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.-.-v~~ 0.-/-~. &IIe ot ibglu I/ic liIr. ir ufli McTrpc ur LiIM ruu.S, tInd jji u:[nzz fii I u itill Peish~ (It'l. I ctH Ruins. VOLIYIE XIVb To rron the Pendleton Ma:nsnr. Mr. Calhoun's Reply. TO TilE PEOPLE OF Till sOUTii lRN STATES. ieveral reasons would have prevented ine frtom takin- alny notice of Col. Benl Inn, if his attack in his late speech deliver bd in the capital of Missouri had been di rected exclusively against nc. The line of conduct I nave prese:ibed to myself. in referencb to him is, to have as little to do with hini as possiblle; aid, I necorditgly. hfbver notice what comes from hia, even in his character as Senator, when 1 cart avoid doing; so consistently wilh my public duties. I regard him in a light very dif ferent from what lie scerts to regard me, if we may judge from the frequency and violence of his attacks ott me. lie seems to think I stand in his way, and that I an ever engaged in some scheie to put hitm down. 1, ott the contrary, have tiever for a moient thought of raising hn to the level of a competitor, or rival, nor cottsi dered it of any impottance to me, whether he should be put down'or not. lIe must think he hs something to gain by assniling me; I, on the contrary. feel ihat I have nothing to gain by noticing him, nid-l when compelled to do so att satisfied if I es cape without some loss of self respeca. I have another reason for not desiring to no tice him on the present occasion. All his charges against me, with a few triflitg ex ceptions, are but the reiterations of those often mado heretofore by nyself and others, and which I have met and success fully repelled in tle Sbidtte. 'lhat they made no impression against me at the time, either in the Senate or community, there can be no better proof, Ohait is af forded in the tllorious and tiresine elliot he made in his present speech to revive d give them circulation. the influence of these reasons, I remained silent had I alone d. But such is not thecase. ituch inure at yein than at me for the double par [i -me in your cotnlidence, you and your cause thinks con ho lone !Y, -than directly. Ilfeel it to be har dause to le n. Prom the-be Cih, is to hiaithtful~ . lli of tie free ass while on the ah hinknown hut iasionfs. lie as y have beei Goth to my course; YOU Iasia friend anti supporter and they in regarding me theirs. Judged by appear ject would seem to be to dis usion, whil6 in truth it is, to e you and votr cause what fie hopes ill prove denaly blows. 'iss ihe abolliT tionists and free suilers well understand. The disguise was not as'umted t6 deceive them, but to deceive you. Th'ej tinder eand him, and have hailed n iih acelama tion his speech, and published it and cir culaaed it far anti near, and glorified it and its author to the skies. They rejoice in tle belief that it has demolished me, and this too, while it ihlds me ttp as the truest and best friend to their cause. It retitains to be seen, whether you will understand hims as perfectly as they do, antd will meet the speech. so lauded by them. with the re proltation due to cfirontery and fesertion. It is not the fist time that a deserter ha-s had the assurance to address those he de serted. and while ptofessing regard for their cause, denounced those who rc mtaitted faithftul tO it. Tlhte history of our revolutton lurnishes a notorious instance of the kimtd. The deser'er in that instance failed to deceive t hose w -ham hte addressed. cor ton shter thteir confidence in those w hto remaine'd faithful to them, and in returtt for his ell'rontery antI desertion have sent htis name down to posterity ni ith reprobn tion, it rec.ains t'o be seen n hhter such will be thte fate of thme deserrer in this-in sltnce.-. lie commenccd his speech wvith attack itg the resolutions I oliered to the Sentate, the J9th February. 