Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-02

man. Cabel, Clayton, Gentry, Morehead' am
Rusk-7.
f2esolued, That the journal Of the committee o.
reported by the chairman TO the general meeting
Adjourned.
A. w. VENAsLE, Secretary.
SENATE CHAMBER, January Is, lS49.
The senator's and representatives OF the South
ern States met in The Senate chamber, according
to adjournment The president, Mr.. ME7cALFE
took The Chair, and called The meeting 10 order
Or rHr SRSArE-Present: Messrs. Clayton, Spruanco
Pearce x. Johnson, Mason, Hunter, Butler, Calhoun
H. " Johnson, Borrien, Metcalfs, Underwood, Turney
Bell, II. Johnson, Downs, Fooie. Jefferson Davis KING
Fitzpatrick, Atehison, Westeott Yulse, hush ah1
Houston. nj,
Or the Housr-Present Messrs. Chapman; Cr !s
field, Lyon, McLane Roman Atkinson, Bayiy, beain
cer, Bocock, w. C. Brown, Flournoy, Fulton, Gogsln
Meade, Mcdowell, Pendls.on, Preston, R. Thomp'on,
Barringer, Clingman, Daniel MCKAY, uInaue' n
Holmes, Rhstt, Simpson, Wallace, WOODWARD, :, n
Cobb Harrison: se5sO a,s W W. aoass ooDo ayis
Harris, Hniiard, G. 8. Houston, lnse, a. D'S~ S,a
Fealherston, J. Thompson, Harmanson, La seIe
s sSss asss. H. F W a t Stanton
Cabell, Kaufman, Pilsbury, Bowlln, X. W. Johnson,
Mr. HousToN OF Texas offered the following
resolution:
Rssolved, That reporters oil newspapers be per
mi,led TO occupy seals on this floor, and that The
galleries be opened To spectators.
The yeas and nays being demanded, il was de,
cided in the negative-yeas 36, nays 50.
Those who voted in the affirmative are
Messrs Clayton, Spruance, Il. v. Johnson
Mp,calie Underwood, Bell, Rusk, S. Houston
Roman, Berringer, Clingman, Fl. Cobb, ]. w
Jones, +. B. King, Lumpkin, Stephens, Toombs
Gayle, Hilliard, Tompkins, Boyd, Morehead
Barrow Cooke, Crozicr, Gentry, Haskell, Bow
lin, Cabrll, Kaufman, Pillsbury, Flournoy, Cog
gin, Mcdowell, Pendelon, and Preston.
Those who voted in the negative are
Messrs Pearce, Johnson OF Md, Mason, Hun.
ter Butler, Calhoun, Berrien, Turney, h. John'
son, Downs, Jefferson Davis Fooe, King, Frz'
patrick, Borland, Westcot Yulee, Chapman
Cris6eld, Lyon, McLane Achison, Bayly, Be-
dnger, Bocock, w. G. Brown, Fulton, Meade
r. A. Thompson, Daniel, Mckay, Venable, l.
Holmes, RbetL Wallace, Woodward, Simpson,
HARRISON, Iverson, w. R. w. Cobb, Harris, inge
A. G. Brown, Fealhers,on, J. Thompson, HAT
manson, Morse, La Sere, Peylon, Stanton, Thos
r. Johnson.
The rules Of the Senate were adopted by the
meeting.
Mr.. STEPHENS chairman OF the Select Com
millee Of Fiteen) made repor, by submitting
the journals Of the committee; which was order
ed TO be inserted IN The journal and printed.
Mr.. Calhoun, from the Committee OF fifteen
reported the following address; which was read
by the Secretary:
Tbs Address Of Southern Delegates in Congress to
their Constituents.
We, whose names are hereun,o annexed, ad-
dress you in discharge of what we believe to be
a solemn duty, on the most important subject ever
presented for your consideration. We alude 10
the conflict between the two great sections OF the
Union, growing out of difference OF feeling and
opinion in reference to The relation existing be-
tween the TWO races, the European and African,
which inhabit the southern section, and the acts
OF aggression and encroachmeni 10 which il has
led.
