Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-06-14
col. RExToN,s SPECIE.
TO THE PEOPLE OF Observation-Disclosures IN
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from the General Assembly of Missouri, denying the
right Of Congress to legIsate upon the subject OF
slavery in the right of the citi
of every State to remove to the Territories ac
qured by the blood and treasure Of The whole Union,
with their MISUNDERSTANDING 1t to be insult to
the States to exclude any of their citizs from so
removing and settling with their properiy-alcging
such insult to be the of alienation among the
States and ultimately of dsunon; and instructing
the Senators of The Siate and requesting Its Repre-
sentatives to vote I'm conformity to the resolves
adopted.
These Instructions IF which now only give the
substance, were adopted by the General Assembly,
after the adjournment of Congress- aud after the time
that il must have been believed that the subject to
which they refer had been disposed of in Congress,
and while other resolutions incompatible with :hem,
had been given by the previous General Assembly.
and had been complied with by me. and were still on
hands. They a copy Of the Calhoun resou-
tons, offered in the Senate in February, l647, de-
nOunced by me, at the time, as ire brand intended
for eectioneering and disunion purposes, and aban
doned by him after their introduction, without ever
calling a vote upon them, for reason which Will
be hereafter shown. produce them in order to lustl-
fy the character give of them. and to show them to
be the original of those which have received from
the General Assembly of Missouri.
CALHOUN RESOLUTIONS
"Reolred That the Territories Of the United States be-
long the several States composing this Union aud are held
RESOLVED That Congress joint agent and represen
,ve Of the States Of this Union has no right make any
law or do any act whatever that SHALL directly by
effects make any discrimination between of
Union by which any Of them shall be deprived Of its full
and equal right any territory Of the United States, scqu
red o be acquired
"Resolred That the Of any law which should
directly by effects deprive the citizens of Of the
Of Union, fom emigraiing with their property
into any Of the territories of United ates, will make
such discrimination and would, therefore be violation OF
the constitution and the rights of the States from which such
citizens emgated and in derogaton of that perfect equality
which belongs them members Of the Unon and would
tend directly TO subvert the Union itself.
Resored That fundamental principle in our political
creed people, in forming constitution, have the uncond-
tiona right form and adopt the government which they
NAV think best calculated liberty prosperity and
happiness and that in conformity thereto other cond
ton imposed by the federal constitution on State IN ORDER
to her admission into this Union, except that its constitution
republican, that imposition Of any other, by Con-
would not only be in violation Of the constitution but
in direct conflict with the principle on which our political
system rests"
These resolutions were brought into the Senate
February 18th, 1S47, and 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 tend
ing "directly" and those of Missouri 'ultindtely,"
to that point In other respects they identical;
and this difference is not material, as the Missouri
resolutions pledge the State to "cO-Operdte' with
other savehoding States and therefore TO follow their
lead, which may be directly, as the Accomac resolu-
tons vouched TO be the voice of the south, call for
State Convention soon bill can be passed for
the PURPOSE 10 organize the mode of action. | con-
slider the Calhoun resolutions as the parent OF those
adopted by Legislature and entitled to the first
attention and in that point of view, shall speak to
them first, and begin with argument against 1t,
derived from the conduct Of that gentleman himself
In the year 1920, MIR. Calhoun was member OF
Mr. Monroe's cabinet, and such was required by
the President in common with the rest of the cabinet,
TO give his opinion in writing 10 be filed IN the De-
partment of State. on the question of the power OF
Congress prohibit slavery in territories, and on the
consttuouality of the eighth section Of the act for
the admission of Missouri into the Union, and which
section applied the anti-savery clause of the ordi-
nance Of 17S7, to than half of the whole terri
tory Of Louisiana. The questions momentous.
The whole Union was then convulsed on the subject
Of slavery growing out Of the Missouri controversy.
Congress had Just passed an act for the admission of
Missouri, without restriction, but with prohibition
Of slavery in all the territory north and west of her.
The act was Just coming to Mr. Monroe for his ap-
prova or disapprova If approved by him, it became
a law at once If dsapproved, the act was defeated
forever! for it known that the constitutional ma
jorities Of twohrds of Congress could not be obtain
ed for the act if disaproved by the President. The
whole responsibility of passing defeating the
then rested on Mr. Monroe. He felt the magnitude
of that responsibility and saw that it an occasion
require the gravest advice of his cabinet. He de-
termincd to have their advice, and in the most ma
;ured and responsible form. The act had passed on
the Sd of March. He Immediately convoked his
cabiuet-stated the questons-reduced them TO wri-
them to be answered In writing. On the sixth all
the given, and all in the affirmative on
both questions and the act was Immediately approved
and signed, and became the law of the land. The
law bears date on that day-March 9th, 1920. Mr..
Calhoun gave his written opinion with The rest and
in favor of the constitutonaty of the act. and no
whisper ever heard from him to the contrary, or
in denill Of the right of Congress TO prohibit. or
abolish slavery in territories until the Introduction of
his firebrand resolutions twentyseven years after
his cabinet opinion had been given. These resOlu-
tons brought in the close of the short
sion in 1867, ard intended for general debate
at the session Of 1S478the long session which pre-
ceded the Presidential eection-and to make a chance
for himself at that election by getting up test which
no northern man could stand. But that general de-
bate never came Before the time had ripened for
II, the cabinet opinions of 1920 had been found out
and were produced in the Senate, the confusion oil
Mr. Calhoun and the utter prostration of his resou-
tons. They were FIRST produced by Mr.. Westcott, Of
Florida, and afterwards by Mr.. Dix, of New York
The proofs were in writing, and to the point, and
from two different witnesses-and the two, above al
men in the world the most competent and credible to
testify in the case-Mr. Monroe and Mr. Adams
both dead, but both Speaking from the tomb, and II
the highest form known to the law of evidence-tha
of recorded evidence, written down the time, the
true history of fact, and without the slightest
pectatiOn that 1t TO be used against any
human being. Mr.. Monroe's testimony in hi
hand writing, obtained from his son-in-aw, ant
consisted of two pieces-one being the interrogato
ries prOpounded to his cabinet, and the other the
tograph copy, or draft of letter TO friend. Tn
interrogaories endorsed thus: "Interr0gd0TieS
Missouri March A, 1920. TO The heads Of depart
1asntS and Attorney General The interrogatorie
themselves were in these words:
HAS Congress a right under the powers vested il
il by the Constitution TO make regulation prohibiting