1847, antd clertges thtat thtey were introduced faor the putrpotse of disuniotn. That you may jnd~ge fair your. selves., whether they are liale to the charge or not, I insert them. - Resolved, That the territories of the Uttited States belong to the several States composing tis Union, and tare hteld lay thetn ats thaetr joint and common property. "Resolved, That Congress, as the jitint agentt and representative of the States oif this Union, has no right to ma~ke atty hav, or do anoy aet whatever, that shall, directly or lay its eflfecas, make arty discrimntion bet ween thte St ates of this Uninm, by which tiny of thetn shall be deprived of its full and egtnal right in any territory of the United States, acquired or to be acquired. ' Recsolved, That the enactmenmt of anty law whtich should, directly, (Jr by its ef fects, deprive the~ citizents of any of the States of this Union frotm emigratnn witht their property into aty of thae territories of thte United States, will ninke suchI ahserinmi nationt, and would, therefoire, be at viola tiotn of the constitutiotn, anal thme rigliats of the States from which such citizens etmi grated, and in dlerogatiotnof thtat perf.ct eqttality w~hiceh belongs to temt as tmemt b ers of thte Unhtm, iad wouatld tetnd directly * to siabvert thec Utnion itself. "Resaolved, That, as a futndatrneatin picipleha in our polit ical cead, a iie in forminitg a con~ stton, lhave thle itnaci n d it ial right to Iernta an at. dopaajt ala a o v-...n,,.ent 'ahith they hmay think bed taGl eulated in secure lilery, prnoperiy and h1appincss ; and tihat, in conloriniv ilheremi, no ither comclictin i- impoecd by dte fedale ral convcitii-ii in ;I Satle, in oinh-r top her adisksion into this Ucio, excecpt that its ecnstliution Ihe republican, aced that the imposjiion of any o'her by CGongres<. woucli ,ot only .e in vioiationi or the con stitutic. but in direct conflict with the principle on which our pohcticai system rests." They are. as you see. confied to as ser:ing principles appe(rtipning to th no tore anl chrctamer f.'icr sysei o f GC vercnenol, and wcaking inferences clearly deducible from tihcim ; acnd which are of vital imporacice, in the qPision he:wcan you and ihe North, in rlaetion to the Wil m1ho Proviso. If the fAcis he, as the reso inionis spacrd. there is nu denying the infe rence ; nid if both he trili ten your right to circite nith your siaves into the cr ritories becoaes umtuestionale under the Ciostituion. . 'his he felt, and henee his hitter denuncintion of ii. Blut be has cMNined himself tn denunc itc iithouc making an ellErc ti refute the resclutions by hon ing they contan erno. cither as if, the facts asserted, or inferences dedcuced. Ile knew that to be bceyond his poncr and prudeily avoided it. Buct, if the resolu Hiuns be true. as he is compelled to ad mit they are by his silence, how can they he a Iirehcrd. as ice enls tham, or he justly chargeable with disunion ? Colonel lenton has his own way of .roving things, which ipiceais to ie vcry satisfaciory to himse', hut to no one w ho will take the pains to examine his assertions and rea sons. I)cparing of finding any ihing like iiuni on in the resolutions themselves. lie seeks for it in tie motive which ie graiaci rously assigns to me for introducing them. le first n.Qerts, thit theyare the prototype Uf Ichse adopted icy ilc Legislature of lis 'Ouri at their late session t and then asserts lat the only difTerence heiween iem is. hat mcine aii directly tt disunion, annd heirs uhimatidy at the same thVir, fMr vhich :e fel"hrs no reason. except that iheirs iedged tihe State to co-operate with the cler slavelcding States. lie hus its mmes. that your aim, as well as inine, i lisunion; acl this, while ie is exerting ictiself to the tmiccost I discret-ditime vicI it, as a disuninis; fir it is apparent his pcech was intended co have its ciects on 2u g encrlly. as well a-4 iis on consli ucits paraciilarly. I H then dragn im the \cconic resolutions to prnve, that the oh ect is n Convecnion if ihe Seuthrn Sint es, ind that lie assumes to be proufconclu ive, that disuinion is intended by my reso utioic. lie is quite horilied at the idea 'f your mceting i