The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-01-22
SECTIONAL EQUILIBRIUM-"THE ULTIMA.
TUM OF THE SOUTH"

TUM OF THE SOUTH"
Ii but single article had appeared in the
hachmond Enquirer, Mr.. Buchanans lead.
ing Southern organ, insisting upon equality
OF representation in the Senate, as the ulti
matum OF the South, it might have been re
garded as mere notion, thrown off under
the necessity of furnishing copy to the printer
But the fact that the subject is discussed
In its columns from day to day, that the posi-
tior is urged with infexible pertinacity, and
every device is resorted to for the purpose
of uniting the shareholders in support of the
demand, evinces deliberate purpose to exact
submission from the Democratic Party in the
free States, and to make the Administration
OF Mr.. Buchanan the instrument for carrying
the policy into effect.
The Richmond clique is hopeful: it seems
to admit no doubt of the success of its scheme
In the attempt to solve the problem how to
maintain equality of power between the North
and South-in plain words, how to make the
| slaveholding caste of $4,000 persons, equal
in political power to the twenty. five millions oil
People of the United States" some of the fore
most minds" says the Enquirer shave been
employed" Mr.. Calhoun's solution of the
problem was, " a dual Executive in the Fed
eral Government" "To say nothing of other
objections to this plan," says the Enquirer
sit demands a modification of the Constitu
ton, it involves an appeal to the reason and
conscience of the North, and it implies the
assent and concurrence of the Anti-Slavery
Power wherefore the scheme is an obvious
| impossibilty."
But" it continues "there is nothing i'm
practicable in the idea of preserving an equi-
librum of strength between the sections in
| the Senate, and 80 arming the South with a
power of veto on illegal and oppressive legis-
lation against its rights and institutions. To
this end, nothing is necessary but to revert to
the original policy of the Government, and, for
| every new free State, to demand an equivalent
accession of strength to the South This policy
is so perfectly fair and equal, that no reason
able man can oppose it, and it can hardly fail
to command the appreciation of conservative
people in the North. In the event, however,
OF factious resistance, the South has the power
to compel the concession of its demands"
Keep in view the precise practical conclu-
sion to which this policy, SO peremptoriy in
sisted upon, points. First, the Senatorial equi-
librium must be restored, by the admission of
Kansas as slave State. Mr.. Buchanan and
his Northern friends must not only yield this,
but work to accomplish it, on pain of incurring
the open hostility of the Southern Party.
This accomplished, Minnesota, Oregon, Wash.
| ington, and Nebraska, must be kept out, until
an equal number of slave States can be got
ready. The Northern and Western Democra-
| cy may grumble, but it has Senators in Wash
| ington who will submit to the aoominable de-
mand. The Enquirer evidently relies upon
them to sustain policy which it designates as
the original policy of the Government"
BY the way, this assumption deserves few
remarks. The original policy of the Govern.
ment was, to limit Slavery to the States in
which it existed, and to facilitate its extinction
| by those having constitutional authority. As
| for extending Freedom and Slavery together
maintaining an equilibrium between free and
slave States, and increasing them pari passu
nobody dreamed of it. Why violate the truth
| of history?
When the Constitution was formed, all the
States but one or two were slavehoding, and
the probabilities were that Delaware and Ma
ryland would become free States almost as soon
as New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey
When, therefore, application was made by Yer
mont and Kentucky for admission, no regard
was paid to any "equilibrium" between free
and slave States, for none existed. Vermont
Kentucky, and Tennessee, were parts of origi
nal States; they were getting ready for admis
| sion before the Constitution was formed the
Constitution contemplated their admission, anC
they came in successively, without the slightes
| reference to the question of Slavery. Congress
passed an act, February 4, 1871, for the organ
| ization of Kentucky, and it was admitted june
l, 1892; February Is, 1871, for the organiza
ton Of Vermont, and it was admitted March A
1891. Tennessee was admitted June l, 1896
fur years after the admission of Kentucky
Ohio came in November 30, 1902; Louisiana
April 8, 1872 Indiana, December III, 1916
Here were six States admitted in the course o
twenty five years from the formation of thu
Government, and no two came in at the same
time-indeed, with the exception of Kentuck
and Vermont, the intervals between their time
Of admission range from four to ten years
This pari passm policy, then, has no sanction
in the original usage of the Government. Ne'
States were admitted, whenever they wer
ready, and desired it, without regard to tn
Calhoun equilibrium policy.
The following table shows the dates of tn
admission of the other new States
Mississippi December 10, 1917.