The southern press., 1852-03-06


here for sale, if that WI the law already Here,
again, the senator isat fault. We all know
that there were in different parts of the city
slave pens, as they we're called, where slaves
were openly broughtin and sold. 1t was to
suppress that evil the law was passed, with the
penalty of emancipatip.
The Senator from Alabama alleges he did
not maintain that Mr.. Calhoun was not seces-
sionist in principle, bu only that he was against
State exercising that power. The senator has
forgotten his words. Here they are:
"John C. Calhoun ard George McDutfie ex-
amined the resolutions of '98 and $50 for the
right of secession, and c.uld not find it. They
found, as they thought, ratification; but multi.
ication is itself denial If secession"
Now, is not that affirming distinctly that John
c. Calhoun never affirmed the right of seces-
sion? The senator has FORGOTTEN his own speech.
There appears to be peculiar proclivity on the
part OF the senator continually to bring in Mr..
Calhoun as authority to support his views, but
always with misunderstanding or misrepresen-
tation of his opinions. Spanking Of the dismem-
berment of Texas, which he defends in his De-
cember speech, he says:
"The next measure oflwhich complaint has
been made, is the bill settling the boundary OF
Texas. Well, sir, it so happens that this also
Is a Southern, not Northern measure. IL was
introduced by Southern nan, passed by South
ern votes, and ratified by the people of the only
Southern State who had any direct interest in
it. 1t further happens, that Mr. Calhoun, the
great leader of the South, during his life, has
left on record his deliberate opinion that Tex
as never had shadow Of title TO one foot Of
the territory we surrendered to the general
government He asserted that the true bound
airy of Texas was the middle Of the desert be.
tween the Nences and the Rio Grande. We
gave to Texas nine. thousand miles on the Rio
Grande, which, in his opinion, did not belong
to her."
Here Is gross misrepresentation of Mr.. Cal.
houn's opinions. Mr.. Calhoun asserted that
the Neuccs was the boundary of Texas, before
we acquired Mexican territory by the Mexican
war. 1t was upon the question of the Mexican
war, when the boundary of Texas was disputed
and disputable, that Mr.. Calhoun said her
boundary did not extend to the Rio Grande
The people Of Texas and the government here
took the ground that Texas did extend to the
Rio Grande. Hence troops were ordered to the
Rio Grande, and the Mexican war arose. But
when the war was ended, and, by treaty, the
Rio Grande was made the boundary of Texas,
by map attached thereto, who ever heard Mr..
Calhoun deny that the Rio Grande was the
boundary of Texas? That which was before
dsputable, and occasioned the war, was settled
by the war. And now, because Mr.. Calhoun,
previous to that settlement, expressed such an
opinion as to the boundary of Texas, the Sena.
tor says that Mr.. Calhoun was in favor Of the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Texas after the treaty was
formed.
One word more upon an important subject,
and j have done. The sovereignty of the States
is of the very last Importance. The Senator
from Alabama, although he complains Of the con-
fusion of ideas and language in others concern.
ing it, seems to me to have himself no very clear
or distinct ideas of sovereignty. | agree with
him that sovereignty must be the supreme al-
thority in State. lie lays down the PROPOSE
ton, and assent to it but how, then, does he
talk of the States and the general government
being both sovereign! Who ever heard of two
sovereigntes in a State? One must be supreme
and that which is supreme is sovereign. Sover-
eighty is the supreme, ultimate authority. That
authority, maintain, resides in the States. And
yet here, because certain powers of sovereignty
are exercised by the general government, he
claims that the States have surrendered all their
sovereignty. A man has powers and faculties,
and may use them in concert or subordination
to Others Has he therefore destroyed himself!
So with sovereignty. 1t is the highes. authority
of the land. But il may exercise its posoers Of
sovereignty in concert with other States Il
may do so by special treaty ii rlay do so in the
form of government in which we are. But is
sovereignty therefore parted with or annihilated
Surely not Certain powers Of sovereignty are
exercised together by the States through the
general government but the States have not
surrendered their sovereignty. They are still
supreme, and may resume those powers when
ever they think proper. Sovereignty cannot be
divided. There cannot be two supreme authori.
ties-this is an absurdity and il is on that point
that II seems to me that the confusion of the
Senator exists. He asserts that there is no
sovereignty in the States; and then, in the next
breath, he says they are sovereign in certain
particulars. They are sovereign in all particu.
lars, or in none. This government acts by their
authority, and by no other authority-and they
are thus sovereign; or this government is the
supreme authority, and they have no sovereign.
ty. The distinction, which the Senator does moi
seem TO understand, is between sovereignty, and
the powers Of sovereignty.
do not mean TO 90 into the various matters
Of explanation concerning the speech which
made. have put down the Senator from Ala.
bama exactly in his own words. have read to
the Senate and shall print what he has said. II
will be read. IL his replies are sufficient TO re.
flute his own words, as have placed them down,
be il so. ] only say, that according 10 my
conception Of IL, he has failed in his effort
There is nothing in my judgment, which tho
gentleman has said, that refutes the antagonistiC
positions he took in his former speeches and
his December speech. They are totally incon
sistent and irreconcilable. But If he can recon.
cle them, il Is very well for him 10 do so.
Mr.. President, when rose yesterday, Il wa,
my intention 20 have addressed myself also n
certain remarks Of the Senator from Michigan
Mr.. CAss,l but my strength failed and the
controversy with the Senator from Alabama has
taken up 20 much Of the time Of the Senate
that feel il would be trespass TO detain them
longer on these matters shall. therefore, re serve
what have TO say TO a more convenient oppor.
tuniiy, when ! hope to address myself 10 the
Senator from Michigan.
Mr. CLEMENS. Mr.. President | wish q
add but n word or two. The Senator from
South Carolina says that he Anticipated wher
he made this assault upon me, that IL would be
rqDQllpd and mat bo fas,ns 10, xo,o,.,al