jonventionl, in ordlr to :.nsult on the best imode of saving hithIc yourselves and the Union; if indeed the midness oh funtices, and the i reachery of Ileserters sh=uh not make the Iauer im :uosible. lie next asserts, in order to prove tat disunion is tciir objec. that tey recder tile aujustment f the terricorial uresiin impraclicable, and thui that was miy io.ive fbr introducing theim. lie cmnkes this assertico, in the face ()f facis perfectly well known tic himl) ; that thce mrciern ieibers, wiIita very few honor able excepticns, had rcjceted every ellcrt at compromcise, and had declared Iheir 0ixecd deermi aticn not vi arcept of any. it was agninlst ihis arrn' t and icomprc ising course, ihat I olli-redi my resolc tions. It was. then, they and not me, who tcck ;round a haist cccm prreolise or adjuct ment. So fir from this being Irue. I have ever teei iii favoir i4f any fair adjusl Ient, Iliclh w as conisient with your coituioinial rights. o this I give very sctng pcroof :ct IIe very next session, Iy suppor ing the hill rep old by ir. (luy mcn. wich left the dAcisiucn icc ie adjudi entctn of thce conrits. Thle~ hcili wotuhilchave paissedl buct for his associale cs. the ab olion-c iss nIuinre sci lers. andii thle -iestionc icn ccI rceversy betw'een thIe twoe sceliccns. ic referencee 'ticIoli teritries finallyk'si adjited; andce yet, hec knotwinhg all this, ha~s the ef frnery (icc call ci by lit ha~r-Iher namei) to chrge mce, an un t them 1c-, as oppoIcised to(c ay mitusi men t, aindl Iliac t ccFocr cthe base prpoese of desiroeyinig thIe U nioti. B ct all these acssctun lticncs were buti pre litinary toc a chacre, still morem audneious: thati I sctc the reacl auilcor ocf the Wihu~ot 'rovisi). lie caililc ii the Caluhotun prcovisic, andtc says thlnc I iam helter enctitled tco its paernity thasn Wilmccet himscccelf, wichl he accomanieis bcy strong deininciiaios iii ho uriv iso, acid ac lng enumi cerationi of t ho icaccy ndi gireac evils it hias icclici ed on I he cutry. Whaist effrountery ! lie, the aowedl advocate of thce Wilmot pcrnvi.soc, accuses ime cf beinig its it icbor, andle die nouneties it itn lice mcost ciinmiesured I ercms in the sameli spch~i icc whichc Ice praises it andi udeclacres imcself tic Ice ini itc fcavor ! lie wui seemii te be ponereed icl ikeent ofi ie recoil oil lhimlfI n' hcen his cibject is to assail mice. 'There is 1o lterm in the latn uge~g, hiy wihi siuch a cominaitionill of i.sincceily, inconcsislecy, andcu braenc el, Froitervs Ica hecharaucerised. Th~e waiy in wich lie at temp is teo maike ecut his as sertiocns, ate iin keingii n~ ithc their einarac ter. lie liust assccmccs t hat lce W'tiot l'ru vio andci ice .I :issouri i~complromisie ace iedeticlly lice smte', and- then undcercnke-s tI prov~e ilcuc I Stml Ihe aicehcec of tihe latter, and, iif coeurse, alsc eef ihce larcmerc. 'This muclst lie at pie~cer stracnge indtelligendce io air. Clay amic is Itrieds andc acdmtirers. I hadie :so 1pedec. iherne was cno dubcit nA haccever as teo his becing chic ueai anibecr eef thce alis sour Copoie it In:i11h whoc de viedi ithe mce-,-lcce, ineucedi it ieto 'he. ileecse if Iliieptouo.dve s, em'iid ii lhe'ccugh bcy inc, .ebh.leie., ancd ' elti;d itt lice , .ejdcnl~c ulo 1,ecio..t iscthcu . 1 it li tIe cruel to strip him of the honor of hemn its anthor at this Ila te, aill to Ibetoiw ii up~onnsther, whi no oon ever s4lpected oif bieing suntil Cioncl HIenion discover ell if. ini. if he crgId really naIke out, thit I nm tlie nuthor of th itMissouri com-pro ilihe. tie must ,o one step further it make ne the author of ihe Wilmot Proviso. Ilt inust prtavei thle two ieauret to be ideniti cal; jhis he has no d&ne or even attempt ed. Itsiend of that te INs ad''pteud liS Usuial course of assuring whar lie is inca piahIe of pros ing. I' ii a very engy way I reach a concuincion tat is dusired. In this tot, he has isclosed his wonderful ap 1itide insee what no one ever belore saw or suspected. Ileretofore ril had slp posed that 1hey wete very dill'erent thin;s -that a compromise aso essetia l to one, while fihe o tier necessarilv excluded it that one pre-spposes a conflict ofr pinon between p'rties, o a question o righ't or exptdiency, io have been 7ijsted on griono, in which teither srirendered its riit s or opinion. 