Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-07-26
POLITICAL.
MIR. CALHOUN,S ANSWER
TO COLONEL BE.NTON'S SPEECH
From the Pendleron Messenger.
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTHERN

any notice of Col Benton if his attack in his late speech
del vered IN the Capitol Of Missouri had been directed
exclusively against me. The line of conduct haye pre-
scrbed tn myself, in reference him. have little
TO do with him possbeand accordingly never notice
what comes from him, even IN his character Senator,
when can avoid doing consistently with my public
duties. regard him in light very different from what
he seems n regard me- if may Judge from the fire.
qnencv and violence of his attacks He TO
think stand in his way, and that am engaged in
some scheme to put hi down l. on the contrary, have
for moment thought Of raising him the level of
competitor. rival. considered it Of any Importance
to me- whether he should be put down not. He must
fthlnk he has hing TO gain by assaing /. on
the contrary e have nothing gain by noticing him,
and, when compelled do so, satisfied i'll escape
without some loss of self respect have another reason
for not desiring to- notice him the present occason-
All his charges against me, with few and rfng excep
tons. but he reteraons of those often made hereto
fore by hmsefand others and which have met and sue
cessfully repeed in my place in the Senate. That they
made no impressions against me at the time, In the
Senate or community, there be MT better proof.
than is afforded in the laborous and tresome effort he
made IN his pesentspeech to revive and give them clrcu
ation.
Under the influence of these reasons would have
manned silent had alone been concerned But such Is
not the His blow is aimed much mere at you than
me: He strikes at for the double pu pose Of weaken
ING me in your confidence and of striking you aud
your cause through me, which he thinks be done
uoiS eHtCtudlJ IluHecuy, tldH ulItCtly
ing his attack, feel it to be duty owe YOU and your
cause TO repe it,
The efrl of Col Benton, from the beginning to the
end of his speech is to make out that have ever been
unalhul to and true to that of the rec Soil
and Aboilioniss while, on the contrary you had in
him unknown but faithful friend all occasions. He
assumes that you and they have been both mistaken in
reference 10 my course you in regarding me as friend
and supporter your cause, and they regarding
hostile to theirs. Judged by appearance his object would
seeH to be t. dspe this delusion, while in truth 1t is to
give you and your cause what he hopes will prove dead
ly blows. Thsh AboIiliunists and Free Sellers well
understand The disguise was not assumed deceive
them, butto deceive yon. They understand him, and
have hailed with acclamatnn his speech and published
and circulated far aud near and gored it and lis au
thor t. the SKIES They reoce in their belief that 1t has
demolished me- and this too, when it holds up the
best ald truest friend to their 1t remains to be
seen, whether you will understand him perfectly as
they do. and will meet the speech, hailed by them,
with the reprobaton due to eOntery and desertlon 1t
not The first lime that deserte has had the
to address those he deserted and while protesting regard
for their denounced those who remained faithful to
It, The history Of our revolution furnishes notorious
instance of the kind The deserter in that instance failed
to deceive those whom he addressed, shake their
confidence In those who remained faithful to them and IN
turn for his effontery and deseron they sent his
down TO p steri'y with reprobaon 1t remains TO be
SEEM whether such will be the fate ., the deserer in this
Instance
He commenced his speech with attacking the resolu
tons offered to the Senate the 18th February, S47 land
charges that they Introduced for the purpose of dis
union. That YOU may Judge for yourselves, whether
they are liable to tie charge, not, insert them
I" Resoired That the territories Of the United
States belong to the several States composing this U
Mon, and held by them as their joint and common
property.
" Resotred, That Congress- as the joint agent and re-
preventative of the States of this Unon has right to
make any law. or do any act Whatever that shall direct
y or by its effects, make any discrimination between the
States of this Union, by which any of them shall be de
prvedof its full and equal rgt any territory Of the u
States, acquired or to be acquired.
Resolred That the enactment of any law which should,
directly by ITS ecs deprive the citizens of any of the
States of this Uuin from emgraling with their property
into any of the territories of the u States will make such
discrimination. and would therefore be violation of the
Constitution and the rights of the States from which
such citizens emigratod, and in derogation of that
perfect equality which belong to- them as members of
the Union, and tend directly to subvert the Union AZ
self.
"Resolred. That, fundamental principle in
political creed, people. IN forming "a constitution have
the unconditional right form and adopt the government
which they may think calculated liberty;
prosperity and happiness and that in conformity thereto
40 other condition is imposed BY the Federal Consitu
ton State, in order to her admission into this Uiion.
excep thai It's Constitution be Republican and that the
imposition OF any other, by Congress, would not only be
IN violation of the Constitution, but in direct
flc' wlh the principle: which political system
rests.n
They are as you see, confined asserting principles
ap?ertanng to the aud character of system Of
government. and making nterences clearly deducble
iron them, and which of vital importance the ques
ton between you and the North in relation to the Will
moi Pruvsd. If the facts be as the resolutions stated
there no denying the Inference and if both DE true then
your right to engrate with your slaves into the teror
les becomes un9uesonabe under the Constitution This
he felt and hence his bitter denunciation of them. But
he has confined himself denunciaon without king
ing an effort to eue the resolutions by showing they
contain error either TO the facts asserted nereaces
dednced He knew that be beyond his power, and prn
IDENTIFY avoided it. But if The resolutions be true, as he is
compelled to admit they by his silence, how they
be hrebraRd. as he calls them, be justly chageable
with dlsunlon. Col Benton has his way of prov
ing appears be satisfactory to himself but
10 who will take the pains to examine his assertions
and reasons
Despalrlng of finding anything like dsunion in the
solutions themselves, he seeks for in the motive
he gratuItusly assigns to for introducing them. He
rs asserts, that they the prototype of those adopted
by the Legislature of Missouri their late session. and
then asserts thai the only difference between them that
mine aim directly at dsuniun, and theirs ultimately at
the same thing. for which he Offers reason except that
theirs pledge the State to cooperate with the Others
holding States. He thus assumes that your aim as well
as mlne. is dfsunon and this, while he is exetng him
sell to The utmost tn discTedi. with you disunion
LIST for is apparent hsepeech intended to have its
effects generally as well as his own constituents par
tcuar'y. He then drags in the Accomac Resolutions tn
prove that the object is Convention of the Southern
States, and that he 10 be proof conclusive that
dlsunon intended BY my resolutions. He is quite hor