Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-05-02

mere expression OF an opinion.
But, Mr.. Chairman, holder hand in tn,
other wing of the Capitol has set forth, witt
more distinctness, in what the "aggress
ions" of the North upon the South consists
Says Mr. Calhoun "What has caused this
discomfort 1t will be found in the belle
Of the people of the Southern States, as pre-
valent as the discomfort ITSELF that they
cannot remain as things now are, Consist
emily with honor and safety in the Union
The next question TO be considered is, what
has caused this beliefl One Of the cause.
undoubtedly is to be traced to the long Con.
tinued agitation of the slave question on the
part of the North, and the many aggressions
which they have made upon the rights Of
the South during the time. will no. emu
merate them at present, as it will be done
hereafter in its proper place. There is
another hing back Of IL, .ziih which this is
ultimately connected, that muy pc regarded
as the great and primary cause. That is
to be found in the fact that the equilibrium
between the two sections in the Govern
ment, as it stood when the Constitution was
ratified and the Government put in action,
has been destroyed"
Thus we have the great difficulty dis
tinctly stated. This, says Mr.. Calhoun, is
the primary Cause of discomfort. This, he
says, is the great reason why this Union
must be dissolved. "The two sections of
the Government" says he, though taking an
even start upon the national race course to
prosperity, have not been able to keep pace
with each other The Northern section,
relying upon IFS own resources, with fewer
of the natural advantages Of soil and eli
mate, have destroyed "the equilibrium in
the two sections of the Government" and
hence, as he says, the belief that the "South-
ern section cannot remain, as things now
are; consistently with honor and safety, in
the Union" This is the great and states
manlike view, which the great statesman of
the South has taken of this great and pri-
mary cause of Southern discomfort.
Does he pretend that in this any of the
" compromises of the Constitution" have
been violated! Does he pretend that the
increase Of population at the North nullifies
any of the guarantees OF the Constitution
] apprehend this would be rather difficult
matter to regulate. Does he claim tina. the
Constitution has been violated in the agri.
cultural, manufacturing, and commercial
industry of the North, by which the lands
have been made productive and teeming
with wealth; by which manufacturing es-
Establishments, and villages, and towns, and
cities have sprung into existence as by en-
chantment; and by which the wharves, and
docks, and ship yards have sent to the four
corners of the earth, and over the whole
wide expanse of waters, their forests of
masts, successfully competing with the
" wooden walls Of England" and the CON-
merce of the worldl No, sir, nothing of
that. All this is the result of natural caus-
es, and not claimed 10 be violation of the
Constitution. But he degrades the nation
and the Government by a sectional division
which does not exist in fact, and should not
IN form. He contrasts the relative prosper
ity ofthe two sections with mathematical ac-
curacy, and then declares the Constitution
to be failure, because it has not kept I'D
this equilibrium" and must be flung away
or reformed. Yes, sir, the complaint is not
SO much that the Constitution has suffered
violence, as it is that it has become INSULT
cient for the purposes for which it was Gre
ated; and allowances must be made for the
variations Ofthe compass, or the chart must
be thrown away. Do gentlemen upon this
floor sympathize with those sentiments of
the distinguished Senator
But, sir, enough, and more than inten-
ded to have said, in relation to this charge
of "N Northern aggression" My purpose
has been, while considering the charge as
it is made against the whole North, more
to deny its truth as applicable
to the State of Vermont.
But, Mr.. Chairman, there is another
branch of this subject, more important to
this committee, as 1t is calling for some ac-
ton, upon which l propose to submit few
l mean the admission of CaIifor-
MIA as State of this Union. And here let
me say that the question might with propri-
ETY. be stated negatively. Why should no,
she be admitted? Has she not sufficient
number of inhabitants, and sufficient capac-
tiles for State government. Has she not
formed a constitution, for her organic law,
that is republican in its character All
this is either admitted, or not denied. But
different reasons seem to operate upon DIFF
ferent gentlemen. Some insist upon coll
Meeting this question with the territory of
New Mexico, and have the question relat-
ing to both settled together. 70 this it is
enough TO say, that having no natural or
necessary connexion, it is better, practical
" and theoretically, that they should be
kept separate, and each settled upon its own
merits. Some deny altogether the power
Of the people Of California to form a State
government until they had'taken the initia-
Tory step Of having had territorial govern
nent. To this it may be answered, tina, the
Constitution is silent upon the subject of
government, and one of the rea-
sons which some gentlemen urge why Con-
yress has no power over slavery in the Ter
-itories is, that it has no constitutional pow
sr to legisIate for Territory, or to give it
any government; position, however. to
which apprehend but few will subscribe.
The social condition of our natures instinct |
lively points to the necessity Of government,
md when community or body of men find
themselves without government, they need
10 higher power or authority than this
Congress has power to make all needfuI
ules and regulations respecting the Terri
DRY; but if the Territory has, in advance
~ 81