'The otier, ott the coin Itrary, prc-soupposes a piositive arseriion (if right cor opinion to t he exclusion of all com promise. Thus, in Iie case of the .\lis s0111i coipromii4c, the nircti and soth dil fered ol the coutilntional iqiestion, whe ther Congress had iti right to prohibit iti inroduction of slaves, as a condition of admiitting a Sinic into fhe Uinin. One contended, that Congress had tie right to impose whalever condition it miight think proper on a territory Abunt to become a State. anod the other, t hi had no rginttt impose Ilny, except 11hat lpscribled by the CnstitIuiuon, that its governmenthoul be republican. The nri. in Iht case, waived ihe claim of power. on thie pro posa! made by Alr. Clay, to fix the north Pro lines oft ti erriory. into which slves ight be introdtlCl at 3G J0. This pro linsal, although made by a snouthern mcm her, was taken up and carried by the vte ofl the north, nid thus beeamcin 'act, Iheir ll'er to c rojmtnise. The south ttinqieseed, without. however, yielding her priniciples, or asseing or diesenting as to he poiver of Congreiss, to exlIude slavery from the trcrilonies. If was a cnipro. inise, itn wvhieh both waivel, but neither ielded its opinion, as to c power of Con ;ress. Very different was ihe cast in reference In the Oregon hill. pai-ed at the session preceding i ig th lInst. There he ilnorth con slavy alrom al the territories, and fu lotlned lheir determinatio in (11) so, tgnlist the eflorts of the south to compro tni.o the qjuestion, by extending tihe li nottiri coInproili'm line to ilo - Pacific .)ccan. Thef. oll'er w'ans scornfully refused, and Ilhe !,ill passed nlihout nily comlpro Inise. It was inticnied indeed to be the practici n-,-rison of the niked princiile, thai Congre"s hal te tpower to claim for it, by the Wilemot Proviso. It was1 the irst 'te of ihl^ kini ever paSelrd, nod was carried hy iie desertlion from your cause ly Ci. :Jellloo and Gen. Iionston. It is not surpri-ing th the forier should ibe esirous of confillnding this .fir moO' titios nwrte wi h the Alissonuri compr . I1-e. 21 mnelh le.s odiolts (362e, in ithe hople ,f mitigating your deep hignaion, circa ioned by i betrayal if You, Oil a (ines tion so vitaf to the Aoth. Bi he has an tther mtunive whi.ch will heexplainetd here atler, and n hich makes it still ioni de sirable to himl that the ItWo shOuld bie Cni linnded and regariedas identlical. When it comes to be explained, it will be seen, that it wass necessary tiht they shOul be, in order to extrielme him' from a very awk ward dilenut in whiih tie hasJlaced himself. Job exclaified, "1 Oh that mir.e ad versary hadl written: a book ;" and weil ight I have exc :laimod, ol :it muty nd versatry miighit ma~ke 21 spoe. II is adtver sa1ry its 5 t hav been(1, very mu rch li k c mine. Weo have ntever liteardlI 0 whther his fi 11he lilly 20to C accm-nosdale him as inie bhas ludu to atCommodattei~ tie. I ha :ve now de tc'nly repelled his pre pos1terous~ chnrge, that~ 1 amtf the aoilr of 11h0 W ibto lt 'Proviso; for it is utterly imi possibile 1that he ever cain show that I amn tie au thior tof the~ M issoui: ticompl roiui~se. or viSli arcot the samelt. lit tas tic has mad;tie it die polsititsn firom which to aissail me1 with tielcharge oif dtisoi 1n1, nd thiroth ile you, includting his owni cn-iut it 01S shall I fsollowi imt sIep by step throiugh theii iuosg prw':ess by which lie mai~kes thte despet ratei ,ledevor tol C:,tabtlishi iis preslterntis charge1, by ii u anemting to shouw tht iihavo chaniged imy opintiion, as iio the poi)i (If Cone 0si ver thle terriloies. l2inttmy par poeis nmore 1o expo'~ hisi inculi2onitency, fnic whtat lie aidvances us augumtienlt. If lie col prtve to a1 demtuont:rsiuio Itat I ha~ve chaniiged tmy opiio iltlI couuld haive no