Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-08-27
A SOUVENIR OF 1850.

A friend of ours the other day found
in pile of rubbish a fugitive copy of
the Pennsylvania Inquirer and Na-
tional Gazette, bearing the date of
March 7th, 1850. How the paper was
treasured up, filed away, perhaps,
among lot of musty documents, and
at last found it way to Los Angeles,
will never be known. No doubt its
history is one of interest-conld the
tale be told, it would perhaps make a
novel story or a chapter in our Ma
tional history. Twenty four years
ago it received its imprint from the
press, and was sent out to the world as
the latest news. Then it was a matter
of interest for day, and was cast
aside for the next issue, with reports
twenty-four hours later. Nearly q
quarter of century gone by, and the
sheet that was once stale is picked up
in far-distant corner of the country
all of its old interest revived, and
more. 1t has grown into the second
age of the newspaper, when it becomes
an indisputable page in the history of
the country. 1t is somewhat faded, a
little quaint in "make-up," and bears
the streaks of time. 1t is also torn
and tartered by some careless hand,
but it speaks out boldly and clearly,
despite its disadvantages, like the old
timer that it is, and it's age commands
our respect. Only twenty-four years,
and yet what u multitude of events of
national import have been crowded
into that time! Those were the days
when Webster, Clay and Calhoun
spoke in the Senate, and set an exam
| pie for statesmen as long as states
shall exist.
The Inquirer reports the memorable
| speech of John G. Calhoun, delivered
| in the United States Senate on the 4th
of March of that year, and WASH
ington correspondent thus comments
upon 1t:
WASHINGTON, March 4, 1850.-Mr
| Calhoun's speech was read in the Sem
ate to-day, by Mr.. Mason, of Virginia.
We were not disappointed at its con-
tents. 1t was not to be supposed that
| the feelings of lifetime were to be
suddenly dropped, no matter what the
| interests involved, and we therefore
| find Mr.. Calhoun reiterating the same
views, the same distractions, as he
has always dOne-only that on this
| occasion, as if to add fuel to the flame
which he and others assert is spread
| ing throughout the South, they We're,
| if possible, more violent than ever.
He is entitled to all the credit due to
consistency, and having said this, here
all merit ends.
His speech, from the commencement
to the close, was neither more nor less
than disuniOn manifesto. And need
we say that all his points were founded
on false and untenable grounds? His
| theory as to the sovereignty of each
State is as wild as his former Nullifi-
cation doctrine. He considers that the
Federal Union is merely combina-
ton of individual Republics, which
only delegated their powers to the
central government during good be-
havior; each State having the power
to withdraw from the compact when
ever it sees fit. His theory, in fact,
makes the national government less
cohesive than the old confederation,
rendering more analogous to the
Acclaim league. Who can believe that
this is the case?
But Mr.. Calhoun tells the North that
upon them rests the responsibility as
to whether the Union shall continue
or not. And upon what terms are the
North, who have the power, to pre-
vent those "cords from snapping," as
he terms it ? BY agreeing that slavery
shall spread over all the Territories OF
the Union; by forcing public opinion
to go back hundred years, and regard
slavery as blessing; by giving the
South the same numerical representa-
tion in the House and the Senate as
North. Fudge! Much as the people
of the North love the Union, did their
continuance under it depend upon
their adhesion to such absurd, not tC
say degrading conditions, they would
spurn the servile yoke. Fortunately
thank God, such a course is not forced
upon them. Mr.. Calhoun does MOI
speak the voice of the people of the
South-no, nor even of the Southern
representatives now in Washington
His speech carries with it no infiu.
ence.
Mr.. Bells resolutions met with much
favor from Southern members, and we
believe they will form the basis of 6
compromise. If the South will say
they are satisfactory to them, we be-
lieve the North will not stand in the
way of a settlement of the question
Mr.. Webster has decided to address
the Senate on Thursday, and, it is be-
lieved, he will favor the compromise
of the Senator from Tennessee. Mr.
Clay, also, it is believed, is not opposed
to it, SIGMA.
The declaration by "Sigma" tina
this speech carried with it no influence
was sadly at fault. Could he have
foreseen its consummation clever