The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-03-15
Correspondence of the Louisville Courier
MIR. CaIhOun's Speech.
WASHINGTON, March 5, P. NJ
w. n. HALDEMAN:

WASHINGTON, March 5, P. M
w. N. HALDEMAN:
Dear Sir: Mr.. Calhoun's speech has been
perused and "inwardly digested" by most
of the reading portion of this community. and
by all whose action as Legislators will have
to decide upon the truth or unsoundness of
the positions he has laid down A majority
of Southern members in both branches of
Congress, have openly avowed their hostility
to his entire speech, and deeply regret lie
should have given utterance to sentiments
/ looking only to dissolution as a remedy for
the evils Of which he complains Mr.. Cal
houn's great object is to show the South that
they cannot continue in the confederacy of
States with either safety or honor" to them
selves. This is too manifest in every sen
tence he has penned, to require argument to
maintain. And he has presented as cunning
ly devised and as powerful arguments to
sustain himself in this position as were ever
matured by mighty and highly cultivated
intellect. He knows that if any slave State
believes there is neither "SGfety nor honor''
by continuing in the Union, that but one voice
would be heard from that State. in favor OF
secession. Hence 1t Is. that his whole reason
ing is directed towards convincing the South
that but single issue is left them, and that
is to use his own language. "ambition or Sc
EceSSlOn." 1t matters not that this is untrue
in point of fact, and unsustained by even the
sophisrry ofhis own powerful mind. So much
at heart has he the dissolution of the Union,
that he cares not by what peaceable means
this can be effected. so it is only in the end
accomplished. 1t Is, therefore, for this rea-
son that he insists nothing can restore conf
dence to the South. or afford that safety to
their rights and protection TO their honor
~,
existed between the slave and free States
when our government was organised. and
which was made the basis of our constitution
To place even this condition beyond the reach
of the remotest contingency he proceeds tC
show that such equilibrium can only be re-
stored by a series of acts on the part of the
free States which he knows they never viii
submit to, but that an amendment ofthe con
stitution will always be indispensable. The
very terms, therefore. named by Mr.. Cal
, houn, are such. that he comedies himself car
never be submitted to. and which in his es
timaton vendors secession indispensable
and inevitable That he is one of the great
] est men Of the age no one will attempt tC
dispute. But that he is budget Of abstrac-
TONS whose whole public career has beer
checked with Inconsistencies, and the mid
night Of whose life is enveloped in the dark
ness of an infatuation, the natural result o
: a mortified and disappointed ambition, NJ
, one who has any claim to candor will venture
to call in question. This great plea for The
destruction of his government, is in all pro
2 liability the last public effort he will eve
= make; and however much the community a
large may have been disposed to throw tht
mantle of charity over his public ioibles. ant
! to have buried in forgetiulnss the fratricida
> hands he raised against his country during
the temporary storm of notification, this las
" deliberately avowed plot to dissolve theUnior
and fixed determination to resist every thin!
approXimating concession or compromise, vii
G leave blot upon his memory that the ham
T. of time can alone efface, and will cover hin
: with an ignominy that will cling to his pos
, terity, even unto the third and fourth gene
ration.
The declaration of Mr.. Calhoun, that Mr.
J., Clay's proposition ''cdlHOt SGre the Union,
\ is the offspring of his wishes-not the convic
ton of his better judgment It's that prop
ositiou that he alone breads will defeat hi
long cherished hopes Of Il secession of thu
: slave from the free States, and which he bd!
t admitted, has given him more difficulty il
n avoiding than anything that has yet beer
presented. 1t was this consideration thatha!
| doubtless Influenced Mr.. Calhoun and hii
friends in holding out to Mr.. Webster pledge
S of support for the next presidency, in the
: event Of his taking ground with the Soutl
r and defending their views. They knew sucl
step would open the political grave of Web
ster into which he would irrecoverably be
consigned and that therefore they could new
er be called upon to redeem such pledges
$ while they fattered themselves, that by ar
S raying Webster and his New England friends
4 against Mr. Clay and those who believed il
his compromise, such division would defeat tht
: success ofMr. CIay's compromise, and furnish
!. another opportunity for the Calhoun disunion
n lists to strike another blow at the integrity 0
y the Union, by which their favoIite plan of ;
9 Southern Republic would bethereby strength
> ened. That there has been tampering witt
4 Mr. Webster in the manner that lave spokeI
of, is not doubted here by any intelligen
man.