The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-03-12
1ooIitiral department.
SPEECH OF HON. ]. C. CALHOUN,
ON THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
Differed in The Senate Of The United States, March
ih, 1850.

ON THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
Dshrercd in fhe Senate of The United States, March
1th, 1850
Ihavp. Senator'S believed from the first that ,lle
agitation of the subject slavery would, II not pre-,
vented hy sone timely and effective measure, end
in disunion. Entertaining this opinion, have, on
all proper occasions, cndeavored to call the alle-
lion of the two great parties which divide the coun-
trv to induce them to adopt some measure to pre-
vent 50 great disaster. but without success. The
agitation has been permitted to proceed, with al
most no a,temp, to resist it, until it has reached a
period when il can no longer be disguised or denl-
I'd that the Union is in dagger. You have thus
had forced upon you the greatest and the gravest
r question that can'ever come under your consider
alton How can the Union be preserved!
To give satisfactory answer to this mighty
question, it is indispensable to have all accurate
and thorough knowledge OF the nature and Tile
character of the cause by which the Union IS en-
dangered. Without such knowledge it is impos-
sible to pronounce, with any certainty, by what
measure it can be saved just as it would be i'm
possible for a physician to pronounce III the case
ofsome dangerous disease, with any certainty, by
what remedy the patient could be saved, without
similar knowledge ofthe nature and character OF
the cause of the disease. The first question, then,
presented for consideration, i'll the investigation
propose to make, in order to obtain such knowl-
edge is: What is it that has endangered the Union!
To this question there can be but one answer:
that the immediate cause is the almost universal
discontent which pervades all the States compos-
ing the Southern section Of the Union. This wide
" extended discomfort is not Of recent origin II
commenced with the agitation of the slavery ques-
ton, and has beeh increasing ever since. The
next question: going one step farther back. Is: what
has caused this widely ditfused and almost uni
yersal discomfort!
It's a great mistake TO suppose, as some have
done. that it originated with demagogues, who ex-
cited the discomfort with the intention of aiding
their personal advancement, or with the disap-
pointcd ambition of fcertain politicians who resort
I'd TO If as the means of retrieving their fortunes.
On the contrary, all the great political influences
of the section were arrayed against excitement and
exerted to the utmost to keep the people quiet
The great mass ofthe people ofthe South were di-
yided. as in the other section into Wings and
Democrats. The leaders and the presses of both
parties in the South were very soicitous to pre-
vent excitement and to preserve quiet: because it
was seen that the effects of the former would ne
cessariy tend to weaken, if not destroy, the poti
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 cause exerted against
agitation, cnd in favor of preserving quiet. But,
as great as it was, it not sufficiently go TO pre-
vent the widespread discomfort which now per-
yades the section. No: some cause, far deeper
and more powerful, than the one supposed, n.
exist, to account for discomfort so wide and deep.
The question: then, recurs: What is the cause Of
this discomfort! 1t will be found in the belief Of
the people of the Southern States, as prevalent as
the disconten, itself, that they cannot remain as
things now are, consistently with honor and safe
tba IIninn Tht - NJ uIpSti0p IN h, cOII.lu-
cred is: What has caused this belief!
One of the causes is, undoubtedly, to be traced
TO the lone-continued agitation Of the slave gucs-
ton OH the part Of the North, and the many ag-
pressions which they have made OH the rights OF
the South during the time. | will not enumerate
them at present, as it will be done hereafter in its
proper place.
There is another lying back oft, with which this
is intimately connected, that may be regarded as
the great and primary cause. 1t is to be found III
the fact that the equilibrium between the two sec
tons in the Government, as it stood when the Con-
s,itution was ratified and the Government put in
action, has been destroyed At that time there
was nearly perfect equilibrium between the two,
which afforded ample means to each to protect it.
self against the aggression of the other; but, il
now stands one section has the exclusive power
of controlling the Government, which leaves the
other without any adequate means OF protecting it,
self against its encroachment and oppression. To
place this subject distinctly before you, have,
Senators, prepared brief statistical statement,
showing the relative weight of the two sections in
the Government under the first census Of 1880 and
the last census Of 1910.
According to the former, the population of the
United States, including Vermont, Kentucky, aud
Tennessee, which then were i'll their incipenl COLI
diton of becoming States, but were not actually
admitted, amounted to 3,929,827. Ofths number
the Northern States had l.977,S99, and the South
ern 1880 making difference OF only 25:S27
in favor of the former States. The number Of
States, including Vermont, Kentucky and Ten
nesser, were sixteen; of which eight, including
Vermont, belonged to the Northern section, and
eight, including Kentucky and Tennessee, to the
Southern, making an equal division of the States,
between the two sections under the first CENSUS
There was small preponderance in the House CT
Representatives, and in the electoral college, i'll IA
yor of the Northern, owing to the fact that accord
ing to the provisions of the Constitution, i'll es;ia
ting federal numbers, five slaves count but three !;
hui it was too small to affect, sensby, the perfect
equilibrium, which, with that exception, existed at
the time. Such was the equality of the two sec
tons when the States composing them agreed TO
enter into Federal Union. Since then the equi-
librium between them has been greatly disturbed.
According to the last cesus the aggregate popu-
lalion ofths United States amounted to l7,O63357,
of which the Northern section contained 972S,920,
and the Southern 7,334,437, making difference,
r.NA Ann -