The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-02-09
The Southern Caucns--lts OD1ect-s
The Address--g'he Result

u
The Address--I'he Result
The primaryohject Of the leaders oFthe
Caucus of the Southern members Of Con-
gress, was. To effect HHios among the
Representatives. Of the Slave States, and
Ihon issue manifesto to their constitu-
euIs. setting f,,rtli .Northern aggression
aud eucroachments.' and in view thereof,
to appeal 10 them, if they regarded self
preservation, to stand firm aud united in
the conflict between the two sections Of
the Union"
Without presenting hold and united
front among themselves, the sectional and
disorsanigilig appeal to their "coslilu-
ents." would fail in efiecling the treason
able purposes and designs ofthe leaders
without this uaion. the North could not
DO frightened into submission. nor the
Southern constituency made tho willing
followers Of disunionists.
The primary object, therefore. the
leaders have sigualIy failed in securing
The whole number Of members ut Con
gres, from the Slave States, is l2l; the
whole number who voted at the FIRST NEE
ting Of the Caucus. was sixty .uine-at the
second meeting. eighty eight, and the
whole number of votes cast adopting The
address. at the last meeting, was only
.ffy-nise. aud only JOrty too votes. from
the entire Southern delegation, wero cast
in favor oft.
The Manifesto therefore, does not
speak as potentially as the leaders aniici-
pated; it is drawn up, however. with the
distinctive ability which has always char
acterized the productions Of Mr.. Calhoun.
Its great length precludes its insertion,
bat we will endeavor to present its prom
inent features. a..! s,a
Tho address. be it noted, is not to the
public generally. hut simply to he c0asti-
tucnts0f Me Southern members Of Con-
gress. II begins by saying. that the sub.
ject presented is The most importan: ever
submitted TO them, viz: the conflict be.
tween the two great sectiOns ofthe Union,
about slavery. and tho "acts ofaggression
aud encroachment, "by the North or Free
States, That this conflict" began soon
after the acknowledgement of our indie,
pendence. and has increased. until the
groat body oflhe North is arrayed against
the South. That in the progress of this
conflict. "aggression has followed aggres
sion, and encroachment encroachment.
until they have reached pnint where a
regard for your peace and safety, will not
permit us 10 remain long silent"
The objectof the address is stated to
he. to give brief account Of the whole
series Of aggyesSions and ency0achnients,
and dangers threatened.
Tho first "aggression Of the North" in
tho whole series. is charged as having oc-
Cured in the convention that framed the
Constitution. This was overcome by q
compromise. which provided, first. that
representatives. aud taxes should be ap,
porlioued according to numbers; and IN
asceraining the number fire slaves should
bo counted equal to three free men. Sec
ond. that slaves escaping into free States
should be delivered up on demand. Third
that Congress should not prohibit the
importation of slaves before 1908. and
nigh, impose a tax often dollars ON each
imported. And lastly, that no capitaiion
on direct tax should be laid, except in
proportion to federal numbers, and that
no amendment of the Constitution prior
To 1903. should effect this last provision,
OF the importation of slaves. f f
The first mentioned aggression. result.
ed IN the above concession. without
which. 10 Constitution would have been
adopted, says tho address.
After this. no encroachments Of impoi.
tance from tho North occurred. we are
told. prior to 1919 year destined to
mark train ofevents, bringing with them
many, and great and fatal disasters. on
our country and her institutions" This
occurred on the admission Of Missouri in
to the Union. which il is charged aroused
tha, spirit Of dscord between the North
aud SoLth. manifested in opposing the
delivering up Of fugitive slaves. (
Much space is devoted to setting forth
the aggressons. sophistry aud subier-
fuges Of the Free Stntes, to ovade tho
provision Of tho Constitution on this sub.
Iect. Under this head. is charged. that
secret combinations exist in the Northern
States ITO cntice, docoy, inveiglo aud So
duce slaves to escape from their owners
and to pass ihom into Canada, where
they become .frcemeN. Aud It is charged
that the State authorities do not take any
measures to suppress these combinations
or punish those implicated.
,"Another class of aggressive acts of 4
! kindred character" we are informed, is
tho systematic agitation of the question
by tho abolilionists, since 1885. Il il
charged,that the object Of this aggression
is, TO unite the North agaiust slavery il
J the South. and fnrce upon them emanci
patton. The OUcyt acts are thus enumer
ated-"Societies aud newspapers are ev
cry where established, debating club
opened. lecturers employed, pamphlet
aud other publications, pictures and pc
> tiiions 10 Congress resorted to,and direct
|. cd TO that single point, regardless oftrnt
} or docency." The "object and means
are charged"to be aggressive and danger
D Gus TO tho rights Of the South" and tha
!, no Northern State has done any act to al
/. arrest or suppress these aggressive