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1 John C. Calhoun, Speech of Mr. Calhoun. of South Carolina, on the Slavery Question: Delivered in the Senate of the United States, March 4, 1850 1 (1850)

handle is hein.slavery/spmrrcsc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: No. 1310 SPEECH OF MR. CALHOUN, OF SOUTH CAROLINA, ON THE SLAVERY QUESTION. DELIVERED IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, MARCII 4, 1850. I have, Senators, believed from the first that the agitation of the sub- ject of slavery would, if not prevented by some timely and effective mea- sure, end in disunion. Entertaining this opinion, I have, on all proper occasions, endeavored to call the attention of both of the two great par- ties which divide the country to adopt some measure to prevent so great a disaster, but without success. The agitation has been permitted to proceed, with almost no attempt to resist it, until it has reached a period when it can no longer be disguised or denied that the Union is in danger. You have thus had forced upon you the greatest and the gravest question that can ever, come under your consideration-How can the Union be preserved ? To give a satisfactory answer to this mighty question, it is indispensa- ble to have an accurate and thorough knowledge of the nature and the character of the cause by which the Union is endangered. Without such knowledge it is impossible to pronounce, with any certainty, by whpt measure it can be saved; just as it would be impossible for a physician to pronounce in the case of some dangerous disease, with any certainty, by what remedy the patient could be saved, without similar knowledge of the-nature and character of the cause of the disease. The first ques- tion, then, presented for consideration, in the investigation I propose to make, in order to obtain such knowledge, is-What is it that has endan- gered the Union? To this question there can be but one answer; that the immediate cause is the almost universal discontent which pervades all the States composing the Southern section of the Union. This widely extended dis- content is not of recent origin. It commenced with the agitation of the slavery question, and has been increasing, ever since. The next question, going one step further back, is-What has caused this widely diffused and almost universal discontent? It is a-great mistake to suppose, as is by some, that it originated with demagogues, who excited the discontent with the intention of aiding their personal advancement, or with the disappointed ambition of certain poli- tii~ians, who resorted to it as the means of retrieving their fortunes. On the contrary, all the great political influences of the section were arrayed Towers, printer, corner of' Sixth street and Louisiana avenue.

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