African slavery i'm
that form, Is to cxtngush slavery according to their
conception everywhere and introduce universal liberty