Year: 1859

hustsbe involved in the issue. I feel that l


nakesno extravagant assertion when l say that
hndefsno national party organization will it be
possible for us to extend slavery into any new
State that may be in future added to the I'm
ION. IL do not believe that even in the case of
Texas, if anew slave State were attempted to
be added to the Union, would it be attained by
= majority in Congress. 1 believe that Mr..
Douglas has taken as high a position in favor
pf southern ghts as any northern politician
aafe3d (who expects to sustain himself il pow
er) and yet believe his position is moro
dangerous one for the South than that of Sew
ard, Hale or any other northern abolitionist
Because it is more insidious, and therefore bet
terscalcelated, to divide and distract the South,
and VIII be just as certain to result in the final
sestrgction of our institutions. The issue
made up between our senior Senator and Sc
|iward isithis:-The latter asserts that slavery
fand free labor are antagonistic principles, and
FcannoS eo-exist in the some government the
former denies this proposition. As an original
pquestion Senator Hammond may be right, but
Jas practical question to be determined under
the existing state of public sentiment North
and South, think Senator Seward right. The
Overwhelming influence of the North, in our
national affairs, will never allow the extension
Eof slavery into new Territories, whilst there
are northern landlcss poor, who are u need Of
1T and the emigration of foreign pa6pers will
always keep enough Of landless poor on hand
to fill up all our Territories as fast as they are
feady to come into the Union and when all
the STerritories arc filled, if not before, then a
war Of determination will be wagcd on. the
border States until our bounds will become so
circumscribed as to force.our children to flee
from their domestic institutions as from pes.
thence If this system of destruction to us
and our institutions shall not be fast enough
for our northern masters, tariffs and other aids
can complete the work. am aware that this
is gloomy picture of the future, and doubt
not that all of that class of our politicians, who
are thinking more of the spoils of government
than the RIG hts of the South, will say that they
are the mere vagarics of an alarinist. l could
wish thai Lam mistaken, but passing events
and the calm reflection of the past six or eight
years has but added strength to these convic-
tions.


All acknowledge that our present position is
one full Of danger to us and to our institutions,
and the great practical question is, what shall
we do tosprotect ourselves. from thc.impcnding
danger? TO one who. il but calm spectator
.of passing events, bat with a full share of COM
mon interest in the fate Of our beloved South,
Il will venture aword Of advice: let the South
discard all idea of national parties as means
sof defending 6ar rights under the constitution.
! FTfiiss deptEdanee has debanchcd: Dur southern
politicians and has gradually killed off all our
true friends in the North Let lis make bold


issue on our rights under the constitution, as
united South, in defence of our wives and chill
dren, and demanding that the agitation
Of the question shall cease, or that we shall be
permitted, pcacably, to withdraw from all po-
litical connection with those. who affect to de-
spise us and our institutions. If the South has
any true friends in the North let them rally as
union party to rcbukc the fanaticism of the
North, which has driven us to this last altcrna-
tive. If the Union-fecling of the North is not
strong enough to rcbuke the fanaticism of its
section, this, of itself would be conclusive evil
dcnce that separation is our only hope for the
salvation of our institutions. The present cf-
fort to preserve our Union is the folly Of seek
ing to govern by the same laws, two distinct
nations with separate orders of civilization, and,
upon the question at issue, even with opposing
moral sentiments, as we'll as intcnsly hostile
feelings, with no other band of Union than
the eighty millions of spos of government and
the honors incident to it. Take this band
away and no one who will calmly consider our
present condition will believe that the Union
would last one year.


Most respectfully, Yours, &C.,


JOHN A. CALHOUN.
To the Committee on Invitation,