Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1848-01-20
SPEECH OF MIR. CALHOUN.
sErDKp NJ BinsGIr
DeLrorrd ~ thr Stnafe Of the ttaied States, Jan. ih
Upon hts RESOLUTIONS,


rooscluprpl
e. Well. Mr.. President. Ne have 10 the 81
hs question prp sod by these resolutions. | hay
81 shawn where this line Of policy viii. IN all probability
= lead you-l ms, Sas, viii inevitably lead sun uues
- sinc xpccied contingency should prevent. Ii vii
g lead n the lpng out of the nationality 81 Mckee. ant
IS fhe throwing 81 eghtuf nine millions 81 people mitlnu
agtvenmeni snnf hands. II will eoHpa You. in al
~ ff,habity To assume the government. fr hk There
=. Will be very he prospect Of yavr retiring. You nns
ehef bold The country rfoYiaee incorporate II III
: your mon. Shall We do fatlef 'Tis's the qnes
tim. Far from us be such scl, aud Tor the reasons
u conf ,inrd in the resolutions.
The first 81 these feasons is this It would be neon
Slstrnt with The avowed object II which The war las
been prosecuted. That notds Argument after what
has been sad. Since The eonn,necnra ui the war I'LL
hls mnn,rnt. every man has dlssvowcd the intention ii
cauquesol estngnshg the existence of Mexico n. y
people, II has been constantly proc1lncd that tho only
oJrc was Indemnity. And yet. SIT, events are mo
wing TN. what risavnw may be accomplished and
What we have asowed may be defeated Sir tins result
will &c dark aud lasting inpustion either the sin
ccry ~ the intelligence oi THIS coan,i On lis sincerity
because 0pp0s r 10 your ayuwalsj you' inel
ecnce. fof The oil Gear foresight III plain
~ Ia discern The Consequences.
| Sir. We have heard how much glory country hs,
acquired in ihs l acknowledge Ia the hall amount
Nj President, tat Id military gUry IS cmcrfncd.-
/ The army has done nohly -ehsalruusly they have
conferred mot on The country, Tor which | sincerely
thank tkrm.
Nj Ptcsdcul ! helirye all our hanks will be confined
! 20 army. So Tar as know Ia tie civilized world.
there Is apwohaono the conduct oi the evil portion
vi out lnwer On the nlrafy, every where the decaf
Atom made that an amntlons unjust, hard peo-
pie gwen 10 Wal Than any people 81 hndcrn iih's
Whether this be mol, II Is mol Tor 10 enquire
am speaking merely OF the reputation which We
bear abroad. Every where believe laf "a much as
have gained IN military reputation abroad, gre, to
perceive. have lot IN political and civil nputa
tun. Now, sir. much as regard military gnry--mucl
IS cJ ice 10 behold people IN possession VI Tho IN
lomllabe energy and courage au,cs surtnounl all Difficult
cs and which class them amongst the first military PEG
pie II the age. would be very sorry indeed that ouf
government should la,r any reputation r wisdom, mud
rrarun d,efcsau sspr, aud hose other high qualities
which have dist nsashed us IN the earls stages d ouf
history
T,r ren rras.n which N resolutions asaso, is, thu
without example precedent, othet 10 h. NIX
&c" asa province OF to incorporate LEI mo our Union
Ne example ol sacs IT, u ;.,iicy can be found We
have conquered ininy Of the nrghbonug tribes ludan,
bd We never thought OF holding them IN subject
, never Of noorp rating rhem into our Union They have
'1lh,r been left independent, people amongst u.s. OF
been driven into the i1rcsis.
know farther. SIT. that We have never drenme, Of in
cooperating into our mon any but the Caucasian rice
the fec White race IL incorporate Mexico. would be
thu ve, first instance of the kud Of Incorporating an Ia
dan III more than half OF the NrNicaus are Indians
and the other Is composed chiefly Of mixed tribes pro
tes against such n'rn thai, Ours SIR Is the govern
mrrt ID the white man. The greatest msfottnncs Of
Sparsh Anrtica 10 be traced 10 The fatal %
laselng these colorcd equality with the white
rare That destroyed the social aIrangcn which
tgfT ed the basis of soccty. The Portuguese and
selves have escaped the Portuguese al least
ien'-and we the people this continent which have
made revolutions without being followed by anarchy
And yet II is prfcssed and talked about these
Mexicans into territorial government and place them
on an equality with the people of the United States.
protest utterly against such PROJECT.
Sir, II is a uatkabe fact, that in the whole history
oi man as lar ms my know ledge extends there Is no ~
stance whatever OF nycIvzcd caurcd being found
equal TO the establishment Of free popular government,
although by Tar the largest portion Of the human family
Is composed these Aud III the savage state
we scarcely find them any where with such Government
except 1t be noble sayages, noble viii call them
- They Tor the most part had Tree institutions, but they
10 easily sustained amongst savage people. Ara &c
" overlook this iacl Are To associate With ourselves
equals companions. and fellow czeus, the Indians
y and mlNed race of McNcol Sir should consider suct
y thing as fatal 10 institutions.
The next Two reasons whch | assign, were, that il
would be IN conflict with the genius and character Of ou
" ms ituliuns aud subserSre Of free government.
" take these ~o together. they are Intimately con
" necied and Of the irsi--to hold Mexico in snbJcc
ton
Mr.. President there are some propositions too clra
Tor Argument; and before such a holy the Seuae,
should consider ii lss Of time undertake prove tina
To hold Mexico Ms subjected province would be hostile to
ana IN coHct WIN, our iiee popular institutions, ana II
o. The end subvefsve OF them Sir, he who knows the
f" merienn Constitution well he who has duly sudlo
= its character he who has looked at history and know
what has been the effect OF conquoss OF tree states lnva
rIaby will require proof at my hands 10 show tina
would be entirely hostile nthc nsliu ions of tho
try, 10 hold Mexico province. There is not an cX
ample on record vi any Tree slate ever having aempe
the conquest o any territory approaching he cAtent
Mexico " lhont disastrous consequences. The nation
conquered have in time cuuqured the conuerers by DIES
= trnying their hhrrty. That viii be uur case, sir 1h
v, conquest OF Mexico would add amount to til
" patronage 0 tins government that 1t would absorb tn
" whole power Of the States in the Union. This Cnlo
would become imperial and the States mere su6ordlna
corporations. But the evil will not end there. III
process will go The process by which the pow
81 would he transferred from tho States II the Unol
will transfer the whole from this department OF the go
crnm.ni Il speak Of the I.eIslaurs) To the Executiv
=, All the add power aud patronage which conque
~ will create III mass to The Executive. In the end yc
pui In the hands Of the Executive the power Of conqncrl
mi, YOU You give to it, SIT, such splcndar, such amp
means that with the principle of prescription which u
fortunately prevails in our country, that the stfugg
. viii he greater at every presidential election than our
y slliions can possibly endure The e1d Of 1t VIII be III
branch Of the government " i'll become al powerful a
the result is lnevabe-snarchy and despo;sni. II
ho as certain as that | this day addressing the &c
his ate.
Sir let it not be said that Great Britain furnishes
II example To the cunraryhrt she holds provinces o w
h. extern OF pppu alton without materially inpanns Il
liberty of the citizen, exp sing her To aoarchy conf
,ill sion OF corruption II But what Is the explain
on ,on? OF all governments that existed. aoTdI