Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1849-06-07
Col. BentOn's Speech to the
People Of Missouri.

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CITIZENS!
l have received certain resolution:
from the General Assembly of Nilsson
II, denying the right of Congress TO lie.
glslate upon the subject Of slavery in
Notwithstanding the right of the
citizens of every State TO remove TO
the Territories, acquired by the blood
and treasure of the whole Union, with
their proPerty-declaring ii to be an
insult 10 the States 10 exclude any of
their citizens from so removing and set
Ting with their Observation-Disclosures
such insult 10 be cause of alienation
among the States, and ultimately of
dlsunion: and instructing the Senators
Of the State, and requesting its Repre-
sentatives, 10 vote in conformity to the
resolves so adopted.
These instructions, of which | now
only give the substance, were adopted
by the General Assembly after the ad-
Journment of Congress, and after the
time that it must have been believed
that the subject TO which they refer
had been disposed of in Congress, and
while other resolutions incompatible
with them had been given by the pre-
vious General Assembly, and had been
complied with by me, and were still
on hand. They are mere copy of the
Calhoun resolutions offered in the Sen
ate in February, lS47, denounced bv
me at the time al fire brand. intended
for electioneering and disunion purpo-
SEES, and abandoned by him after their
introduction, without ever calling
vote upon them, for reason which will
be hereafter shewn. produce them
in order TO Justify the character give
of them, and TO shew them to be the
original of those which ! have receiv-
ed from the General Assembly of Mis-.
souri,.
THE CALHOUN RESOLUTIONS.
"ReSolUed, That the territories or the
United States belong 10 the several States
composing this Union. and are held by them
as their JOINT and common property.
"ResOlued, That Congress as the Joint
agent and representative OF the States OF this
Union, has no right 10 make any law, or do
any act whatever. that shall, directly or by
It's effects, make any discrimination between
The States OF this Union by which any OF
them shall be deprived OF It's full and equal
right in any territory OF the U. S. acquired or
10 be acquired.
"Resolued, That the enactment OF any
law which should, directly OF by its effects,
deprive The citizens Of any Of the States Of
this Union from emigrating with their proper
ty into any Of the territories Of the United
States, will make such discrimination, and
would, therefore. be a violation OF The con-
stIIuon and the rights OF The States from
which such citizens emigrated, and in derIo
CATION OF that perfect equality which belongs
10 them as members OF The Union, and would
tend directly TO subvert the Union itself.
"RssoLued, That as a Fundamental princi>
pie in our political creed, period in for.
ming constitution have the unconditional
right 10 form and adopt the government
which they may think best calculated 10 SO.
cure liberty, prosperity and happiness; and
that, in conformity thereto, no other condi.
lion is imposed by the federal constitution on
a Stale in order 10 her admission into this
Union, except that its constitution be repub,
lcan. and that the imposition OF any other
by Congress would not only be in violation
Of the constitution. but in diiect conflict with
The principle on which our political system
rests"
These resolutions were brought into
the Senate February 10, ls47, and are
the prototype of those sent me by The
General Assembly of Missouri. see
no difference in them but in the time
contemplated for the dissolution of the
Union, Mr.. Calhoun's tending "dtrect-
IN" and those of Missouri "ultimateLy'
10 that point. In other respects they
are identical; and this difference is moi
moterial, as The Missouri resolutions
pledge the Stale TO eco. operate" with
other slave-holding States, and there
fore to follow their lead, which may be
directly, as the Accomac resolutions,
vouched 10 be the voice of the South,
call for State Convention as soon as
a bill can be passed for the purpose, to
organize the mode of action. con-
slider the Calhoun resolutions as the pa
rent of those adopted by our legisla-
ture, and entitled TO the first attention;
and in that point Of view shall speak to
them first; and begin with an argument
against il derived from the conduct OF
that gentleman himself.
In the year 1920, Mr.. Calhoun was a
member of Mr.. Monroe's Cabinet, and
as such was required by the President,
in common with the rest of the Cabi.
net, TO give his opinion in writing, to be
filed in the department Of State, on the
question of the power Of Congress to
prohibit slavery in Territories, and on
The consltuionaliiy of the s'h section
of the act for the admission Of Nilsson
ri into the Union, and which section
applied the anti-slavery clause of the
| ~ I.s 1c,no1 40 mana than half al