Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-09-13


ToHN C. CALHOUN on 2R0C7CrlcN.
o.: Of y ,.io.,' ..s'orishlnc pcrversiOnS Of
,.lsiu ,c. ct thai political regeneration has
s.v,n rise 70, Is tn >acrii -;pUs attempt 10 ar
-, ,rc :uthor:ty Z. the Great Carolinan
a-:iHs: tie Gc!tnderG OF the right OF slave
ir!..:s 10 Congressional protection 10 slave
property in the Territories. The Memphis "Ap-
peal and Montgomery Confederation pub
lshcCi, recently, what purported TO be All extract
from his speech Oh the territorial organization
o: Oregon, recommending Roh-dction on the
subject Of the prohibition or establishment OF
slavery in the Territory, and these journals
perverted it to the unauthorized purpose of
sustaining the Douglas doctrine, that Congress
shall lot icgislatc for the protection OF slavery
in the Territories
Vita tic same purpose, the Confederation,
OF the coth inst, has quoted a paragraph,
entitled Tile 1,~timony cf Calho"n, de-
cla-ins:
NV object is to preserve | am thoroughly
conservative in m, politics. wish to main-
tain things as find them established. ] am
satisfied with them and am of the opinion that
they cannot he changed for the better hold
il to be difficult to get :, good government, and
still more difficult t. reserve it; Is believe
good government to b the greatest Of earthly
blessings | would be adverse to the overthrow
Of ours. cvcn il thought it greatly inferior to
what do. in :hc hope o. establishing a better"
The Confederation docs not cite the time or
occasion on which this was said, and we do not
know in what connection it was used. We
yeculicct Mr. Calhouus using some such Ian
ruasc. and presume he is correctly quoted The
CoArelsratioa says:
lie had thoroughly studied the nature re-
MUS and character Of the Federal Constitution.
and understood the true relations which the
State and Federal Governments occupy reSpcc-
t;relr, the enc 10 tic other. lie had witnessed
many conflict between them, was himself
prominent actor in some OF the collisions con-
tending for State EishtS--yet he was willing
t. abide b.: and aclGicScc III tl!e prccedcntS rs
cxpcundcd and decided 10y the Executive, Legs
ls,yc and Judicial TRIBUNALS % the county"
We heartily endorse the quotat!on from Cal
iolm With the C9gttde5a!ia"% present. po-
ltical ailiniteS, however, the q1otation Is cvi-
tcntv designed TO .Slsta;n:s position OF renun-
citation OF Southern right, under the Constitu-
ton aS interpreted BY the bred Scott Decision.
Mr.. Cahouns object vas To preserve the Con-
stitu.ion inviolatc, and he wished 20 maintain
the Government - lie found II established I'M
der the Constitution. doing, rs its iramcis in
zcns, projecting thc,, in lie, liberty and pro-
pertv, aud naint. lining the rights aud equality
o. the States in every respect. OF course, he
was and ought to have been adverse 10 the over
throw OF such constitutional government
We arc glad that tie Con.T,J.rdtioA retains
its reverence for Mr.. C.'s opinions, notwitl;-
sanding its reputation OF the example 1t 50
hchv commendS. FOR instance. it is unwil-
linz TO abide by and acquicSce in the bred Scott
tecls!on, which declares that "thc only power
Congress has over slavery is the power cou-
plea with the dnty Of guarding and protecting
it, II is opposed to Congress doing its duty
Of guarding and protecting slavery.
NJ. C.lhouuS thorough study OF the natarc,
genius and character of the Federal Constitu-
ton, and understanding Of the true relations Of
the State and Federal Governments toward each
other, was never better illustrated than in his
address to the people Of the Southern States, in
Aug. 1919 in reply to an attack oil Col. Benton.
.aiter successfully contrOvcrting the doctrine.
tha; Congress may legiSlate as it plcases on the
subject Of slavery in the Territories, and en-
planning the character AID object Of the Gene
raj Goye-G;nc:t, l!r Calhoun uses the follow
ne l;.Ncu,;e. which W. counvnd to tine Con-
J; .eret,o. .ippc0 aa'; Other defenders OF
Ooa lass heresirs:
81 n i, cicar!; t.io character and object OF
the Cereal GovernEsnt. and Of the authority
ami rors,y ccait.rcd on it. Its power and au-
thoity havin. for lis object the more perfect
protection and promotion Of the safety and
rights Of each and all, % Is boand TO protect,
bv It's united power, the safety the right, the
property, and the interests Of the citizens Of
all wherever its authority extends. That was
the object of comforting whatever power and
-. L. III - al. r.l..t -. =.
fails TO perform the duty for which it was Gre
ated Il is enough for it to know that it is the
right, interest or property Of citizen Of one Of
the States to make 1t its daty I" protect II
whenever it comes within the sphere Of its au-
thoriiy, ,caether az tie Ie'rstories, or or me
hiyh seas, or aay,caeyc else. Its power and
authority were conferred on it, not to establish
or to abolish property. or rights OF any des-
cciptlon. Tut to prot ect them. To establish or
abolish belongs to tho States, in their separate
sovereign capacity the capacity in which they
created Doth the General and their separate
State Governments. It would be-. then, total
and gross perrersion o! lis power and authority
10 use them to establish or abolish slavery, or
any other property Of the citizens Of the United
States, In the Territories Ail the power it has,
IN that respect, Is 10 recognize as property
there whatever Is recognized AS such bv the
authority of any one of the States, its own
hang 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 require. 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 Babel, as
Col Benton contends. All may co-exist with
out conflict or confusion, by observing the plain
and simple rule Of duty and justice"
Marx! Mr.. Calhoun declares that the Cen
crdl Government is bound to protect by its
united power the safety, the right the pro.
perry, and the interests of the citizens Of
all the States. wherever its authority extends,
whether in the Territories or any where else.
" It's power and authority were conferred on it,
not to establish or abolish property. or rights
of any description, but to protect them" Can
any honest man read this language and ever
again have the hardihood to quote Mr.. Calhoun
as authority for denying Congressional protec-
ton to slave property in the Territories or any
where eles None but man of unblushing
eifrontry dare to do it.