Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-06-14


That word is equivalent TIE word unanimous. For
1t not to be presumed that Mr. Calhoun omitted
IN the address of the questODs-ot that he failed to
answer, and to answer the President required, in
writng-or, that failing TO answer it would not
have been noted--or answering negatively, it would
NJ have been equally noted-or, above ALL that diff
f ring from Crawford ond other southern on this
delicate point, he would not h9ve let the secret out
at the time, produced it since evidence of his
guardianship southern interests, and as proof
of his precious consistency. The presumption is
against him, and the absence of all these concOml-
tants Of dissent proof positive that he concured
with the rest Of the cabinet at the time and never
thought of denying il until caught fast and hard in
the fixed fact of killing contradiction.
But the other piece Of writing is still more close
and stern than the letter of MIR. Monroe. II is the
diary of Mr.. Adams. written down at the time, and
clear and pointed to every particuar-he questions,
the answers, the unanmity, the writing of the
swers, and their deposit in the department Of State.
The extract from this diary, furnished and certified
by the son. Mr.. Charles Francis Adams, is in these
words
Extracts from the Diary Of J. Q Adams.
MARCH 3, lS20.-When | came this day 10 my office,
Presidents House. II then and Immediately went
He expected that the two bills for the admission Of
Name and TO enable Missouri TO make constitution would
have been brought him for his sigma and he had
moned all the members Of the Admns atiOn TO ask their
opinions in writing. be deposited in The Department Of
State, upon two questions;
l. Whether Congress had constitutional light to prohibit
slavery in territory and q Whether the Sh section Of
the Missouri (Which ntedcts slavery forever in the
Territory north Of s5 Iaud) was applicable only to the
territorial STATE would extend il after should become
State As 10 the FIST question: was unanimously agreed
that Congress have the prohibit slavery in the ter
TitOfies''
"MARcH 5-The President sent yesterday the two
questions writing upon which he desired have
in writing To- be deposited in the Department Of State He
that il would be in time if he shosd have the
Tomorrow The first question in general terms
it stated at the meeting Friday The second was
modified inquiry whether the sh section Of the Mis-
souri bill is consistent with the Constitution. TO this can
without hesitation by simple Affirmative, and sos
after reflection concluded to answer both.
MARCH g. / took 10 the Presidents my
swers his constitutional questions and he desired
have them deposited in the Department together with
those Of the other members of the Administration. They
differed only they assigned their for thinking The
Sh section Of the Missouri bill with the Const
ton because they considered it only applying the
riIOal termi and barely my opinion without assign
ing for il explanatory The President signed the
Missouri bill this morning"
This testimony leaves no for doubt quibblc.
1t is clear and positive at all points. 1t was
whelmingly conclusive. Mr.. Calhoun should have
surrendered. His evil genius, and the fix he in
as the leader of a party founded on new ideas, the
of his old ones, and the disease of consis-
tency, made him hesitate and deny, not directly, but
argumenatlvey, and in the way Of non-recollection
He could not remember-and he could not believe
that he had given written opinion in such an i'm
pOriant matter without remembering it Unhappy
man he did not perceive that this species of argu-
mentative denial far stronger the other way
that would have been far difficult to have for
gotten his opinion if he had Stood alone in the cab-
net, dissenting from all the rest and disobeyng the
Presidents command to answer! This would have
been the thing difficult to have been forgot, und still
more difficult to have been concealed Sensible of
the damage he had done himself by this non-recoec-
ton, Mr.. Calhoun undertook to re-habilitae himself
by assuming to know all about the compromise, and
by giving a statement of it which was intended to
convince the Senate that his memory good, and
led N N N N
against him. He began with characteristic assump-
ton of knowing everything, end ended by showing
that he knew nothing. He said:
al know all about compromise: which led
TO it, and the Why that the Northern who voted
against universally sacrificed for doing quite
mistake as some suppose that they were sacrificed for
voting for the compromise. The is the
The cause will proceed to state: During the session Of
the compromise, Mr. Lowndes aud myself resided together
He was member of the House of Representatives, and
Secretary of War; We both felt the magnitude of the
subject Missouri at the preceding session. had presented
herself Tor admission as member OF the Union She had
formed constitution and government, in accordance with
act Of Congress Her admission refused the ground
that her constitution admitted of slavery and she was re-
manded back to have the Objectionable provision expunged
She refused 10 comply with the equisiiOn and at the next
again knocked the door of Congress for admission
with her constitution it originally stood This gave rise
to of the most sgang discussions hat occurred
in Congress The subject Of repeated conversation
between Mr. Lowndes and myself The question what
be DONE and what would be the consequence If she
that Missouri State, made by regular process of
law, and could be demanded back TO the territorial
condition Such being the also agreed that the only
question whether she should be State of the
Union and il for Congress decide which position she
should occupy My end made Of his able and lucid
speeches the OCCASION but whether has been preserved
not am not able to say 1t carried conviction TO the
minds Of ALL and in fact settled the question. The question
narrowed down to a single point. All If Mis-
souri, was not admitted she would remain an
State the west bank Of the Mississippi and would be-
The nucleus of confederation Of States extend
ing the whole of Louisiana. None willing to
e.
NAMED with the Northern members who had opposed her
admission to devise of escaping from the
awkward dilemma in which they found themselves To
back out compromise the only alternatives left and
the latter eagerly seized avoid the disgrace of the
forme-so eagerly. that all who opposed il the North
considered traitors 10 that section Of the Union aud
sacrificed for their votes"
Every part of this statement is erroneous and TO
such degree to destroy all reliance upon Mr.. CAL
houns memory. He says that during the compromise
session he and Mr. Lowades resided together, and
that at the preceding session Missouri bad presented
her constitution, made under the act of Congress-
and applied for admission into the Union Now this
is error. The constitution of Missouri followed, and
| did not precede the compromise act. That act was
passed March 9th, 1920 the constitution framed I'M
der il was signed July 18th of the same year. and
presented to Congress in the month of November
Acknowledgements in that year having the
second Monday in November. Here then is an error
of year in point of time, and a transposition Of
events in point of fact. The constitution of Missouri
| was made after the compromise and in pursuance OF
it; and not to know that much was TO know nothing
at III about il. Mr. Calhoun says the admission was
refused and the constitution remanded back, because
it admitted slavery in Missouri This is great error
i The act of Congress under which TIE Missouri con-
stitution was made admitted slavery in Missouri ant
her constitution could not be- and not refused or
that ground. The admission not refused for thai
cause, for anything like it, for any thing il
relation to slayerv. but The direct opposite-for Z