Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-03-09
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
VT he COMPROMISE
IN SENATE, March 4, 1880.

codng the order Of the day. resumed the consideration of
Mr. Cars res buttons. +.
Mr. CALHOUN and thanked the Senate for the very
permission had given him to be heard to-day He
said that had for time been his wish to express his
on resolutions before the termination of the debates
but attack Of the prevalent colds had retarded the recovery
Of his strength and prevented the fufment of bis purpose
Therefore, unequal the exeron Of addressing the Senate
personally, he had reduced writing the remarks which he
desired make and would request his friend near him (Mr
M4soS) to read them to the Senate:
Mr. Mason said he would with great pleasure comply with
the request Of the Senator from South Carolina and proceed
ed read the manuscript as follows:
Mr.. CALHOUN. have, Senator'S believed from the
FIRST that the agitation of the subject Of slavery would not
prevented by timely and effective measure end in dis
union Entertaining this opinion have on all proper oc
casions endeavoed call the attention of each of the two
great parties which divide the country adopt
prevent great disaster but without success The agi
aton has been permitted proceed with almost attempt
resist it, until has reached period when it no longer
be disguised denied that the Union is in danger You
have thus had forced upon you the greatest and the grayes
question that under your consideration How
can the Union be preserved
To give satisfactory this mighty question, il
indispensable to have and thorough knowledge Of
the nature and the character of the by which the Union
is endangered Without such knowledge it Is impossible to
pronounce with any certainty, by what it be
saved just it would be impossible for physician pro
nounce in the of dangerous disease with any
tany oy what remedy the patient could be saved without
familiar knowledge Of the and character Of the of
the disease The first question: them presented for consider
alton, in the investigation propose Make order OBJ
tai9 such knowledge What is it that has endangered the
Union ....
To this question there can be but one answer that the
mediate is the almost universal discomfort which per-
vades all the States composing the Southern section of the
Union This widely yextended discomfort is not of
origin. 1t commenced with the agitation slavery ques
on and has been increasing since. The next question,
going one step further back is What has caused this wide
ly-difused and almost universal disc ontent ~"
1t great mistake to suppose, by that orr
gnated with demagogues who excited the discomfort with
the intention of aiding their personal advancement with
he disappointed ambition Of certain politicians, who esored
to as the means of retrieving their fortunes On the
ary, all the great political influences Of the section
rayed against excitement and exeed the utmost to keep
the people quiet The great Of the people of the South
divided in the other section into Wings and Demo-
Gratis The leaders and the presses of both parties in the
South were very socous to excitement and to pre-
serve quiet because that the effects of the former
would necessarily tend to weaken, not destroy, the po
cal ties which united them with their respective parties in the
other section. Those who know the strength Of party ties
will readily appreciate the immense force which this
e1esd against agitation and favor Of preserving quiet
But great it was, it not sufficiently to prevent
the spread discomfort which pervades the section
Nos cause, far deeper and powerful than the
supposed must exist to account for discomfort wide and
deep. The question: them What is the Of
this discomfort 1t will be found in the belief of the people
OF the Southern States prevalent the discomfort ITSELF
tnat they cannot remain as things consistently with
1onOr
considered is What has caused this belief
One of the is undoubtedly to be traced the long
continued agitation of the slave question the part the
North and the many aggressons which they have made
Ihe rights of the South during the time will
rate them at present. it will be done hereafter in its proper
place.
There is another, lying back of it. with which this is init
aey connected tina, may be regarded the great and pr
mary That be found in the fact that the equi
brium between the two sections in the Government,
stood when the constitution ratified and the Government
put in action has been destroyed At that time there
nearly perfect equilibrium between the two which afforded
ample means to each protect itself against the aggression of
the other but, as stands, section has the excu
sve power of controlling the Government, which leaves the
other without adequate of protecting itself against
its encroachment and oppression To place this subject dis
tncty before you, have Senator'S prepared brief statistical
statement showing the relative weight Of the sections in
the Government under the first of 1890 and the last
census Of 1910.
According to the former, the population of the United
States, including Vermont Kentucky and Tennessee which
then in their ncpient condition of becoming States but
not actually admitted, amounted 929 s27. OF this
number the Northern States had $685. and the Southern
l,952,O72 making difference Of only 25 s27 in of the
former States. The number of States including Vermont
Kentucky, and Tennessee sixteen Of which eight in
cluding Vermont belonged the Northern section and
eight including Kentucky and Tennessee the Southern
making equal division Of the States between the
tons under the first There small peponder-
in the House Representatives and in the electoral col
lege, in favor of the Norhern owing TO the fact that
cordng to the provisions of the constitution in estimating
ieuera numoefs nve slaves count but three but too
small to affect sensby the perfect equilibrium which, with
that exception existed at the time. Such the equality
OF the two sections when the States composing them agreed
enter into Federal Union Since then the equilibrium be-
tween them has been greatly disturbed.
According the last the aggregate population Of
the United States amounted 063 357 Of which the
Northern section contained 920 and the Southern
7334,437, making difference in round numbers, of
24oOo0O The number Of States had increased from six
teen to wenysix making addition Of ten States In the
mean time the position of Delaware had become doubtful
10 which section she properly belongs Considering her
neutral the Northern States will have thirteen and the South
States twelve making difference n the Senate of two
Senators in favor OF the former According the apporon
men under the census of s4O there 223 members of
the House Of Representatives. which the Northern States
had l35 and the Southern States Considering Delaware
neutra 81 making difference in favor Of the former in
the House of Representatives Of 49, The difference in the
Senate of two members added this gives to the North in
the electoral college majority of SO. Since the census Of
lsao four States have been added the Union Iowa. Wis
consln, Florida, and Texas They leave the difference in
the Senate as 1t stood when the taken but add
two to the side of the North in the House. making the pre-
sent majority in the House in its favor So and in the cleo
tora college So.
The result OF the whole give the Northern section
Pedominance in every part of the Government and thereby
concentrate In the two elements which constitute the Fee
raj Govenmen-a majority Of States and maioiy of their
population estimated in federal numbers Whatever section
concentrates the two in itself possesses the control Of the en-
tire Government. -.
But just the close the sixth decade and the
commencement Of the seventh The census is TO be taken
this which must add greatly the decided preponder
ance OF the Moth in the House Of Representatives and in the
electoral college The prospect is also that pea, increase
will be added present pep1nderance in the Senate d