Washington sentinel., 1856-05-20

CaIhoun's Resolutions ON the Subject OF
Slavery.
The disastrous failure which has attended the
efforts Of the enemies Of Mr.. Buchanan to place
him in wrong position on the subject of the
rights of the States, so far as these relate to the
subject of slavery in the States and Territories,
seems to render any further reference to the
subject unnecessary; but, inasmuch AS some of
the friends of Mr.. Buchanan who are acquainted
with the record of his life, have deemed it just
to expose the allegations contained in an article
published in the New Orleans Delta of the 18th
OF April, 1856, in which there is an elaborate
perversion of Mr.. Buchanan's course in the
Senate OF the United States in 1887 and 49,
upon the resolutions offered by Mr.. Calhoun
on the slavery question, | will thank you to
have this article published in your paper
In order to ascertain the character of Mr..
Calhoun's resolutions, have deemed it best TO
give them at length, as follows:
l. ResolUed, That in the adoption of the
Federal Constitution, the States adopting the
same, acted severally, as free, independent and
sovereign States, and that each, Tor itself, by
its own voluntary assent, entered the Union
all changes, domestic as we'll as foreign and the
more perfect and secure enjoyment of its ad-
vantages natural, political and social
z. Resolred, That IN deegatng a portion of
their powers to be exercised by the Federal
Government, the States retained, severally, the .
exclusive and sole right over their own domes-
tic institutions and police, and are alone re-
sponsible for them; and that any intermeddling
of any one or more States, or combination of
their citizens, with the domestic institutions
and police of the others, on any ground, or
under any pretext whatever, political, moral or
religious, with the view to their alteration, or
subversion, is an assumption of superiority not
warranted by the Constitution, insulting to the
States interfered with, tending to endanger their
domestic peace and tranquility, subversive of
the objects for which the Constitution was
formed and by necessary consequence, tend
ing to weaken and destroy the Union itself
3. Resolved, That this government was in
stituted and adopted by the several States of
this Union as a common agent, in order to carry
into effect the powers which they had delegated
by the Constitution for their mutual security
and prosperity; and that in fulflment of this
high and sacred trust, this government is bound
SO to exercise its powers as to give as far rs
may be practicable, increased stability and
security to the domestic institutions of the
States that compose the Union; and that it is
the solemn duty of the government to resist all
attempts by one portion of the Union to use it
as an instrument to attack the domestic
institutions of another, or to weaken or destroy
such institutions, instead of strengthening and
upholding them, as it is in duty bound to do.
\ 4. Resoloed, That domestic slavery as it ex-
lists in the Southern and Western States of this
Union, composes an important part Of their do
mestic institutions, inherited from their ances.
tors and existing at the adoption of The Con-
stitution, by which it is recognized as consti
tuting an essential element in the distribution
of its powers among the States; and that no
change of opinion, or feeling, on the part of the
other States of the Union in relation to it. can
justify their citizens in open and systematic
attacks thereon, with the view to its overthrow;
and that all such attacks are in manifest viola.
ton of the mutual and solemn pledge to protect
and defend each other, given by the States
respectively, on entering into the constitutional
compact which formed the Union, and as such
is manifest breach of faith, and a violation Of
the most solemn obligations, moral and rel-
gious.
5. Resolred, That the intermeddling of any
State or States, or their citizens, to abolish
slavery in this District, or any of the Terrific
ries, on the ground or under the pretext that it
is immoral or sinful; or the passage Of any
act or measure of Congress with that view,
would be direct and dangerous attack on the
institutions of the slaveholding States.
6. ResolUed, That the union of these States
rests on an equality of rights and advantages
among its members; and that whatever destroys
that equality tends to destroy the Union itself;
and that it is the solemn duty of all, and more
especially Of this body, which represents the
States in their corporate capacity, to resist all
attempts to discriminate between the States in
extending the benefits of the government to the
several portions of the Union; and that to re.
fuse to extend to the Southern and Western
States any advantage which would tend to
strengthen, or render them more secure, or in
crease their limits or population by the annex
alton of new territory or States, on the assump.
ton or under the institution of slavery as it
exists among them, is immoral or sinful, or
otherwise obnoxious, would be contrary 10 that
equality of rights and advantages which the
Constitution was intended to secure alike to all
the members of the Union and would, in effect,
disfranchise the saveholding States, withhold
ing from them the advantages, while il subject.
ed them TO the burthens Of the government.
The first resolution Mr.. Buchanan voted for
(See Congressional Globe page "a, vol. ed
sess. 25th Congress, l837-'S) The writer Of
the attack upon Mr.. Buchanan in the Delta,
sthteB Inht Wnen the SecOnu resolution, as ABOVE
reported, came to be acted upon, Mr.. Morris, Of
Ohio moved TO strike out the words "mora and
religious" The Delta writer deliberately omits
to state that Mr.. Morris also moved TO strike
out the words political, moral and religious
conceallng the fact that, inasmuch as the words
Immediately preceding read, ION any ground or
under any pretext whatever, the words "politi-
cal, moral and religious" we're mere tautology
and did not add to the force Of the resolution
ITSELF But Mr.. Buchanan, who, for the reasons
just stated voted to strike out the words "mor
al, religious and political, after the amendment
OF Mr.. Morris had been rejected upon the same
day, voted for the second resolution, as it ap.
pears above. This material fact the assailant
of Mr.. Buchanan in the Delta suppresses.
Mr. Buchanan, it will also be seen, by refer
ence to the Journal Of the Senate, (page ll5,
I'd sess. 25th Congress, lS37-'3s) voted for the
third resolution. Mr. Buchanan also voted for
the fourth resolution above quoted. See same
Journal page 1921 When the fifth resolution
Il~1a~ -