wveighit whatilover towa~rdts show1iing tihan I deemu it n maotier olf any imoptrtance, ini Ibis conntccionn, w~hethter mty op~inion hais ori hias inot undtiergone a change&~, ini tie lonig pieriod ofi 'J) yearis, simee the adoptjtioin sil 11he poe tof C mtgt esSsior the lerrilit 6es had received but lilet csiderai~iiltin, whlile for tih:e~s la olfe years it hais en at snit bteiei tholrougly inivestig::ted by mytti anid olthts, whtos itiy it ha~s bseiien sh e ri-od your righits inl rthe conineils ul the Uionh:, ini referenet tin it. pop11 nS il lbt I sharii t' a lteuer h~tuilI illsits be 31 in hii an ts ti5 t- itt 7ii0 nI hlieh leave douht Iat it waq iinded for Gen. Jackn. This paper was fonmil filed away itih a'notier endorseid "1 iter rogatiries-illissou Mrri, arcih 3, 1820." 'o the Iled o if )elmirtinets and A Itor n(y General." It conitaied t wo qprestiin, of wich0 th0 one pertiiet toim ut preeit suilject. is in the followin- words: "ILias Contgrees a riglit.iiler iie powers vested i) the consitittilioin. ti make a ret:.ulation pro libititig slavery iii n tterrilory ?" The only material sentence in iho. draft of ilt lenter, in reference tA the poiit uner coneidtern, tion, is in tho followin wo,-d: "1 I took the opincion in weiting or the administration, s to I he coi tintionaliq y of restraining ICr ritories, wiiich was explicit in favor of it." These nre the exact words tf the sen lenice as finally corrected ly its author. It is explicit asnIo 11he statement, that the nd minis, ration, as a body, was in favor of the constiniionality,. bit furnishcs un proof whatevr of its imember< being nianimous, and of* course no eviience that i or any olher particular mnember of the cabinet, was in its favor.. Tihis deficierie Col. lien:nn undertakes ti sripply, first from ilie interhiig, and next a slateicmi purporring Io be from i to diary of' Mr. Adims. Firat as It tho in tertining: intt'ead of the exprebsion, which wis " explicit" ns it mv srandtst, it reado in the original trit, "nnd tie vote of every member was-explicit."' These words were all smck out except "explicit," and in their place, tie following wonts wero il tcrline'd in thiJirst instance, "- which were unanimous nl," afterward- rhe words "ur animois and" were struck out, which let' the pier as it now st iands. Now I hohl it i( be clear ihant rhe iiitierlining ntI sirikiii out, so fr frqm strengthiening le iiferene. hiat tfie cabitiet wvere tnan i mous, ai Cloi -nton contenis, it strerig hens and sue twins the very 'eppoite. So far Itei il is certain, tle dr.afi of ie letter, standing by itself instead or furnishing prirof tat the cabinet wvere'uinainions, furnishes proof dtireciy to the contrary. Even Col. Hen ton himself scents to lhave been conscious, tha it it urnished no smisfucriry proof, as to the unanimily of tie cabinet, aindt enden virs to stipjily- this 4ef'ect from statements purportinrg to bei taken from IthI diary of Air. Adams. From these, it wouid appear Ilhat a ~meetigg.of' thei efnhinret wias held tin the 3.1 of Ma ct for the firit time, to consi [ler I he con onise hill, and hiat, necord ig to tho', iemnent of Sr. Aidams,-the . -r - -:- Aun the :e uro of( ColstI 1n1 n1n'Y. t It so to 1p.) that thle Preid~ent senit himl the0 two finles, tions, on the 50h of Murch. informinig Iimn at the saic itime tliat he desired linswers in wriiing fron the members of the eahine, aid ihat the answers would be in time if received the nixt day. Such is the sub stie of tire staiimnort purporting to bo talten froi his darv. Coinnectin.g tis wViih tie draft as it ori gimidly tomIf, anti the st'sepent alterations ineiodinrg tie (tute of, tie ileIorandumII fi. d wih it, t inatirl imtierpretation (if the whollt::itir,iiihat Mlr. lonroe drew III) interrotations aund the drart of his letter in - ended lior General .iaeksn, on the Ih of .