The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-14
BUELL. 4 BLANCHARD. PRINTERS.
THE NATIONAL ERA.
WASHINGTON. MARCH II, 1850
SPEECH or JOHN G. CALHOUN.
tx SENATE, MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1850.
THE DANG Err TO THE UNION-ITs NATURE
CAUSES, AND REMEDY.
ICONCLUDED.l

SEQUENCES With the success OF their hrst move
ment this small fanatcal party began 10 acquire
strength and with that, TO become an object oil
courtship to both the great parties. The necessary
consequence was, further Increase OF power, and
gradual ainng of the opinions OF both OF the other
parties with their doctrines, until the Infection has
extended over both and tn. great mass OF the pop
ulaton of the North, who, whatever may be their
opinion of the original Abolition party, which still
preserves its distinctive organization, hardly ever
fail when il comes to acting, TO cooperate In carry
ing out their measures With the increase of their
influence, they extended the sphere o. IN cr action.
In short time after the commencement of their
first movsnent, they had acquired sufficient infiu-
ence 10 induce the Legislatures of most OF the
Northern States to pass acts, which In effect abro
gated the provision of the Constitution that provides
for the delivery up OF fugitive slaves. Noticing of err
petitions followed TO abolish slavery In forts, maya
zines, and dock yards, and all other places whe
Congress had exclusive power OF legislation. This
was followed by petitions and resolutions OF Legis-
atures of the Northern States and popular meetings,
10 exclude the Southern States from all Territories
acquired to be acquired, and TO prevent the ad-
missiles of any Stae hereafter ntN .Spsn, which,
by its Constitution does not prohibit slavery And
Congress is invoked TO do all this expressly with the
view TO the final abolition of slavery In the StateS
That has been avowed be the ultimate object from
the beginning of the agitation until the present time;
and yet the great body of both parties Of the North
with the full knowledge of the fact, although disa-
vowing the Abolitionists, have co operated with
them in almost all their measures.
Sucn is OFef history Of the agltatlOn as as
il has yet advanced. Now / ask, Senator's what is
there TO prevent its further progress until 1t ulhls
the ultimate end proposed, unless some decisive
should be adopted TO prevent itl Has
any one of the causes, which has added 10 its in
crease from its original small and contemplate
beginning until il has attained its present magn-
tude diminished in force Is the original cause of
the movement that slavery Is sin, and ought TO
be suppressed, weaker now than at the commence
mentl Or is the Abolition party less numerous or
tnHn al mr. hay lpSs I'M n
frol over the two great parties of the North in cleo
lions? Or has the South greater means of infuenc-
ing or controlling the movements OF this Govern
ment now, than il had when the agitation commenc-
ed To all these questions but one answer can be
given no, no, no. The very reverse is true. In
stead of being weaker oil the elements in favor of
agitation are stronger now than they were In 1885,
when il first commenced, while all the elements Of
influence on the part of the South are weaker.
Unless something decisive is done, l agan ask
what is stop this agitation, before the gre at and
final object at which il aims--the abolition of sla
very In the States-is consummated Is it, then,
not certain that if something decisive is not
done 10 arrest II, the South will be forced to choose
between abolition and secession Indeed, events
are now moving il will not Iequire the South to
secede TO dissolve the Union. Agitation will of
itself effect IL, Of which its past history furnishes
abundant proof, as shall next proceed to show.
Ii Is great mistake to suppose that disunion can
be effected by single blow. The cords which
bound these States together in one common Union
far numerous and powerful for that. Dis
union must be the work OF time. tits only through
long process, and successfully, that the cords can
be snapped, until the whole fabric falls asunder
Already the agitation of the slavery question has
snapped some of the most important and has
greatly weakened ali the Others as shall proceed
10 show
The cords that bind the States together are not
only many, but various In character Some are
spiritual or ecclesiastical; some political others
social. Some appertain to the benefit conferred by
the Union, and others to the feeling of duty and OBJ
legation.
