The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-08-31

MISSION Are you prepared to surrender the
sovereignty of the United States over whatey
er territory may be hereafter acquired, TO the
first adventures who may rush into it Are
you prepared to surrender virtually to the
Executive department all the powers which
you have heretofore exercised over the terrific
ries p
When the Oregon question was before this
body not two years since, you took (if mis-
take noD universally, the ground that Con-
gress had the sole and absolute power OF legis-
lating for the territories. How then can you
now after the short interval which has elapsed,
abandon the ground which you took, and
thereby admit that the power of legislating
instead of being in Congress, is in the lnhab'-
tants of the territories"
The foregoing quotations honestly and
plainly given by the Avalanche, and its severe
structures upon the reckless authors of the
outrage upon Mr. Calhouns memory, would
seem amply adequate to his full yindication
But we propose to add another, still more to
the point, and, il possible, sill more over
whelming and conclusive. 1t is from his adj
dress to the people Of the Southern States in
August, 1849. In that memorable paper he
employed language and arguments which can
leave no doubt upon the public mind as to his
views upon the territorial question. Travel
ling in advance of the Supreme Court. he as
serted the identical doctrine of the bred Scott
decision, and on this point employed almost
the exact phraseology in which it was clothed
de declared that the federal Government had
no authority to prohibit or establish slavery
in the territories, or wherever its jurisdiction
extends, but that it is boundto adopt such laws
as may be necessary for its protection In
his own strong language he asserts the principle
that power and authority were conferred on
the federal Government, not to establish or to
abolish property or rights of any description
but to protect them But let the wise pat
riot and revered statesman speak for himself
"Such is clearly the character and object of
the general Government, and of the authority
and power conferred ON it. It's power and
authority having for its object the more per-
feet protection and promotion of the safety and
rights of each and all, it is hound to protect by
its united poauer the safety, the rights, the prop
erin, and the interests Of the citizens Of all
,cLereser its authority extends. That was the
object - comforting whatever power and au-
tho;ity it has, and if it fails to fulfill that If
fails TO perform the duty for ,chich 1t ,eas ere
ated. 1t is enough for it to know that it is
the ri5ht, interest or property of citizen of
one of the States, to make it its duty to uotecf
It whenever it comes within the sphere of its
authority, lehether in Me territories or on tie
high seas, OF any acheye else. Its power and
authority were conferred on it not to establish
or to abolish property, or rights of any de-
scription, bit to protect them. To establish or
abolish belongs to the States, in their separate
sovereign capacity-the capacity in which they
created both the general, and their separate
State Governments. 1t would be, then to-
tai and gross perversion of its power and ar-
thority, to use them to establish or abolish
slavery, or any other property of the citizens
Of the United States, in the territories. All
the power it has in that respect is to recognize
as property there ,ohateref IS fecogaizm rs
such 6y the eutaorfty Of any one ofHe Stairs,
its own being but the united authority of each
and all of the States, and to adopt such laws
for its regulation and protection as the state of
the case may reqqire Nor is there the
slightest danger, that the recognition of the
property of citizens of each and all the States
within the territories, would turn them into a
Babel, as Col. Benton contends. All may CO.
exist without conflict or confusion, by observ-
ing the plain and simple rule of duty and
justice
What can be palmer? With our respected
co-laborer of the Huntsville (Ala.l Democrat,
we would ask, can any honest man read this
language, and ever again have the hardihood
to quote Mr.. Calhoun as authority for denying
congressional protection to slave property in
| the territories