The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-20

IN Union terms oil equality
specific guarantee that she shalt enjoy her ght unmc
| "Mr FoorK. / think she may without any o,av,on.
amendment of the constitution. There disagree"
| bad had hint OF this amendment in regard 10
dual Executive from a certain high quarter (here NJ
FoorE pointed TO Mr. MASous who nodded assent and
resolved to bring il out If could plainly; for iii
great uneaslness on the subject was satisfied that Il
the Nashville convention should demand such chang
in the constitution as the Just mentioned the Union
was at end and therefore resolved TO find out Il
could, what he really meant when he spoke of sps
ci6c guarantee" alluded TO the subject OF constiiu
lonal amendment in a manner calculated 10 draw HIM
out. and added, "Ihere disagree J" TO which he re-
sponded at once, y Yes, there disagree enl,reIvn
Now, sir think II is quite apparent that did not err so
greatly persons have supposed in regard 10 what
Mr.. Calhoun intended to accomplish by this movement
or in reference to the true character OF his CONTEMPLATED
amendment Indeed, il my friend from North Carolina
i Mr.. MAKGUMl will allow me 10 mention the fact /
learned from his lips at very early period, something
quite material touching this amendment A very clear
account is given of this same amendment in the book
which | hold in my hand, and which had the singular
good fortune few days since 10 be mos, sklluly de-
Tended by the senator from South Carolina, lAll Bur
LER without his having according TO his own decaIa.
lion made himself in the leas, degree acquainted with lis
contents before he undertook the task pi lis vndcaton
must say. though Mr. President, that in my opinion
his defence OF this book would At least have been as sue
u if he had put himself the trouble beforehand Of
reading few OF It's pages. invoke The calm attention
OF honorable senators to what am about to lay beiole
| them
| do not undertake to say that they will fnd in il ev.
dence OF an nhexible determination the part OF Mr.
Calhoun to enlist his energies in the work OF destroying
the Union; but do venture 10 express the opinion that
| if the amendment OF dual Executive which he recon.
mends, once incorporated in the constitution The
Union would not be able to survive such proceeding
more than very short period OF time do not wish 10
be understood as charging Mr.. Calhoun with having at
the moment Of his delivering his speech in the Senate,
entirely despaired OF the longer continuance OF the Union
but perfectly certain that it was the intention
OF himself and OF few others closely associated with
him, to WELD, far they might find il in their power
TO do So all the machinery OF the Nashville convention
u fart hp nur nj setti demands tho
southern States alike unjust and unreasonable in them
selvcs--a compliance with which they could not have
confidently expected. entertain no doubt ALSO at this
tme thai he contemplated the breaking up OF the con-
federacy than probable event. and one TO which
he began look forward with good deal OF eageruess
must say, in justice 10 this extraordinary man. that he
did not, in my opinion contemplate the occurrence Of
civil the consequence OF his movements but an
tcipated the peaceful establishment OF southern
federacy, composed of all the southern States, the
greater part thereof will now read the extract which
have promised TO lay before The Senate:
"Tho Of the disease is such that nothing can
shah so modify the constitution as give the weaker
section in some one form or anoher negative on the &C
the weaker. aud restore harmony and tranquility the
unon by aresting, ehecmalIy the tendency Of the dom
and stronger section to Cypress the weaker When
the constitution formed. The impression strong tina,
tendency conhia would be between the larger and
made guard against it, But experience has proved this
to have been mistakes and that instead Of being
then supposed, the conflict is between the great
lions which are strongly distinguished by their ins'u.
TONS geographical character productions and pursuits"
i He then goes on TO show how the constitution could
be best modified TO effect his object, and thus ex
presses himself:
SHOW The constitution could best be modified as TO
effect the object only he authoritavely determined by
The amending power. IL may be Gone IN various ways
among Others might be elected through reorganization
being vested as they now are in single officer should be
vested in two, TO be elected that the should be
respective sections department Of the gov
epmen and requiring each approve all the OF Con
before they shall become laws One might be charged
with the administration connected with the Tor
egu relations Of the county and the other Of such
connected with its domestic Institutions, the selection be
n decided by lot"
4 Mr.. BUTLER. AS allusion has been made TO me in
reference my not reading Mr. Calhouns book, il may
go out from what said in The OF the debate that
there remark abe coincidence between what NAV
be considered my conjecture and what has Just been
read mssl say that, although had not the book be.
fore me, did not speak conlecturay 10 what is
tanned in it, bu, learned il from others who had convesd
with him upon the subject had not read Mir Cal
houns book but did not speak without niorma.
lon as 10 that part OF H.
/ MIR. FOOTE Now, sir the amendment is before US
and what. ! pray, honorable senators inclined 10
think of ii DO they not agree with me, Mr.. President,
as declared myself the other day, that If such
amendment were adopted, it would be speedily desuc.
tive OF the repubc' Does any here now doubt that
MIR Calhoun expected that some such amendment this
would be proposed by the Nashville convention Is
not most apparent that he intended 10 urge this
proceeding upon that body And is not equally obvious
now that thus that additional guarantee spoken OF 40
fppanty, and urged pertnaclousy, for many months
past by certain class OF politicians in the South And
now MIR President, let me ask another question: ask
II with no intentional drespect unkndness for hu
man being either living dead Was treating those OF
us through whose active ins,rumenalIty the Southern
Address hal been gotten up-hrough whose jealous
agency the call OF general southern convention at
Nashville had been made by the State OF Mississippi
was treating US Justly, respectfully generously, TO
attempt without consulting us at all, to use, as have
several times said the whole machinery of that body for
the attainment Of objects wholly different romyea, hos
tile to-he only objects for the attainment oil which we
had aced2 Were we, whose energies were put in
else faithfully and untringly for the purpose OF pro-
curing the meeting OF grand consultative body
OF chosen delegates representing the whole South,
with view TO securing the happiness and future
safety OF the southern States by constitutional means and
giving additional strength and pemanency 10 the Union
self-were we not entitled 10 know-had we not night
to be informed IN advanceof any fundamental change
which had been resolved upon in the plan OF operation
expected 10 be executed through the agency OF the Nash
vile conveniion' have heretofore mentioned in this
body that was through IN the first instance that
MI Calhoun succeeded IN nsiigatng the iDcIpeD move
pents IN Mississippi, which led 10 The calling oil the
Nashville convention, repeat that statement now, and
insist that my fellow citizens OF Mississippi, who bad
been thus induced TO the responsibility OF calling
the general convention into being had right TO expect
the earliest information 10 be given TO them OF any con.
tempaied departure from the original plan OF operation
When found out, was led to suspect, that were
about 10 be treated unworhily-tbat the intelligent and
patriotic constituency whom represented in part here
were TO be kept in ignorance 10 the ultimate purposes
| lead IN this great movemen,-whcn | found out OF
thought bad found out, that regular scheme had been
formed for dragging blindly forward TO the very pre-
cpice OF disnn,on ITSELF without giving the least To-
ken OF the true character OF the Journey were expect
ed to perform, or allowing more than faint conjec