The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-03-12
VIZ. CaIhoun,s sneech.

self TO perform the task. The Republics
brief commentary is published in another col
umn. We have carefully read the speech,
and regard it as an able effort, yet repiete
with crudities, assumption and presumption.
As our limited space before enlargement
would not permit us to publish Clay's great
effort we do not now think it proper to pub
fish this speech.
He commences by discussing the question
How can the Union be preserved? In this
discussion, several questions arise:
What is it that has endangered the
Union?
He answers, in substance, the present dis
content. The question then recurs-
What is the cause of this discomfort?
He answers-''It will be found in the belief
of the people of the Southern States, as prev
alent as the discomfort itself, that they cannot
remain, as things now are, consistently with
honor and safety, in the Union" He then
considers the question
What has caused this beIief2
He mentions the long continuance OF the
agitation of the Slavery question on the part
of the North, and the many aggressions which
they have made on the rights of the South
during the time, He says there is another
cause lying back of this-that at the founda-
ton of the Government, there was an equili-
brum between the North and the South, by
which one c>ud protect itself from the ag-
gressions of the other, but that now the North
has the exclusive power of controlling the
Government. He gives statistics intended to
represent the first cond ton Of things their
present state, and the prospect of the aug
mentation of the power of the North. He
complains that this has not been brought
about by time alone, but by the Legislation of
Government. This legislation was by acts
excluding the South from the common terri
tory belonging to all the States, extending
the Northern and restricting the limits of the
4 South-by the adoption of a system of rev.
enue and disbursements by which there was
an undue proportion Of taxation imposed up
on the South, and an undue proportion of
proceeds given the North-and system of
political measures by which the original
character of the Government has been chang
ed. He discusses these, and mentions ce--
tain acts. He takes one-sided view of the
question altogether, and does not speak of the
many acts ofaggression of the South, equal
ly formidable with even his strongest con-
structon Of these aggressions of the North
He concludes this portion of his speech by
the singular declarations, that this Govern
ment has been changed from a Federal Re
public into great National consolidated de-
mocracy-"what was once a constitutional
Federal republic, Is now converted, in reality
into one as absolute as that of the Autocrat
Of Russia, and as despotic in its tendency as
any absolute government that ever existed
He means we suppose, that the North is the
despotic power. If so, then it is a mild des-
, potism, as it has peaceabIy borne Southern
aggressions and insults for many years.
He aIIudes to the feeling in the North re-
5 lative TO Slavery in such manner as to make
5 the inference, that the North will never cease
its aggressions till Slavery be abolished He
! thinks the growth of this feeling with the in,
= creasng power of Government has put the
t most fanatica POI ton of the North into actor
to destroy the existing relations between the
two races in the South. He aludes to the
/ first Abolition movements and the indigna
: lion Of the South in consequence. He lay.
S as the foundation of the present Abolition
e power their success is gaining the right Il
d have their petitions read in Congress HI
: opposed this, and warned his colleagues Of it,
d consequences. He finally asks if something
i be not done to stop this slavery agitation if
is not certain the South will be forced t.
choose between abolition and secession /? H
is says that as things are now moving, it will
: not require the South to recede to dissoIv
h the Union. Agitation of itself will affect il
d and of this he proceeds to show that pas
IT history affords abundant proof Disunio
r will not be affected by single blow TIL
d cords which bind togf Their the Union al "a
y too numerous and powerful for that 1t mus
er be the work Of time. These cords are spiI
J. itual or ecclesiastical political and SOCIAL
v He says the first cord is breaking by the Who'll
or partial divisions in the Methodist Episcc
d pal Church, and by the Baptists, and tn
= Presbyterians. He is brief relative to tn
sr cords, political and social-they have bee
weakened he says. We think he will f1
they are strong enough to hold together ii
r Union. The next question is
e How can the Union be saved? He replir
n there is but one way, and that is by satisfy
hot fy,a