The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-09-22
Mr. CALHOUN ON THE DOCTRINES OF PRO-
TEETION.

LECTION.
The opponents Of the doctrine that the South
Is entitled to- Congressional protection of slave
property in tho Territories. are paradug will,
considerable cXuItation, the following extract
from a speech made by Mr.. Calhoun in 1913.
~ hold that justice and the Constitution are
the easiest and safest ground on which the uucs
tion can DO settled, regarded in reference to
party. 1t may he settled on that ground simply
by non. action, by leaving the territories free
and opcn to the emigration Of all the world. II
a party cannot safely take this broad and solid
position aud successfully maintain it, what other
cau il take and maintain!'
Tho reference by all parties to the views Of
the great Catolnau us the touchstone Of sound
hess Mpon every question affecting the rig nte "f
the South, is well deserved tribute to the iidc-
l y with which he watched over her interests.
Every pulsation of his heart was fur the South.
His voice was never silent when her rights were
Mt stnke. lis record cannot now be invoked s
authority for withholding at nr title Of her
constitu ional rights Separated from its conncc.
tion with the argument which he was making.
the extract from his speech may seem tu sustain
those who favor the doctrine of non aciio on hut
when it is remembered that ,l.. question before
him was whether Congress should lrri>la,c for
the establishment or the abolition at slavery,
upon that issue his position was then, us ours Is
now, that all the South wanted WAS action
Upon that question. "JuS,ic" and thu Consli,u-
ton are the easiest aud safest ground" which
the rights Of the South could rest; but Il" tile
dreamed that the sentiment which he then III
tered. and to tho advocacy Of wheel, the Dem"
cratic party became subsequently committed,
would ever be quoted as authority for the d"cirin.
that Congress could withhold from the South
such legislation mi yht he necessary I" scrrrc
those lights which Justice an'l the t"ns,iiu
ton guaranteed tn her citizens III the crrit"rirS
Mr.. Calhoun himself States the question which
he was discussing i'll that very speech, us fol
lows:
THE first question which offers itself for
Eideration is-IIave the Northern Stat Is tn"
power which they NAV claim to prevent tn"
Southern people from rngrning freely with tlnIr
property into territories belonging to the United
Stat.s, and TO inonopuzc them for their exclusive
benefit"
And it in rcS)mns" 1" that question: and
combating the d"cr,ne Of the " iImot Pr"visn
which was then the position maintained by the
anti slavery party cl the N"r,l, that hc gave
utterancc to the sentiment which the most
ultra advocate of the pr"ie theory will cu-
dorse
4" hold that Justice am the Constitution
are the cascS, and safest grounds which thia
question can be- settled. regarded in rrl..rcn"c 4"
party. II may he settled on that ground simply
by n"i-actiun, by leaving the territories free and
"rcn 10 the emigration OF all the world ]! u
party crnn"t safely tax" thus broad and solid Io
sitIOn and successfully MAINTAIN II, What other
can it take n. mainian.'
Nor left 10 Inference :S TO what
Mr. CaIl,"uns ,n"aning i'll these words. IN ihe
debate witt, Mr. Webster on the @ih Of Fc!ru
AIRY, lsl?, lie anticipates this very Interpretation
Of his views and gives uteramcc L" these words.
which could not more pril:'cdly vindicaie ms
position, were he summoned frum his grave to
80 Said he Il certainly never c"ntended
that the constitution WAS Of itself Sufficient for
the government Of the territories withp t
the intervention of Legislative enacin"nts'
by what authority are these legislative cha ct
nents to he made! Where il tn" power lodged
TO which we are to look, for these Legislative
"mac,ments. without which the Constitution Is
Insufficient for the government of the territory.
Let Mr.. Calhoun himself answer Speaking
"f the powers Of the general government, in his
celebrated discussion with Benton he said g lis
power and authority, having for It's object tn"
more perfect protection anI promotion Of the
safety and rights OF each aud ALL il is bound t."
protect by lis mnile'l power. til: safety, the rights
the property, and the interest of the citizens "f
all wherever its authority extended. That was
the object f"r comforting whatever authority il
has, and if il fails to fulfill that, it fails to perform
the dutT for which it, was created. 1T is enough
for it to know, that it is the right property Of II
citizen of one of these States, to make il its duty
10 protect IL wherever it comes within the sphere
of lis authority, whether i'll the territories on
the high seas, or any where else. Its power
nnd authority were conferred ON II. not 10 cstab
lIsh or abolish property. or rights Of any de-
tcrIpton, but TO protect them. To establish or
abolish belonging to the Staic-, in their separate
sovereign capncity-the capacity in which they
created both the general and their separate State
government. 1t would he then, Il total an gross
lcrversion Of its power aud authority TO Use
them to establish or abolish Slavery or any other
property Of the citizens Of the United Si.,es,
'n the Territories. All the power it has in that
tcspcct, IL TO recognize as property th"r" what
ever is recognized as such by the authority of
any one OF the States, ills own being but the
united authority Of each and all Of the States,
and 10 adopt such laws for it's regulation and
protection US the state Of the case may re-
Inre."
Where now is the authority for quoiug Mr.
Calhouns great name against L. right of the
South to the protection Of her rights in the Ter.
r'toriesi So far from sustaining those who would
eacrtice those rights upon The altar Of party
harmony. had tho great Southern leader been
spared to take part in th. discussion Of this qncs
lion, hc c"ul'! rot more forcibly have nainia aimed
the cause of his section. than he has already
done III the record which lie has left behind him
Let no Southern man al least invoke. that record
ns shield for the abandonment of our right
Spirit Of The !So"ih.
tr0m tie London Times