The conflict commenced not long after the &C
acknowledgement Of onr independence, and has gra-
dually increased until il has arrayed The great bo-
dy OF the North against the South on this most
vital subject. In The progress OF this conflict,
aggression has followed aggression, and enrcoach-
ment encroachment, until they have reached a
point when a regard for your peace and safely
will not permit US 10 remain longer silent. The
object OF this address is to give yop clear. cor; r;
rect. but brieI accouu, oil the whole series OF
aggression and encroachments on your rights,
with statement of the dangers 10 which they
expose YOU. Our object in making II, is not 10
cause excitement, but TO put you in full posses
sion of all The facts and circumstances necessary
10 foil and Just conception Of deep seated dis
ease, which threatens great danger TO You and the
whole body polite. We act on the impression,
,ha, in popular government like ours, true
concerlion rot the actual character and stale OF
disease is indispensable to eaecins cure.
We have made it joint address, because we
believe that the magnitude OF the subject required
that il should assume the most impressive and
solemn form.
No, 10 90 further back, the difference of opin-
ion and feeling in reference to The relation DE-
tween the two races disclosed itself in the conven
lion tha, framed the constitution, and constituted
one OF the greatest difficulties IN forming IT, a.
ter many efforts, il was overcome by compro-
mise, which provided in the first place, that rep
resenlaiives and direct taxes shall be apporiionec
among The States according 10 their respective
numbers; and that, in asceraining The number
each, FIVE slaves shall be estimated as three. IL
Inc next that slaves escaping into States wher'
slavery does moi exist shall not be discharged Iron
servitude, bu, shall Be delivered up on claim o
the party to 1hom their labor or service IS due
In the third place, that Congress shall not prohio
il the importation OF slaves before the year lSOo
but a tax not exceeding len dollars may be impo
sed on each imported. And fsallY, that no cap'
laton or direct lax shall be laid, but IN ProPor'o
10 federal numbers; and that no amendment
the constitution, prior to 1903, shall affect this pre-
vision, nor that relating 10 the importation
slaves.
So satisfactory were these provisions, that tn
second, relative to the delivering up OF the lug
tive slaves, was adopted unanimously, and a
the rest, except the third, relative to the lmpor
,ation of slaves until l50S, with almost equi
unaDmi,y. They recognize the existence Q
slavery, and make specific provision lor II
protection where it was supposed TO be the mos
exposed. They go further, and incorporate \
as an imp rtant element, in determining 10
relative weight of the several States IN the gov
eminent Of the Union, and the respective ou
den they should bear in laying captation an
direct taxes. 1t was we'll understood at IN
time, that, without them the constitute
would not have been adopted by the South
ern States, and, of course, that they constitute
elements so essential 10 the system that 1t neve
ern States. knowing all this, ratified the const
tuition, thereby pied ins their faith. in the moi
solemn manner, sacretly to observe then
How that faith has been kept and that pledg
redeemed we shall next proceed to show.
With few exceptions, of no great importance
the South had no cause to complain prior TO Ii
| year lSlJ-a yodT, ~ 10 W oo iSoiSe1 SSss."~
to mark q train of events, bringing with thei
many, and great and fatal disasters on the cour
try and its institutions. With it commence
the agitating debate on the question of The al
mission OF Missouri into the Union. We sha
pass by for the present this question, and other
of the same kind, directly growing out OF It, an
shall proceed to consider the effects of th'
spir, of discord, which it reused up betwee
the two sections. It first disclosed itself in Ii
North, by hostility to that portion OF the Const
tuition which provides for the delivering up Q
fugitive slaves. In lis progress it led to tn
adoption of hostile acts, intended to render 1t
non effect, and with so much success, that 1t ma
be regarded now as practically e1Punged fror
the Constitution. How this has been effecte
will be next explained.
After q careful examination, truth constran
us to say that it has been by clear aud palpa
BILE evasion OF the Constitution. It is imposs
BILE for any provision to be more free from an
biguity or doubt. II is in the following word