Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-07-11
From the Charleston Mercury.
TQuchauRn Ola slavery


| ticle. that MIR. Buchanan, both by his votes and
speeches was ready to put down agitation, and
TO respect the rights of the South in reference to sa
very in the District OF Columbia. Throughout the
year 1886. we find him steadily voting against the
petitions. and denouncing agta ion add when in
spite of this policy Abolition still obtruded itself in
Congress- in 1887, Mr. Buchanan stood side by side
with Mr.. Calhoun. voting TO lay the question OF re-
ception the table. His record is certainly clear
on this point.
1t has been said, and in South Carolina, that Mr.
Ruc anan &c Freesoiler." This startling ale
CATION is made the strength of certain expressions
| used by Mr.. Buchanan in his speech on Texas We
shall hereafter consider that speech meanwhile. we
invite our readers to earlier proofs upon the subject
! In March, 1885, Arkansas applied for admission
into The Union and Mr.. Buchanan presented the pc
tition and reported the bill He stated that he had
been requested by the Delegate from Arkansas to
take barge of the application of that Territory to be
admitted into the Union, and that he had cheerully
taken upon himself the performance of The Duty
His own constituents in Philadelphia demonstrated
against the admission of Arkansas, with slavery in
| her Constitution But Mr.. Buchanan remained firm
TO his position, and in speech delivered in the Sen
ate on the 4th of April, 1886 said &c he considered
| the commomse which had been made when Nilsson
RI was admitted into he Union, as having settled the
question of slavery in the new Southwestern States"
| Was this the language of freesoier! Arkansas
was The first slave State which had applied for ad
mission into the Union during Mr. Buchanan's
and on this occasion find him not only voting
for, but advocating the measure aniw opposition to
the circumstances of The people OF Pennsylvania.
| In December, 1897 Mr.. Calhoun Submitted, in the
Senate, certain resolutions, which, after considerable
debate and so lie notifications, were adopted In The
| following form:
l. Resolved, That, in the adoption of the Federal
Constitution, the States adopting the ac'ed.
seVeray, free, independently and sovereign States;
and thai each, for ITSELF by lis voluntary assent
entered the Union with the view to it's increased Sc
curty against all dangers domestic wei! fore ign
and the perfect and secure enjoyment of its ad-
vantaees, NATURAL political. and social,
2. RESOLVED, That in deIegating portion of their
powers to be exercised by the Federal Government,
Ire States retained, severay the exclusive and sole
right their domestic institutions and police
to the full extent to which those powers del
egated and are alone responsible for them and that
any intermeddlng Of any States, q
com bnatiOn of their citizens, with the domestic in
sttutions and police of the others, on any ground
political, moral, or religious, or under any preteXt
whatever with the view to their alteration subver
sion, is not warranted by The Constitution tending
cndanger the domestic peace and tranquility of The
States lntetered with, subveGsve of the objects for
which the Constitution formed, and by neces-
sary consequence, lending weaken and destroy the
| Union itself.
! 3 ResolUed, That this Government was Instituted
and adopted by the several States OF this Union
common agent in order 10 carry into effect the powers
which they had delegated by the Constitution TO: their
mutual security and prosperity; and that in fulfil
ment of this high and sacred trust this Government
bound so to exercise its powers not to interfere
with the stability and security OF the domestic lnstl
tutions of the States that compose the Union; and
that it is the solemn duty of the Government 10 re-
sst, to the extent Of constitutional power, all at
tempts by one portion Of the Union to it an
instrument to attack the domestic institutions of an
other, or to weaken or destroy such institutions
4. ResolUed, That domestic slavery, it exists in
the Southern and y estern States of this Union,
composes important part of their domestic Insti-
tutons, inherited from their ancestors and existing
the adoption of the Constitution, by which it is re-
cognsed as constituting an important statement in
the apportIonment of powers among the States, and
that change of opinion, feeling on the part of
the other States of the Union in relation to IT, can
justify them their citizens in open and sysleme
attacks thereon, with the view to their overthrow
and that all such attacks manifest violation of
the mutual and solemn pledge to protect and defend
each other, given by the States respectively, en-
tering into the constitutional compact which formed
the Union, and as such manifest breach of faith,
and a violation of the most solemn obligations.
5. Resolved That the interference by the citizens
of any of the States, with the view to the abolition
of slavery in this Dlsisrict endangering the rights
and security of The people of the District !; and that
any act or measure of Congress designed 10 abolish
slavery IN this District, would be violation of the
faith implied in the cession by the States of Virginia
and Maryland, just cause of alarm to the people of
the saveholding States, aud have direct and inevi-
table tendency TO disturb and end niger the Union
And RESOLVED, That any attempt of Congress to
abolish slavery in any Territory of the United States
in which it exists, would creale serious alarm and
just apprehension, in the States sustaining that DO
mestc institution; would BE- violation of good faith
towards the inhabitants of any such Territory who
have been permitted to settle with, and hold slaves
therein, because The people Of any such Territory
have not asked for the abolition OF slavery therein.
and because when any such Territory shall be ad-
mitled INFO the Union as State, the people thereof
will be entitled to decide that question exclusively for
themselves,
During the Discussion, Mr.. BUCHANAN said
Con this exciting question desire 10 do nothing,
as member of this body which can, in the slightest
degree interfere With the constitutional rights of the
slaveholding States. My fate, public man is as
deeply saked upon the preservation of these rights
as that of any other individual in the county
have long since taken my slanh, AMI from it Will
not be driven. do not desire TO maintain myself at
hone unless do it avh due regard to the rights
and the safety Of the people Of TIT South. | am pre-
pred, ttereiore to adopt any just measure, within
The pale of the Constitution, settle this dangerous
question, and to afford the greatest security 10 the
slaveholdlng States"
1t will be observed that these resolutions assert
L. The rights and sovereignty of the States, and
the duty OF the Government to protect them against
all dangers, domestic we'll as foreign"
2. They condemn any interference whatever by
the citizens of section, with the domestic nslitu
tons OF the South, as subVersive of the Conslitu.
ton.
3. They condemn any legislation by Congress
which interferes with the stability of the domestic
institutions of the South, and binds it to resist all
attempts at its being used by section of the Union
against the other.
4, They recognize domestic slavery as an essential
element OF the social organization of the South and