The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-22
California and Mr.. calhoun.

In their address to the people Of Cali
fornia, submitting to them the plan which
they had formed for their government,
the members Of the convention make use
Of the following language :" In unani-
mously resolving to exclude slavery from
the State Of California, the great princi-
pie has been maintained, that to the peo-
pie Of each State and Territory, alone, be-
longs the right to establish such munich
pal regulations and to decide such ques-
tons, as affect their own peace, pros
perity and happiness"
/ The convention and the people Of Cali
fornia reposed securely upon the great
principle to which we have referred.
From what source did they derive this
principle ! From the very men who now
oppose the admission of California. From
the very men Who, in this opposition,
deny the principle on which they in
duced the people of California to act
From the very Southern gentlemen who
have hitherto supported the views of Mr..
CALHOUN, and have gone with him in his
territorial policy
1t is dangerous always to deal with abb
stractions. They are sometimes rigid
and unelastic. They sometimes cover
more than their authors intend, and then
it requires more ingenuity and subtlety
than please plain men, TO withdraw par
ticular cases from the operation of gen
eral principle.
When Mr.. CALHOUN, in February, 1S47,
introduced his resolutions in the Senate in
reference to the various resolutions of the
State Legislatures upon the subject of the
extension of slavery, Mr.. BENroN declared
that he would not lay aside the business of
the session TO pofe on such string of
distractions" Mr.. CALHOUN replied that
the Constitution was an abstraction; and
he added" all the great rules of life are
distractions. The Declaration of indie
pendence was made on an abstraction !;
and when hear man declare that he
is against an abstract truth in case of
this kind, am prepared TO know what
his course will bel certainly supposed
that the Senator from Missouri, the rep
resentative from a slaveholding State,
would have supported these resolutions.
| moved them in good faith, under sol
emn conviction of what was due to those
whom | represent, and due the whole
South and the Union"
To this Mr.. BENTON retorted-
81 will pursue my own course when
the time comes. | know what are abb
{ stractions, and what are not. | know
what is business and what is not. am
for going on with the business of the ses-
6 sion and ! say, shall not vote for alb
stractions years ahead, to the exclusion
Of business. The Senator from South
Carolina says he calculated on my sup
port. He is mistaken. He knows very
well, from my whole course in public
life, that ] never would leave public
business to take up frebrands to set the
rs world on fire."
Thus stood these distinguished Senators
in February, 1847. And how do they
stand in 1902 As far as their positions
have been defined, or as far as we can
Judge Of their course in regard to the adj
mission of California from the course of
their friends, and from what has dropped
in debate, Mr. CALHOUN seeks to with
draw this case from the tenacious grasp of
his abstract propositions, and Mr.. BEN
TON will be called upon to hold the Sena-
tor from South Carolina TO the policy of
his own resolutions The very first time
that his " abstract truth" is presented to
Mr.. CALHOUN in an embodiment, the en-
bodiment is an excepted case from the
" abstract truth" that admitted of no ex-
ceptions. Mr.. BENroy, on the other
hand, sustains in the embodiment the
principle which he refused to vote upon
in the abstraction.
Thstwe may notbe accused Of doing injus-
tice to Mr.. CALHOUN, we reprint the whole
set of resolutions which he offered on the
occasion TO which we refer. We copy
them from the Congressional Globe for the
second session Of the 18th Congress, page
455:
Rssoired That the territories of the United States
belong 10 the several States composing this Union,
and are held by them as their joint and common
property.
Resolved, That Congress, as the joint agent and
representative Of the States of this Union, has no
right 10 make any law, or do any act whatever.
that shall directly, or by lie effects. make any dis
elimination between the States of this Union, by
which any Of them shall be deprived Of it's foil and
equal right in any territory Of the United States
quirsd or TO he acquired.