\larrh, tie dtae of the memorandtim. It could o have beern e;rlier necording Io the diary oft' Air. Adam.;, nor. pribably laer. 11 di not diate tie draft because Ite letter old not heI fintished rind tras milled ito General Jacksoi, until afier ie iad1 sig-ned the bill. The draft was drawn up as i storod, in all prolabilitv on the basis of, I lie opinioni expres'ed ot thi : 1 of . rrcl, the frst day of lie rmeeing 'of the cabiiet, awt which.at the ti ie as the diary states, was ' iinnanimons," ain.1 the dioubts Wian oreerintily of opinioin were ex pressed bry sormie of ite mebii)ers on tie two subsc qtient days h 5re ;h and (;i of March.) which cisul tie interlining nail the first rmnodifica tionof tihe .iralif, ns it now stauds. It is itiieatl tto give arty other' expltaurnato. 1 nowi t un tin Cot ton tiu's reaisotingi' ontO thei iubject. liet allegers that tire words nod 'onte ol every mtermber wans ex pic'it mere -track ont, andt "exp'icir'' ini sceie. evuleumly tn aivid vi'ilating thte rulec of' cainet s'erets not to t'll the opinrion of' mnermbfers iwhich tho wonri 'utn aimirs"' wonkli dto.. 'i1is ttemenrt coitinslt two errors, as ineir. *E.xpil icit' wast in thre i gi natl ridt' i I never st trck ou t. Unni--. rmi'ts itatdotr parit of' thte originialI d raf, asie istifpilis. It wias a par of thre ini tertlining atlirst ; bot subsc'(rnettdy st rnek out. Al It ls is apprntt frirm a cereilied copyi of rtie pn per niw beibire mae. Thu is hits r'easoir.;~ iils to fro groundrr. tie o cr it es theo riun itt cabineot secrets very far, much tic t r t':i~Ihant tie does r he samet iuto appdi'ed in d.e secrets of' trc Selie. Whot~ieeiheardt tht it wvas at violationi ofr an ty rilint ricabi net secrets, to say thei nt minitisiratii was unaiott's or dlivhh-d I ft is coit el ty stid iin referenc' in t heir mieeitnC<, dd yet hec woruhl hiave you tor be lieve, thtt| woiuldl hav e beent a btreacht ott ciiifidencit'c iAir. iAlo it-oe inr w .iiig a ccoi tiden~Itiat Iceer in a ftrin ofI hirgh staniingr, to say ihih~is caibinet wwne nnrttranimos arni especci ly as the quein was ritl iii consttiiunta lliy, andi trot ntf policy. Wht miemrber' I anty eahtinret woutld bie sie breu niml cown y,~ a is toe diesre tin concea';l is acc'rding! did nu u kit-aw at the time, thatt the opnt of' ihe cabion't iii General's Washiinan wjiias divied ci rthe qustisiotntf chrtringui t btank arid whlar slteeive'r'y inisdtrnio of even~i pltanoihility', andti iadatihat ch-lv'if is aigaint rtie o'i ~aThe' tb..o iahi~.ni .M oi-hsb. ,.:iv tpp ai:: evid~aiece. 'Nnw, I trull it detaa. ie i ItI t1.t uicai~t .inV 600 bu, JJt h'imi who. keepu ir. The opposite ride woild place the ciarater of vvery man a t Ofhe mercyv of whoweveri keepsi a diary. It is not iy gobjet ti call in q'iestion tue vern. city of* .lr1. A 1m-, hnt be w-1.3 a roan of strong prejoiilicea, haery lemper, and much dislposeid to View thiigis s lie desired. From his iomperament he woul be liable to Oilie andil] mark what lell within his own ViCIV , and to) pasls unnoticed Wh1-11 dil noi. I vCniTre liale in saying tlt: if Iii's diary should lie puli'shmil during the lifimeii of lhose who were on th singe iith him, its statemeniis wol be caniil icted by iminy, and confirm all I have stated. Ut feiw slaiemeots from it have yet been brou2ht in the notice of the public. bt even of' these fed vo havc been cont radited ; titoe (ir my recollection serves ie.) related it Gen. Jackson, anl thle other, Ion alr. Ilarris of Philidelphin, during the admitisiratiou of .Mr. 31anroo. Opposed to th. siatoment of Mr. Adam sinds the faet, 1hat ino 0opinions, as is ad mited by Col. Hlenion. are 1o be th4nd on ile fi-s of tue )eynrtment of State, nor any tvidenee tiai any such opinions were ever filed; abihough the statement purport. ing to be from the diary o*f Ar. Adamsinys, 1hn t .1l r. Mlonroc directed then tv lie filed. One of Itwo ihings woihl seCi to lie clear; either lie lell into n error, inl making tihe entry, or that lie failed to place them on file, inl Consequence of sotie subset) uiit direction f rom tihe President. It is hardly possible, if they had been placed oi file, but that they wouhl still be there, or some evidence inl existence