The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-03-12
from luasl)iuetoll.
CONGRESS.
MONDAY, March 4.

certain appointments hau pcch .haue, was
withdrawn.
Mr.. Calhoun then rose. and thanking the
Senators for the courtesy extended TO him,
requested Mr. Mason to read some remarks
which he had prepared upon the question
before the Senate. Mr. Mason proceeded
10 read
MIR Calhoun commenced by asking what
can be done to save the Union 1t was
necessary, first, 10 find the cause Of danger,
before a remedy could be applied. The
danger arose, FIRST, from the discomfort in all
the Southern States which commenced with
tho agitation Of the Slavery question, and
has continued ever since. The next ques-
ton was, what has caused the disquietf 1t
resulted from the conviction, on the part Of
the Southern States, that they could not live
il, the Union, under the existing state Of
things, with safety TO their honor and inter-
cs,s. lie proceeded next to show, by Stats
tics that the equilibrium of the different
sections of the Union had been lost in con-
sequence of the increase of population in
the North. This state Of affairs places the
control of the Government exclusively in
the hands of the North, making them ma
iority of the States, and large majority of
the population which would be largely in.
creased by the next census. In addition to
this, the newly acquired territory would also
add speedily at least five new States TO the
North, while no additional Territories were
progressing i'll the South. lie next pro.
ceedcd to show that the action of the GEN
cral Government has been such ms to give
control to n sectional majority, by which the
South has been deprived of lis share in the
Territories. The first act, having such eff
feet. was the ordinance of 81, the next, the
Missouri Compromise, and the last by which
the South were excluded from Oregon, the
result of all which has been to exclude the
South from three lourths of thetcrrtory ac-
quired b, the United States, giving her one
fourth only The North had alo unsettled
the necessary equilibrium between the two
sections, by adopting system ofrcvcnuo and
disbursements which has imposed unequal
burdens upon the South to the advantage of
the North. The action Of Congress, in the
next place, had resulted in concentration
of power in the Federal Government TO the
manifest disturbing and violation Of State
Rights. The result of all these series of
measures and this course of policy was to
give the North an ascendancy in every de-
partment of the Government He then pro-
ceeded to consider the views and feelings of
the people of the North, relative to the in
stitution of Slavery, which the South felt to
be necessary 10 her social organization, and
which, h. said, was looked upon with greater
or less hostility by the whole North. all the
people of which felt bound, at least, to dis
countenance it, while they of the South felt
themselves impelled to defend it, He re-
viewed the course of the slavery agitation
BY the North, commencing with the first bat.
tie upon the right of petition, and coming
down to the present day. for the purpose Of
showing that encroachments upon this point
had been continual, gradual and always sue.
ccssfu, until imminent danger to the Union
itself had now arisen. He contended tina.
the first organized movement, by Abolition
lists, had continually increased in numbers,
opportunities, and demands, until their work
has reached point which has demanded
immediate and earnest efforts Tor its arrest.
What then, could be done to arrest its pro-
rrcss, and what could save the Union Dis
union would not lie effected at Il single blow
it was the work of time-for the cords
which bind the Union were too numerous to
be snapped all at once. One CT the many
cords which had bound the Union together
was the religious cord. the sympathy between
the associations of various religious denomi-
nations of both sections. The first of the
cords which snapped was that OF the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church. The next, the d.
vision of the Baptists into two opposing sec
tional parties. The Presbyterian cord had
moi altogether given away, although some Of
its strings were brokcn-the Episcopaians
only, of the four great denominations, re-
NAMED firm and unbroken. As result oil
this agitation. Mr. Calhoun makes no refer
ence whatever to the Catholics. The next
great cord which had snapped, was that OF
political rarty organization, which had held
together until recently, when it had beer
severed by the increased agitation. Again
how could the Union be saved ? 1t could
only be by adopting such measures as will
satisfy the Southern States that they can re
main in the Union with safety and honol
to themselves 1t could not be saved by eu
logizins the Union, nor by appealing TO the
memory of Washington neither was Their,
anv thing in the life and example Of tina
distinguished IMAM. which could deter thu
South from seeding. On the contrary
there was much to encourage them to seces
sion, as a remedy for oppression and and de
privation of their rights. Mr.. Clay's plan
or the plan proposed by the Administration
could not save the Union. The latter wa
nothing but a modification of the Wilmo
Proyiso, and still more Objectionable thai
that measure. lis very object was to de
prive the South of its rightful participation
in the Territories. Looking at the Constr
tutonal question, he contended that tn
power of legislation for the territories is vest
ed exclusively in Congress. In this view
the action of the people of California. j
forming government for Themselves, ha
usurped the power of Congress. Their cor
duct in this respect was revolutionary an
rebclious in its character. lie expresse
his full conviction that the people Of Caliiol
MIA had been influenced in their action b
persons acting under the suggestions an
authority of the Executive lie also pro
ceedcI with an effort to show that the actio
: of California, and the Lxecutye propositio
, for her admission into the Union, was in ii
rect violation of all the past action of Cor
, grcss. What, now, would the Senate do
Much depended upon their action. II the
admitted California into the Union, the
would sanction all that she had done. WEI
Senators prepared, in admitting her to su
e sender the Constitution, IN view OF the
oaths TO support it ? lie denied that the'
, was any such State as California, it had l
legal existence, and could not have, witho
7, the sanction of Congress. They could on
form Constitution when Congress had gi
D en- them leave so TO do. How could gent
e men on the Wing side of the Chamber, 9
i. ter defeating the candidate of the part
General Cass) at the late election, who toe
The ground that Congress had no power
: legislation, now turn around and admit
}. State upon the ground that she had exc
b cised this very power, which had been d
f Mod in the Presidential contest How cou