Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-09-04
L.,,sr from John c. Calhoun.

We I60Ouut6u tu0 toOs toos 49,
stringen. e~1srtion 10 l847, to secure the
Congressional enactment OF q fugitive slave
Law, was regarded at the time BY many lea
ing states men of the South, and especially BY
Mr.. Calhoun, az the attempt OF . visionary
enthusiast. This historical testimony to the
extraordinary .sgacity which guided Mr..
F.ulknel's efficient efforts for the protection
of slave property, has doubtless awakened tie
curiosity of many of our readers, who like
ourselves, have been eagerly DESTROYS to Pc
ruse a document bearing the reversed sigma
ture of John G. Calhoun, and devoted to a
confidential expose of his views on . ques-
ton of such importance. We have succeed.
ed in obtaining from Mr.. Faulkner a copy Of
this precious historical relic, which We trans.
fer to our columns to dsy.-Rich. Eng.
A Letter from John G. Calhoun to the Hon.
Charles j. Faulkner, urging the necessity
for extraordinary efforts for the protection
Of slave property, in 1877.
FORT HILL, lst Auguht, l847.-My Dear
Sir: | regard the occurrence which led to the
meeting and the proceedisgs of the clt'zsns
Of Hsgerstown, q copy OF An account Of
which accompanies your letter, as one which
claims the solemn attention Of every man
who loves his country, and desires to perpet.
uste its institutions.
l have read your letter and the proceed
ings Of the meeting, and the act of the Legis-
lature Of Pennsylvania, which led to the ira
gical event. with grief and indignauon.-
With grief not only for the late OF a worthy
citizen, but for the consequences to which 1t
10 calculated to lead; and with indignation,
at the deliberate and undisguised V~iolatlon
of the Constitutional compact by the State OF
Pennsylvania. There is not on record a more
deliberate aud uDdisguiSed breach of faith
and the solemn obligation OF oath. 1t We OF
tle %sla1eholding States should permit one, to
US, Of the most important provisions OF the
Constitution to be thus trampled on with scoln
aud contempt, and one Of their wortbiest
citizens to be murdered 10 his attempt to Sc
cure the rights guaranteed to him by 1t to
pass with IMMUNITY, We shall richly deserve
The late that will most assuredly await U.s.
1t will not end with emancipation as bad az
that would be. That would be the begin
ming. | see clearly the whole train OF oalami-
ties, which would bsfall Us. l cannot trace
them in a letter; but they will be greater than
ever before beiell g people. Tue condition
VI lTelduu NOulu UC q otot W u Oiioo ~ NoAo'
But let me say neither Virginia Or Maryland
can escape them. As soon as Abolition be-
comes efficient, the States to the South Of
you, will prevent the purchase or the emf
grafton of your negroes, free or slave, while
those North and West of you will prevent
their egress in either direction. You will be
hemmed 10 with your black population, as
every other slave State will be, while the
non-slaveholdiog States will never cease their
agitation until blacks are placed in all re-
spects 90 an equality, politically and social
ly, with their former masters, when they
would govern US and our posterity, through
our former slaves and their posterity. Think
not | look TOO far ahead, or that | am de-
ceived. see the future thus far, if We do
not meet and repel the attack, as clearly as |
do the rising of the sun tomorrow.
You ask my opinion as to the remedy,
and, 10 the first place, "whether the leRisla-
ton Of Congress can reach the diseased" l
do not see how it can. The act of Pennsyl-
vsnia is in open defiance and contempt both
of the Constitution and Congress, and can
not be reached, of course, but by sutjecting
the Courts Of the State and it's officers to the
Jurisdiction Of the Courts Of the United
States, in the performance of their oficialdu-
ties; which, 10 my opinion, we have no right
to do. But, if we had, it would be impossi-
BILE to pass such an act.
You next ask, lis there any countervsiling
legislation within the power Of the Southern
Stater?" answer, yes, and the most efec-
tusl; bat to make it 80, it would require their
united action. The peace, security and in
So,o ,ol,ou rs kha Sfofoo - olranlu a ri
their reserved powers, and acknowledged 30
to be in reference to their security so far as
health il concerned, az the passage of the
quarantine laws by most of the States prove.
The same principle applies to intercourse OF
every description which may endanger the
peace, security or the domestic institutions of
a State. Its application to all commercial in-
tercourse, sea wise or by river, would at once
bring the non slsvebolding States to their
senses. 1t would execute itself. 1t would
give to the South direct trade, and make our
capitals what theirs now are,
and would transfer their shipping and man
ufactures from their cold and barren region
to our more genial and fertile. 1t would, in
particular, make Baltimore, Norfolk and
Richmond what New York, Philadelphia aud
Boston now are. The very menace that We
were prepared to take such a step, unless the
guarantees of the Constitution should be re-
spected by Pennsylvania, and the other non-
slaveholding States, would bring them at
once to terms. You will 6nd the principle
fully illustrated aud established in a report
and speeches made by me on the circulation
of incendiary publications. through the mail.
They are contained in a volume Of my reports,
speeches, DC, &c, published, some years
since, by Harper Il Brothers of New York,
and may, no doubt, be had from them.
You next ask "whether there is any hope
that Pennsylvania would repeal Its act, on
proper representation" / doubt it, and
doubt whether it would, 10 the end, do any
good. Now if ever, in my opinion, is the
time to bring the question to issue. The
logger it is delayed, the worse in the end,
both for us and the Union. | have al
ways so believed. But, if it should be
thought Otherwise, l would by oil means
recommend, DOT to beg or expostulate, but
demand the repeal on the highest ground OF
right and constitutional obligation, assum.
ing it at once. without argument, that the
act is an open and fragrant breach OF faith
and constitutional obligation. To entreat
would be degrading, and would but aggra-
vate the evil. The higher and holder the
tone, the better. The Commissioners, if it
be deemed advisable for Maryland and
Virginia TO appoint them, should be men of
high and decided character, and no; party