The North-Carolina standard., 1850-08-28
EXTRACTS FROM Mr.. BADGERS SPEECH,

EXTRACTS FROM Mr.. BADGERS SPEECH'
On the Bill for the admission of California, delivered
in the Senate of the United States, August ID iooo
After alluding to the rejection Of the OMNIBUS
Bill" Mr.. B. continues:
The present amendment. Mr.. President IT unoei-
s,,rd ariob proposes TO take from California, which
this bill will admit as State, certain portion OF 'ne
territory included within the boundaries established
for that State by herself. Now, sir' "isn' III Tue
first place, to say that, for myself, much prefer
California, if admitted at aii' al WIN "e Io
extent of boundary which she claims. prefer II oe
cause if we are have free State upon the racine
without any arrangement OF compromise OF comPeh-
sao it is far better to have one than two Tree Staes
there; and although know that If California oe ao
mitted as State, with unmu!ilaed dimensions, II Is
competent for Congress, with the consent OF that
State, at any time to establish another Wthih nel
limits and though think it very probable, al no as
tant day, that that result will be produced' ye' sl'
is obvious, at least it seems obvious 10 my niho'
that by admitting California with portion OF terri
tory cut off as proposed by this bill, We shall invite
encourage and at precpitate upon ourselves the
establishment ola Northern free State upon the Pacific
But further, MIR. President am not desirous Of
adding 10 the number of these States. whether the
addition be of free or of slaveholding States. look
upon it as great calamity that the country should
be placed in situation which makes II necessary
that other States shall be admitted into the Unlon
think the value of place in this Union is In the
inverse ratio of the number Of States that compose it:
the smaller the number the greater the honor the
power the influence, the relative strength In the
Union OF the different members that compose 1t; and
if my own wishes could prevail, there should never
be another State added to it from this day forth to the
end of time.
Gentlemen have expressed the opinion that the ad-
mission of Californa-the simple admission of Cali
forna by itself, the passage of the llmot provso
in Territorial bil-the abolition OF slavery or the
slave trade in the District OF Columba-one or all
will produce spirit which will or may lead to forc-
bic resistance in some one OF more OF the Southern
States. If they have such opinion with regard to
the effect of the admission OF California without
dinnution of her size it affords to them, of course,
still higher motives for pressing the reduction now
before the Senate. do no! undertake to refer at all
to what may be the state of opinion upon that subject
in any other portion of this Union than that State
two Senators yesterday-l think the Senator from
Virginia, (Mr. Mason)-without naming North Car
oiina particularly, by general description seemed
to include her among those States which have, by
some public act, or III some other authentic manner,
determined upon resistance TO some or all OF these
measures Now, repeating what have had occasion
say heretofore, and what has been several times
said by other gentlemen, that claim no right as d
Senator here to consider decide in that character,
or as individual of my State, when or how, or for
what measure of resistance, any Of the proceedings
of this Government will be met, still must say that
gentleman is authorized, by any public action
which has taken place in North Carolina, to pronounce
that she in her capacity State, or her people as
collective mass of individuals have Il: any time
solved or ntimaed that upon the adoption OF any or
all Of these measures they would resort any oppo
stion, either directly Indirectly, threatening the
dissolution Of this Union:
In the first place, strong as my opinions are upon
this subject-looking with degree Of adherence,
which want language to express, upon movements
that have been made in reference to this delicate and
much-agitated slavery subject-feeling as do. as
Southern man, that we have much to complain of i'll
our friends upon this floor, who have been unwilling
to make the smallest sacrifice, not of principle, but
the smallest sacrifice of pride the smallest sacrifice
of any thing, for the purpose of yielding the smallest
boon that men have ever asked from their equals
yet, looking upon this conduct as do, as cannot
but look at it, say tha in my judgment, it consti
tutes no case to justify, excuse paate measure
calculated to put this Union in jeopardy. When
speak about the dissolution of this Union do not
consider myself arguing about the dissolvng of
contract for the building Of house, or the supply
Of so many thousand of shingl les, of mercantile
partnership to transact business for the pecunary ben
eft of the partners-I do not consider it as ques-
ton of dissoving eoyedsracy,'' this Union is
look upon this Union confederacy, league.
From the day that the constitution of the United States
was adopted, it became a union of Government.
The constitution is constitution of Government, and
not Contederacy In any proper and just sense Of
that term The constitution speaks of our connaxion
not as Confederacy, but as Union, and of itself
not articles Of league between the Sta,es but
constitution established by the people, Ours is
national Union, consummated by constitution into
national Government. When am thinking or
speaking about the causes which will Justify move
ment for the purpose of dissolving such Union
der such Government, l consider myself as bound
TO make out which would justify my resistance
10 the State Government under which l live. 1t
must be case of abuse, of oppression great, as
not only shall the just and reasonable limits of powe:
must be intoerabe than that which attends re-
sstance. When we look abroad upon this country,
cannot consider the dissolution of this Union otl,-
erwise than event fraught with the fright
fu' consequences to the people of every portion and
to the people of my own, followed with inevitable
and irremediable ruin. That is my opnio.,-that is
my settled cow iction.
Now, MIR. President, although l have these
views-athough ] entertain them strongly-altho'
feel deeply what think is an Unauthorized dspo-
sition to tanper, with without improper designs,
with our domestic institution of slavery-it is my
deliberate opinion that measures now accomplish
ed, now threatened, furnish ustifable reason
able, or excusable grounds for taking any measures
of resistance calculated to lead to dissolution of
the Union. But, sir, there is this will say there
is a mode Of resistance which no man will resort to
more cheerully than i; it is constitutional resist
ance; 1t IS standing upon the platform laid down by
the honorable Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Clay,) Of
remaining in the Union, and fighting for our rights
in the Union.
Now, how are we to do it! 1t happens, fortunate
Iy for Us, that, although taking the whole country
on the slavery question, in minority, there
are some cases Of Legislation in which our Northern
friends have got deep lnterest-in which are
not entirely insignificant. Our friends of the North
prlu ho,, ,1