Squatter sovereign., 1856-04-22
Sflistellaneol1s.
ADDRESS OF
HON. THOMAS L. CLINGMAN,
ON THE POLITICAL CONDITION AND PROSPECT:
THE COUNTRY
OF

OF THE COUNTRY.
FrLLow-cIr1zENs Many letters have,
during the present session of Congress,
been received by me, containing inquiries
in relation to the present political condi-
tion of the country and its future prospects.
Not only in my own District, but elsewhere
throughout the South, there is doubt and
anxiety in the public mind. In my iudg-
ment, there are good grounds for apprc-
hension; and adopt this as the most ap-
propriate mode of communicating my views
70 you, and shall speak with that frankness
tnat l am accustomed to use when discuss
ing political topics in your presence.
That the ultimate destiny of our pres
ent political system will be determined by
events soon to occur, is most probable. If
the perils which threaten it, are properly
understood by the people, they will he
averted, and we may we'll hope for a long
career of prosperity under our existing
form of government. The danger which
INV AllSIuCCo tliC SAiStCIlCS. VI TIC Il CQCldl
Union, arises from feelings of hostility en-
tertained in the North towards the South
EN- section, and especially the institution
of negro slavery as it exists among u.s..
To indicate fully the nature of the evil
which impends, it may be necessary TO re-
view some points that have already been
brought to your notice by myself and
others, in former discussions. So great is
the interest involved, however, in the ques-
| tion, that you will, know, fellow-citizens,
pardon some recurrence TO familiar topics.
When the Constitution OF the United
States, was originally adopted. twelve OF
the States were slavehoiding, one of the
old thirteen only having abolished the In
stitution. In forming the Constitution,
therefore,, no power was givento the gene
raj government to interfere with slavery in
the way of abolishing it, or even restrict
ing it to any particular territory Or limits,
but each State retained lis former right TO
act for itself with reference to the subject
The only powers given the federal gov.
ernment, were plainly bestowed on it for
the protection and defence of the institu-
tion in such of the States as desired to re-
tam it. Itwas provided that slaves should
be represented in Congress, so as to in
crease the weight of the slaveholding
States; secondly, that all such as might
run away, should be restored to their own.
ers; and thirdly, that for the period of
twenty years. Congress should not prevent
the importation OF such additional slaves
as the States might desire to add to their
existing numbers. 1t is thus manifest,
that while ample power was given the
government to defend slavery as long as
any one State might desire to retain it,
there was allowed TO it not the shadow of
authority TO abolish, or even to assail, the
institution.
For. thirty years after its adoption, the
provisions of the constitution were main
tanned. and under their operation, some of
the Northern States having in the mean
time sold most Of their slaves to the South
ern people, to whom such property was
worth more than it could be In the North,
abolished the system, while several new
States, both free and slaveholeing, had
been admitted into the Union. The fede-
raj government, in the meantime, had pro-
perly abstained from all interference with
the subject. In the year 1920, the State
of Missouri offered herself fer admission
into the Union, with constitution recog-
nising slavery. The application met with
violent opposition from the North. This
was owing to the course of certain leaders
OF the old federal party. In such Of the
Northern States as had abolished slavery,
there was feeling against it. As the
difference between white men and ~
groes had not then been much noticed or
understood, it vas not difficult to enlist
the sympathles of the people there, in fa-
vor of the slaves of the South; and the
leaders, therefore, of party that had been
overthrown and rendered odlous, by IN
aammatory appeals in favor of universal
liberty and denunciation of the slave pow
er of the South. aroused strong feeling
| throughout the entire North, so tha: a body
OF representatives were returned from that
section hostile to the application of the
new State, though her constitution was. in
respect to slavery, similar to those of a
majority of the old States. After an ex-
citing struggle, an act was passed pro-
posing to allow Missouri TO come into the
Union, bat declaring in one of its clauses