The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-10-07
Mr. CalhOun's ResOlutions-speech of Gen.
Pierce.

Mr. Calhoun's ResOlutions--Speech of Gen.
Pierce.
We publish below the resolutions offered
in the Senate of the United States, Deem
Der q, 1887, by Mr.. Calhoun, of South
Carolina, on the subject of the abolition of
slavery in the District of Columbia, and the
speech of Gen. Pierce in support of the same
Jan. 9, 1888.
Resot0ed, That in the adoption of the
Federal Constitution, the States adopting the
same acted, severally, as free, independent
and sovereign States; and that each, for it.
self, by It's own voluntary assent, entered the
Union with the view to its increased security
against all dangers, domestic as we'll as for
eign, and the more perfect and secure enjoy
mentof Its advantages, natural, political and
social.
Res0Eved, That in delegating a portion of
their powers to be exercised by the Federal
Government, the States retained, scverally,
the exclusive and sole right over their own
domestic institutions and police, and are alone
responsible for them, and that any informed
! ling of any one or more States, or combi-
nation of their citizens, with the domestic in
situations and police of the others, on any
ground, or under any pretext whatever, po-
litical, moral or religious, with the view tc
their alteration, Or subversion, is an assump
ton of superiority nOtwarrantcd by the Con
stitution insulting to the States interferec
with, rendering to endanger their domestic
peace and tranquility, subversive of the OBJ
jects for which the Constitution was formed
and, by necessary consequence, tending tt
weaken and destroy the Union itself.
Resolced, That this Government was in
stituted and adopted by the several States o
, this Union as a common agent, in order t.
carry into effect the powers which they hat
d delegated by the Constitution for their mu
il tual security and prosperity; and that, i
It, fulfllment of this high and sacred trust, thi
+ Government is bound so to exercise its pow
Il ers as to give, as far as may be practicable
, increased stability and security to the dome:
i TIC institutions of the States that compose tn
Is Union; and that tits the solemn duty of til
e Government to resist all attempts 10y Oh
portion of the Union to use it as an instrl
n ment to attack the domestic institutions
another, or to weaken or destroy such inst
buttons, instead of strengthening and uphol,
ming them, as it is in duty bound to do.
'e Resolred, That domestic slavery, as it e
y lists in the Southern and Western States
u this Union, composcs an important part
= their domestic institutions, inherited fro
k, their ancestors, and existing at the adoptiC
L. of the Constitution, by which it is recognise
e as constituting an essential element in Il
t distribution of It's powers among the State
lie and that no change of opinion, or feclin
ct on the part of the other States. of the Uni,
b. in relation to it, can justify them or thC
n citizens in open and systematic attacks ther
n, on, with the view to its overthrow; and tn
ad all such attacks are in manifest violation
1t the mutual and solemn pledge to protect al
defend each other, given by the States, !
spcctively, on entering into the Constitutio
70 al compact, which formed the Union, and
such is manifest breach Of faith, and v
lation of the most solemn obligations, mol
ed and religious.
Fh Resolved, That the intermeddling of a
Id State or States, or their citizens, to aboli
u slavery in this District, or any of the Ter
~ tories, on the ground, or under the prete
nj that it is immoral or sinful; or the passa
of any act or measure of Congress, with Il
ny view, would be direct and dangerous alta
l !'1 on the institutions of all the slaveholdi
al States.
no Reso7Ued, That the union of these Sta
nix rests on an equality of rights and advan
ges among its members and that whate
no destroys the equality, tends to destroy
+ 7 Union itself; and that it is the solemn dl
lido of all, and more especially Of this boz
- which represents the States in their corpor
No capacity, to resist all attempts to discrimin
IF between the States in extending the bene
loo of the Government to the several portions
.ps- the Union and that to refuse to the sou
der ern and western States any advantage VIII
IAN would tend to strengthen, or render til
viii more secure, or increase their limits or +
ovt ulation by the annexation of new territ
on or States, on the assumption or under
pretext that the institution of slavery, a
exists among them, is immoral or sinful
his otherwise obnoxious, would be contrar.
that equality of rights and advantages wi
the Constitution was intended to secure a
mas to all the members of the Union, and wo1
SOIL in effect disfranchise the slaveholding Sta
ms Withholding from them the advantages, W
AN it subjected them to the burthens, of
iiSo Government.
~ SPEECH OF FRANKLIN PIERC
e in Of Neao Hampshire, on Mr.. Calhoun's
ton 0lutionS.
we
that Mr.. PIERCE, of New Hampshire, rose
ent. said The Senate had come at length to
re- ground on which this contest was to be
termined The District of Columbia
now emphatically the battlefield of the
n a olitionists, and the resolutions immedia
yen- under consideration, with, perhaps, S
uni modification in phraseology, would pre-
the true issue here and to the country
issue which would raise, not mere que'
OR of expediency, but one of much hi
the character, in which the public faith is di
5 : "a ly involved.
hem Thatmy position, said Mr.. Pierce, ma
gov distinctly understood, some explanatl'
giti- perhaps due to the State which | have
ing, honor, in part, to represent, especially as
n Of is a.manifest disposition in certain quar-
v to to pervert our votes and misrepresent oul
the tives.