The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1850-03-14

there was any such State as California.
II had no legal existence, and could not
have without The sanction of Congress-
They could not form Constitution when
Congress had NOT given them leave so to
10. How corM gentlemen on the Whig
side of the chamber, after defeating The
candidate of the Democratic party (Cass)
at the late election who took the ground
that Congress had no power of Legislation
now turn around and admit State upon
the ground that she has exercised this very
power whiih had been denied in the Prssi-
Dental CONTEXT! How could those gentle~
men who voted on the Oregon question a.
gainst the position that Congress had the
sole and absolute power Of legislanng for
the Territories, now propose TO sanction q
course directly the inverse! Wkatd did all
this mean! Were thy to conclude that
the exclusion Of the So.rth from the terri
tory acquired from Mexico, as an object Of
such paramount importance, that right.
justice, consistency, and the Constitution
must all yield thereto? There was but
one way by which the Union could be saw
ed, and that was by the full and fioal SET
tlement-upon the principles of justice
OF all the questions at issue between the,
two sectio s.
The south asked for simple justice-less
than that she ought not to take. She had
no compromise to offer but the constitution,
and could make no surrender or conces-
sion. BY satisfying the south-she could
remain honorably and safely in the Union,
and thereby restoring tranquility. Could
this be done Yes easiIy-not by the
weaker party-for it could not protect it.
self-but the stronger. The north had
only TO do justice by conceding to the south
participation in the territories-her duty
by causing the arrest and delivery of fugi-
tive slaves-by ceasing the agitation of the
slavery question, and 10 provide an amend
mrnt OF the constitution, such as would re-
store to the south the power to protect her
self, which she possessed before the equi-
li6rlum between the sections was Destroy
ed by the action of the government
Would the north agree to this I Yes!if
her love for the Union was half as great as
her professions. Atall events, the respon-
sibility of saving the Union rested on the
north and not upon the south. The south
could not save it by any sacrifice of hers,
and the north might save it without sacri-
fee. If this question was not now set
tled-there was no telling when it would
be. If you, said Mr.. Calhoun, cannot
agree to settle these questions on the prin-
cipal ofjustice and duty-say SO, and let
the States we represent agree to separate
part in peace. If you are unwilling we
should part in peace, tell us SO, and we
shall know what to do when you reduce
the question to submission or resistance.
If you remain silent. you will compel us
to infer what you intend. In that case
California will become the test question.
If you admit her under all the difficulties,
that oppose her admission, you compel us
to infer that you intend to exclude us from
the whole of the acquired territories, with
the intention of destroying rretrievably the
equilibrium between the two sections,
We would be blind not to perceive in that
ease that your real objects are power and ag-
orano.: '.:zenieni, and infatuated not to act
accordingly. In concius!3c.;;he he repeated that
he had ali long endeavored TO refei'shese ag-
gressions of the North by arresting the ag-
tation, with the intention OF saving 'pe
Union, if possible--and if not, 30 save ihe
section where his lot had been cast -
Having done his duty, let what wofo
come, he Sould be free from all resP2M+
bility.