Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-12
MR.. CALHOUN's POSITION.

The editor of the Enquirer seems to find no.
thing in Mr.. Calhoun's speech which he cannot
fully commend, except his alluson to an amend
ment of the Constitution for the more effectual
protection of Southern rights and, in regard to
that he thinks that Mr. Calhoun did not design the
amendment to be pressed at the present time, as
condition to any satisfactory settlement OF the
slavery question. Now, according to our reading
of the speech, the necessity for some new guar
anty in favour of the Southern States, other than
the present Constitution, is the only legitimate
conclusion from its premises. In the outset, Mr..
Calhoun announces series of propositions each
of which is indispensable to the logical correct
moss of his argument, and one of these fully in
wolves the assertion that the Union as II as, cam
not stand. We extract few sentences from the
opening of the discourse:
"What is it that has endangered the Unionl To
this question there be but one answer that the i'm
mediate cause is the almost universal discomfort which
pervades al the States posing 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, is
versal discontent 1t will be found in the belief
of the people of the Southern States prevalent the
discomfort itself, that they cannot remain, THINGS
NOW ARE consistently auth honor and safety, in the
Union / he next question to be considered is What
has caused this belief!
One of the causes is, undoubtedly to be traced to
the long continued agitation OF the slave question on
the part OF the Morrill, and the many aggressons which
they have made 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 OF it, with which this
is intimately connected, that may be regarded the
great and primary cause 1t is to be found in the fact
that the equilibrium bet1een the tloo sections in the
Government 1T stood ,ohen the Constitution
titled and the Government put in action, has been des-
troyed."
Let us repeat more formally the several sequent
propositions here announced:
lst The Union is in danger;
I'd. The cause of this danger is the almost uni
versal discomfort which pervades the Southern
States;
3d. The cause of this discomfort is the belief
of the Southern people, prevalent as the discon-
tentitsef that they cannot remain, as things no,o
are consistently with honour and safety, in the
Union;
4th The primary cause of this belief is the des-
zruction of the equilibrium between the two sec
lions, as it stood when the constitution was rati-
fed. And
9th (In the sequel of the speech Mr.. Calhoun
afirms) this disturbance of equilibrium, was
caused by the legislation Of the Federal Govern
meH.
The third of these five propositions asserts
broadly that there is an almost universal belief
amongst the Southern people, that they cannot re-
main in the Union, "as things Row are" consis-
tently with honour and safety. Of course, Mr..
Calhoun cannot be presumed to dissent from this
belief which he attributes to nearly all his fellow
citizens of the South. His position therefore is,
in the very beginning, one of antagonism to the
present order of things, to the present govern
ment. Hence, it ought to excite no surprise that
he should afterwards intimate that an amendment
of the constitution is what he deems essential to
preserve the Union This idea of Southern dis
content at the inevitable superiority of the North
in population and political power, is at once the
great postulate and the great fallacy of MIR. CAL
houn's position. 1t runs through his whole argu-
ment, and as it is necessary to his conclusion that
there must bea fundamental change of the Govern
nent, SO the conclusion cannot be avoided after
admitting the postuate.
But the whole assumption is utterly erroneous.
The South is not alarmed by the fact that, settle
existing questions as we may, the North must
outstrip it in federal strength. 1t has, indeed,
formed the determination that certain specific
measures proposed to be enacted by Congress
shall be resisted at every hazard. But so long as
these measures do not assume the shape of laws,
the South will stand by the Union. Its people
1--WE can speak for Virginia at leasD do not feel
that disconren with the government, "as things
goy are" which Mr.. Calhoun takes for granted.
They want no better guaranty than the federal
constitution, and faithful observance of its obi
cations. Northern Territories may spring into
States. until their ''name is LEGION and the South
will be satisfied with the protection OF the constltu
sion. Violate it to her injury, and she may re-
nounce it, but respect it, and she will never look
for another protection.