The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1850-07-27

spoke Of tt with contempt II ! avn "leLe III
this matter / am ready to be-set right. read
from the published debates, and there can DO
no successful attempt at refuIaiion Of any thing
which I have assertsdsOr may hereafter assert.
will only read another short extract from the
same speech, as follows;
Is Ihave, l trust, established beyond contrO-
versy that neither the ordinance OF 1877, nor
lhe Missouri compromise, nor the Precedents
growing out Of lhem,snor the authority ~ Mr.
Jefferson, furnishes any evidence whatever to
prove that Congress possesses the power over
the territory claimed bg those who advocate
the twelfth section Of this bill. But admit, for
Vhesaks Of argument, that | am mistaken, and
tint The obieclnns | have urged againEt them
are Reoundless-give them all the force which
can be claimed for precedents-and they would
mot have the weight OF feather against the
strong presumption which !, at the outset Of
nv remarks, showed to be opposed 70 the ex-
jstence Of tho power. Precedents, even in a
court &c Justice, can have but little weight,
except where the law is doubtful, and should
have little in q deliberative body in any case
on d constitutional question, and none where
the power to which 1t has been attempted to
trace II does not exist, as | have shown, | trust,
TO be the case in this Instance"
Ia the year l847, Mr.. Calhoun was equally
explicit in declaring his opposition to the Mis-
sou,i compromise. Listen to what he said on
the 18th day Of February, Of that year;
"Sir, here letme say a word as TO the COM
promise line. have always considered it as
4 great ~error--highly injurious to the South,
because it surrendered, for mere Temporary
purposes, those high principles Of the c%Onstitu-
zion upon which | think we ought to stand. !
am against any compromise line. Yet would
have been willing to acquiesce in a %cOntinu-
anee OF the Missouri compromise, in order to
preserve, under the present trying clrcunlstan-
ces, the peace Of the Union. One Of the Ieso-
buttons in the House, 10 that effect, was offered
at my suggestion. said to a friend there,
tlet as not be disturbers Of the Union. AbhoT'
rent TO my feelings as Is that compromise line,
lot it be adhered TO in good faith; and It the
other portions Of the Union are willing TO stand
BY il, let US not refuse TO stand by t.. 1t has
Kept peace for son time, and in the present
circumstances perhaps it would be better TO be
continued as Ii isl But il was voted down by
an overwhelming majority. 1t was renewed
BY q gentleman from q nOn-slaveholding State,
and again voted down by an overwhelming
majority.
y see my way in the constitution. / cans
notin compromise. A compromise is but an
act Of Congress. Il may be overruled at any
time. IL gives no security. But the %constitu-
ton is stable, II is a rock. On il we can
stand. II lisa firm and stable ground, on which
we can better stand insOppositiOn to fanaticism,
than on the shifting sands Of compromise.
"iLet US be done with compromises. Let US
60 back and stand upon the constitution"
To return TO my W course: the Missouri
compromise was not adopted at the session Of
Congress at which this speech was delivered
But ! did not yet despair Of its ultimate adOp-
tiOn. Knowing well that the pOOp'o Of the
State Of Mississippi were decidedly in favor Of
this compromise, and sincerely believing that
its adoption BY Congress would greatly tend to
quiet the country at least for a season, resolved
not TO give it up entirely, but to hold il sill in
seserve as a dernier resort, If other expedients
should fail. We, of the Democratic party,
OEganized ia '48, on the nonsintefveutiOa plat
form, somewhat under Mr.. CalhOun's lead;
because, although he did not vote with us in
that election, he did to some extent participate
ia applying us with the nOu-interventiOn plat
fOm. Yes, cir, il WIS his potential voice that
frstuTged US in this hall not to adopt any mere
geographical line upon which to rally Our party
forcesi but 10 unite in the assertion and main
tsnance Of a grsut constitutional principle,
which he predicted would conduct US to victory
in the Presidential contest. These are his
words:
But / GO further, and hold that Justice and
the constitution are tho easiest and the safest
grounds on which the question can be settled.
regarded in reference to party. It may be set.
tied on that ground simply By non.aciion-by
leaving the Territories free and open TO the
emigration OF all the world, SO long as thew
continue so; and when they become States, to
adopt whatever constitution they please, with
the single restriction 10 be republican, in or
der 70 their admission into the Union. II
party cannot safely take this broad and solid
positions and successfully maintain it, what
other, can Il take and maintain? II it cannot
maintain itself BY an appeal 10 the great prin-
ciPal justice, the constitution, and sslf-gOvern-
ment % what other SO ciently strong to up>
hold them in public opinion, can they appeal?
greatly mlstAke the character Of the people
Of this Uuion. If such an appeal would not
prove successful, il either party should have
the magDanimity to step forwards and boldly
make il. Il wOnld, IN my opinion, be received
with shouts Of appreciation by the p%atriOue
and intelligent IN every quarter. There is a
deep feeling pervadlng the country that the
Union and our political institutions are in dan
ger, which such a course would dispel. >
Just az we propose IN this bill. II our plan
had been before him he could not have been
more accurate in the description Of it's general
features. Gentlemen now say that this is not
satisfactory 70 them. know tina, they want
n special reorganization Of the right Of sIvave.
holders 10 GO south Of the line Of So dogs. 30
Minis. with their slaves. Mr.. Calhoun repudi-
ased this doctrine. Ibeg to be understood as
repeating the language employed BY him and
which | am about to read, as part Of my "
speech; containing, as il does, views which
thrust the country will approve and act mon /.