The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-06-23

Denton says) evaded and plead "want o
recollection" Mr.. B. adds to the testimony
ofPresident Monroe's autograph, evidence
afforded by extracts from the 'Diary o
John @. Adams" bearing date March Sd
9Th and 9th, 1890.
i From the full survey of this part of his
subject, Mr.. Benton comes fully to the
conclusion that the Southern Senator
when member of Mr.. Monroe's Cabinet
did beliere that Congress had full power
: to prevent or abolish Slavery in the United
Il States Territories-and that he remained
of this faith, till he fixed his eyes upon the
Executive Chair, and began to lay the
foundation for steps by which he might as.
cend to this eminence. Then came his
foster-fathership of ''the peculiar institu.
tion," his Notification hobbies, his ''fire
brand" Resolutions on the subject of Sla.
very in Territories, &c.
Mr.. Benton thinks Mr.. Calhoun was
particularly unfortunate, on the occasion
of his attempt to extrcate himself from
the predicament in which he was placed
by Messrs. Westcott and Dix, in his en-
deavors 'to rehabitate himself of assum-
ing to know all about the Missouri Com.
promise.
Col. Benton here quotes that portion OF
Mr.. Calhoun's speech on this point, and
then proceeds to show from the constitu-
ton of Missouri, President Monroe's proc
lamaton and other data, that Mr.. C's re.
collection was most sadly at fault. This
part of the speech makes sad havoc with
Mr.. Calhouns statements, showing that
the constitution of Missouri was presented
to Congress the session succeeding the a
doption Of the compromise act, and not
previous to it, as Mr.. C. had said. Also,
that the admission of Missouri was not at
first deferred because of her permitting sla-
very, but because it did not admit the
rights of free colored citizens. This the
State at once complied with, and did not
refuse as Mr.. Calhoun had said she did.
Without then re.applying for admission,
as Mr.. G. said, Missouri was admitted by
proclamation of Mr.. Monroe. Having as
he thinks established the fact that Mr.. Cal
houn, as cabinet minister under Mr..
Monroe, supported the constitutionality Of
the Missouri compromise act, he then
shows what this act is, the 9Th section of
which is as follows:
"SEC. 8. That in all that territory ce-
ded by France to the United States, under
the name Of Louisiana, which lies north Of
36 degrees 80 minutes north latitude, not
included within the limits of the State con-
templated by this act, slavery and inrol.
wntary serritude, otherwise than in The pun
ishment Of the crimes whereof the parties
shall hare been duly conricted, shall be,
and hereby is, forerer prohbited."
''Such says Mr.. Benton, are the words
of the act-the very words of the Wilmot
Proviso; and if any modern copyist is to
supercede Mr.. Jefferson in the paternity of
that proviso, it should be John G. Calhoun,
and not Davy Wilmot 1t should be call
ed the Calhoun Proviso! and that for ma
ny and cogent reasons. In the first place,
he was near thirty years ahead of Davy in
the support of this Provlso. In the second
place, his position was higher, being q
cabinet minister, and his voice more po.
tential, being a southern man. In the
third place, he was part of the reto power,
where three votes were majority: Davy
only member of the legislative power,
where it requires majority Of both houses
to do anything. In the fourth place, Cal,
houn was successful:-Davy was not
Finally, Davy's proviso is weak contri-
vance to prevent slavery from being where
it is not, and where it never will be: Cal
houn's proviso was manly blow to kill
slavery where it then existed by law, and
where it would now exist, in point of fact,
if thatblow had not been struck. The pro-
viso supported by Mr.. Calhoun abolished
slavery where it existed by LAWN all the
upper half Of Louisiana-from 36 degrees
80 minntes TO 49, and from the Mississippi
to the Rocky Mountains-over territory
nearly a thousand miles square-nearly
million square miles-enough to make
twenty States Of $4,000 square miles each
more, in fact, than all California, New
Mexico, and Oregon put together Over
all this vast territory, the proviso supported
by Calhoun, abolished slavery-abolished
it, then existing by law-and shut it up
from the slave emigration of the South
And now what becomes of the dogma in
his mouth, and that of his followers, so re-
Gently invented, of no power in Congress
to legislate upon the subject of slavery
in territories! What becomes. in their
of the new tangled point of honor,
just felt for the first time in thirty years, of
insult to slave States in their exclusion
from settlement in the territories bought by
the blood and treasure of the whole u
niong"
He then reviews the conduct of Mr.. Cal.
houn with great severity in relation to the
Florida treaty, the Indian policy, the an
nexation of Texas, his hostility to General
jackson, and talks about notification and
disunion doctrines.
Mr.. B. undertakes to show also that Mr..
Calhoun not only supported the abolition
of slavery in territories, but also in State
the State of Texas. He says:
sin the session of 1844-'45, two resolu-
tons were adopted for the admission ofth