Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-07

WI IreSQent ana senators, nave elt II to be
duty to express to you my sentiments upon the great
question which has agitated the country and occupied
your attention And am under peculiar obligations to
the Senate for the very courteous manner in which
they have afforded me an opportunity OF being heard
to-day.
had hoped thatit would have been in my power du-
ring the last week to have delivered my views in rea
ton to this all-engrossng subject but was prevented
from doing so by being attacked with cold which is
at this time prevalent and which has retarded the
covery of my strength
Acting under the advice of my friends, and appre
hending that it might not be in my power to deliver my
sentiments before the termination OF the debate; have
reduced to writing what intended to say. And, with
Out further remark will ask the favor of my friend
the Senator behind me, Ito read it.
Mr. Mason 1t affords me great pleasure to comply
with the reques OF the honorable Senator, and TO read
his remarks.
The honorable gentleman then read Mr. CaIhoun's
remarks as follows
have, Senators, believed from the first that the agi
taon OF the subject OF slavery would prevented
Entertaining this opinion, have, all proper occa
slons endeavored to call the attention OF both of the
two great parties which divide the country, to adopt
some measure to prevent so great disaster, but with
out success The agitation has been permitted to pro-
coed, with almost attempt to resist it, until it has
reached period when it no longer be disguised or
aenled that the Union is in danger You have thus had
forced upon you the greatest and the graves question
that can ever come under your consderation-How can
the Union be preserved
10 give satisfactory answer to this mighty question,
IL Is 10 nave an accurate
knowledge ofthe and the character of the
by which the Union is endangered Without such know
ledge, Is impossible to pronounce, with any certainty
by what measure il caG be saved just as II would be
impossible Tor physician to pronounce III the case OF
some dangerous disease, with any certainty, by what
remedy the patient could be saved without similar know
edge Of the nature and character of the Of the dis
ease The hrst question: then presented for considera
ton in the investigation propose make in order to
OBTAIN such knowledge, is-What IS it that has endan
gered the Union?
To this question there can be but one answer that
the immediate is the almost universal discomfort
which pervades all the States composing the southern
section of the Union This widely extended discomfort
is not OF recent origin 1t commenced with the agitation
OF the slavery question: and has been increasing
since The next question: going one step further back
ls-What has caused this widely-dlfused and almost
universal discontentl
tbs great mistake to suppose, as is by some that
originated with demagogues, who excited the dscon-
tent with the intention of aiding their personal advance
ment, or with the disappointed ambition of certain po
ltcans, who resorted to it the of retrieving
their fortunes On the contrary, all the great political
influences OF the section were arrayed against excite
ment, aud exerted to the utmost to keep the people
quiet The great of the people of the South We're
divided, as IN the other section, into Wings andp Demo-
Gratis The leaders and the presses of both parties in
the South were very socitous to prevent excitement
and TO- preserve quiet because it was seen that the eff
ects OF the former would necessarily tend to weaken II
not destroy the political ties which united them with
their respective parties in the other section Those who
know the strength OF party ties will readily appreciate
taon and in favor OF preserving quiet But, great
it was; not sufficiently to prevent the wide
spread discomfort which pervades the section No.
cause, far deeper and more powerful than the one
supposed must exist to Tor discomfort 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 prevalent as the
discomfort ITSELF that they cannot remain, things
are, consistently with honor and safety, in the Union
The next question to be considered has caused
this belief
a. of+ a. -, l..
the long-contnued agitation OF the slave question on
the part OF the North and the many aggressons which
they have made on the rights OF the South during the
time. will not enumerate them present. as it will
be done hereafter in its proper place.
There is another lying back OF it, with which this is
intimately connected that may be regarded the great
and primary That is ohe found the fact that
the equilibrium between the two sections in the Govern
ment, as it stood when the Constitution ratified and
the Government put in action, has been destroyed AT
that time there was nearly perfect equilibrium between
the two, which afforded ample each to protect
itself against the aggression of the other but as now
stands section has the exclusive power of control
ling the Government, which leaves the other without
any adequate means OF protecting itself against s en-
croachment and oppression. To place this subject dis
tinctly before you, have, Senators, prepared brief
statistical statement, showing the relative weight of the
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, and Tennessee,
which then were in their incpient condition OF becoming
3929,S2 Of this number the northern States had
1877 899 and the southern 1852 072, making a differ
ence of only Is 1927 in favor OF the former States The
number OF States, including Vermont, Kentucky and
Tennessee were sixteen OF which eight including Ves
mont belonged TO the northern section, and eight in
Guiding Kentucky and Tennessee TO the southern max
ing equal division OF the States between the two
tiens under the first census There was small pre-
ponderance in the House of Representatives and in the
electoral college, in favor OF the northern owing to the
fact that according to the provisions OF the Constitution
hmm
but it was small to affect sensiby the perfect eouij.
brum, hi h. with that exception, existed the time
Such was the equality OF the two sections when g
States composing them agreed to enter into Federal
Union. Since then the equilibrium between them has
been greatly disturbed
According to the last census the aggregate popuIa-
ton of the United States amounted to l7O63,357, of
which the northern section contained 72S 800 and The
southern 1874 437, making difference in round num-
bers of 100000. The number Of States had increas
ed from sixteen to twenty six, making addition of
ten States In the mean time the position of Delaware
had become doubtful as to which section she properly
belongs Considering her as neutral, the northern
States will have thirteen and the southern States twelve
making difference in the Senate OF two Senators in
favor Of the former. According to the apportonment
under the census Of 1910, there were 1913 members Of
the House OF Representatives, of which the northern
States had 1885, and the southern States Considering
of the former in the House OF Representatives of AZ
The difference in the Senate OF two members added to
this, gives the North, in the electoral college, ma
iory of So Since the of 1870 four States have
been added to the Unon--Iowa, Wisconsin, Florida,
and Texas They leave the difference in the Senate as
it stood when the taken but add two to the
side of the orh in the House. making the present ma
ority in the House its favor of So and in the electoral
college of So.
The result of the whole give the northern section
performance in every department of the Goverr-
ment and thereby concentrate in it the two elements
which constitute the Federal Government majority of
States and majority OF their population estimated in
federai numbers Whatever section concentrates the
two in itself possesses the control of the entire Govern
ment.
But we are Just the close of the sixth decade, and
the commencement of the seventh. The census is to
be taken this year. which must add greatly to tia de-
cded preponderance OF the North in the House of Re-
resentatves and in the electoral college The prospect
is also that great increase will be added its pre-
sent preponderancc in the Senate during the period OF
the decade by the addition OF new States Two Ter
rtores, Oregon and Minnesota, already in progress
and strenuous efforts are making bring three add-