The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-04-11
lFrom the National Era \
Admission Of New States---yIinnesota
Bill---SenatOrial Equilibrium.

The Slaveholding Glass is the only Glass
recognised in the Slave States as possessing
political power. 1t controls their legislation
and social institutions. Governors, Legisla-
tors and Judges, are chosen from its ranks
The Senators and Representatives in Con-
gress, the Judges on the Supreme Bench,
the members of the Federal Administration
coming from the Slave States, belonging to
that Class, and are the exponents of its
opinions and policy. There may be few
exceptions, only enough, however, to confirm
the truth of the general proposition.
An educated and wealthy Class addicted
to politics; trained to habits of comin% nd :;
ambitious with Peculiar Interest to care
for, at once the source of power and weak
ness, always knitting them together as a SOL
id phalanX, where its safety or aggrandize-
ment is concerned; welding the whole Fed
eral power Of the Slave States-it is no won-
der that it should have obtained so control
ling an influence over the Federal Govern
ment.
In hopeless minority in the House of
Representatives, it has labored long and sue
eessfully, through party antagonisms in the
free States, to divide the majority, and
strengthen itself by an alliance with one
section of it. But its great object has
been, to maintain what it styles an equilibri-
um in the Senatc-a numerical quality be-
tween free State and slave State Senators,
SO as to secure the power Of an abs lutte veto
on all legislation.
1t was in furtherance of this policy, as
well as to extend the field of slave-labor
staples, that Texas was annexed to the
Union, and that subsequently, territory was
wrested from Mexico, out of which, it was
supposed, mig be carved number of slave
States to counterbalance those to be formed
from the Northwest Territory dedicated to
Freedom. The scheme was shrewdly con-
ceived-four slave States in Texas, four in
the Territory acquired from Mexico! No
need, then, of the repeal of the Missouri
prospective equilibrium was
secured. .....
Unfortunately for the success of the
scheme the discovery of the gold mines OF
California, the sudden rush of free popula-
ton to the Territory, and the independent
organization of free State Government,
followed in rapid succession. Was it sur
prising that the Slaveholding Class fought
with so much desperation against q move
ment that effectually baffled its cherished
policy-that the country was convulsed by
the struggle-that the extreme men of the
South seemed almost ready to leap upon the
perils of Disunion2
But, California was admitted as free
State-Senatorial equilibrium was lost-the
Tree States, already assured of an increasing
majority In the House, now had the control
OF the Senate. 1t twas then that Mr.. Calhoun,
looking over the broad domain of Freedom,
the nursery of free States, destined slowly,
but inevitably to augment indefinitely in the
Senate, the majority over the members OF
the Slaveholding Oligarcby, began to talk of
the necessity of dual Executive, or some
new device to hold in check the power of the
Free States. But, more feasible plan pre-