The strongest of those of spiritual and eccesi-
astica nature consisted in the unity OF the great
religious denominations, all of which originally en-
braced the whole Union All these denominations
with the exception perhaps, of the Catholics, were
organized very much upon the principles OF our
political institutions beginning with smaller meet
inSs corresponding with the political divisions Of
the country, their organization terminated in one
great central assemblage, corresponding very much
with the character OF Congress. At these meetings
the principal cergymen and lay members OF the
respective denominations from all parts of the Union
met to transact business relating TO their common
concerns. 1t was not confined to what apperained
TO the doctrines and discipline of the respective de-
nominations, but extended to plans Tor dssemina-
ling the Bible, establishing missionaries distributing
tracts and of establishing presses for the publica
zion Of tracts newspapers, and periodicals. win
view OF diusing religious Information, and Tor the
support Of the doctrines and creeds OF the denomi
nation. All this combined contributed greatly TO
strengthen the bonds of the Union. The strong ties
which held each denomination together formed a
strong cord to hold the whole Union together; but
powerful as they were, they have not been able TO
resist the explosive effect of slavery agitation.
The first of these cords which snapped, under its
explosive force was that of the powerful Methods
Episcopal Church. The numerous and strong ties
which held Il together are all broke, and its unity
gone They now form separate churches; and in
stead of that feeling of attachment and devotion TO
the interests Of the whole church which was for
,nerly felt. they now arrayed into two hostile
bodies, engaged in litigation about what was Tor
merly their common property.
The next cord that snapped was that OF the Bap-
lists, one of the largest and most respectable OF the
denominations That of the Presbyterians Is not
entirely snapped, but some of Its strands have given
away. That Of the Episcopal Church Is the only
of the four great Protestant denominations
which remains unbroken and entire.
The strongest cord, Of political character, con-
sists OF the many and strong ties that have held to-
gether the two great parties which have, with some
notifications, existed from the beginning of the
Government. They both extended TO every portion
of the Union and strongly contributed to hold all liz
parts together. But this powerful cord has Jared nc
better than the spiritual 1t resisted for long time
the explosive tendency OF the agitation but ha.
finally snapped under its force-if not entirely in
great measure. Nor is there one of the remaining
cords which has not been greatly weakened To th.
extent the Union has already been DESTROYED b,
agitation, in the only way II can be- by snappin.
asunder and weakening the cords which bind Ii to
gether.
with increased intensity, as has been shown, will
nnaly snap every cord, when nothing win be left L
nod the States together except force. But, surely
mat can with no propriety Of language be called
Union, when the only means by which the weake
held connected with the stronger portion Is force
IL may, indeed, keep them connected but the con
necton will parake much more Of the character O
subIugahon, on the part of the weaker to the siron
ger, than the union of free, independent and sove
reign States, in one confederation, they stood II
the early stages OF the Government, and which onl
Is worthy OF the sacred name of Union
Having now, Senator'S explained what il Is tina
endangeIs the Union, and traced II TO its cause an
exp'aiae It's nature and character the question apa
recurs-How can the Union be saved To this
answer mere Is but one way by which Il can be
ana at Is by adopting such measures "a will satsf
the states belonging to the Southern section ths
they can remain in the Union consistently i'm the
honor and their safety. There is sg,io only ~
way by which that can be elected; and thai l. h
removing the causes by which this belief has he.
produced. Do that, and discomfort win cease ia
mony and kind feelings between the sections he ,,
stored, and every apprehension of danger to N
Union removed. The question, thea, is-By VIII,
can this be done But, before undertake TO Of
swer this question, j propose TO show by what Il
MON cannot be saved.
III cannot, then, be saved by eulogies the Unto
however splendid or numerous. The cry Of "Unior
Union the glorious Union - can no more preve
disunon than the cry Of Health health glorio
health on the part Of the physician, can save p
iieni lying dangerously III. So long the Union b
stead OF being regarded ss protector, is regarded
the opposite character by not much less than IN
IoF'ty OF the States II will be In vsn 90 attempt
concilate them by pronouncing eulogies on II.
besides, this cry OF Union comes commonly fro
those who we cannot believe 10 be sincere, Ii usus
y comes from our assailants. But we cannot b
ieve them 70 De sincere for, they loved the Unto