that they had been there. ily own recollection is,. that M.r. Mlonroe reqiuested the opinion of the mom hers of his cahinet in writing ; but that in consrquence of want of litte to prepare a wriiten opiniio, *or some otlier ense, ntine was given, and this I stated in the Senate, whe Gent. )ix brouglhi tip the question as 10 thie opinion of' fle cabiiet of i'A r. Alon roe. bWfore the fact was diseosed, that there was no written opinion on thlie filcs of the Iepartient. I have entire confidence, that if any wa.s given, it ariminted to no more than the simple alfirmation or uegalion of tile piowcr. The l tine did not adm it tie preparation f- an e!a boraie opinion, and if any sucb had licen given, it is impossible that I Shouhl furget it; aud next to impos sible that it should so long have remained conicealcil from the public. As to tie in siitiation at I am the only member of the cabiniet of Alr. Monroe, who has since tirifSecretary ofState, nl aU.others of tikeP charncter, I pass iici with the silent contempt due to their baseness, and. the soiire ii hence they camo. There is iesides, a fact which clearly shows, that :here hal been a considerable change of views from 1he 41i to the 6th of \1larch ; I allude to the fact, that the dr'ft of ilie letter in-tended ihr General Jackson was iiever Sent. It is inferable from the faci, that [here is no sutc:h het ter to be found aoining his papers, after the most diligent search. hiinot imprilable that the samie chantge of cirenmmalces which caused tie striking out amd insering, wd which in duced him i not to liaisli and transmit the b1 or to General .Jackson as intended, in lioce' him, also, finally to dipenso with a wrilen upinii. nd will account why no sich opinion is iaound on file. Bit sipposc thc e:tse to he as Col. flen tilt colltided ; of what i in por niec is it. fir hi does it enale tit to nake out his charge. thilt the resiliouns which lie so vchienuieicly denouices, were introdo.ced fii rth' puirpoise of diinnion 1 Thie opin. ion( of the cahiil, whet her for or aga inst, whether nncuimous or divided, whether written or uniwritteri, were given runilc circunsinnces which would eniite thon to but little ieight. In the first place, here w:s no rine 1'6r con siderat on. t one (ily elapbed from the time the ques. iioih were put~ andl sent to the memnibeis of the: Cilaite, u n il a intal decisiin was madtce. lin the nex't place, the sublject was liitle undelrsiiocxl, and' haduc, at ilhat time, reeived little consideration. 'lThe groat pinit in Ithe dlisenission ofi the .\tlissotiri gntestioni, whetiher G3ongreiss had a right to impottse any olhri liitat iion on thle actmtis sin oif a ditate lino the Uiiion, titnu that prescribecd by thle cciisti ttion. 'FThe gnecs lion) of its poswer over thei ter'riiories did nail cometc up~ unUtil netacr the end Iof thme dis enionuu ; and, atcc:trdinug to tny recoillee tion1, was scat cety inoitced, mnnei tess is. ecussedI. So loose, indeed, was thte lire. vaiiling ctpiiitn at the lime, that the powi~er oif legi'slaring cover thena was believedt to be derived from that portion of the consti tinin, wvhicbhipr.cviaies a. that Congressi tuhall havtie piower t dipse' of.nnidu to miake al Ineiuedi'ul ru les anti regulat ionis respect ing~ the territ'ria:s amtI other popeurly be. bunging to ihe United Sttes.'" Sueh, it waiiti Seem), cti have been thte opinion cof ptiiopouninug the qhuesi ion. lI put it iin Iangn:iago borrowed fromt thle priv tiin "ato tinkce al fr?.cut/iois grohihitinrig slavery in the territniesa,"' tacitl.iit to uunake a lowf co prohilibit. lc liucit c icn'o a in'iie carceftll reasicnablle doubilt, ilhat thc a liinui was initendedi to hie litmited toi lihe dispiositioni ;t niguaioni ofi te terli'olies, tregarded~c siclily as lii our iiropelily, aItli that it coni terredu ci no powi' er hattevet beyoindi tincht ues-., hat ad praiintag islavery itnderisiach ciittnatl.meettS, eveni it it coui~ lhe minh: cabineiat was niianouliii, andc thiac its miem cive., it ceinhll hiave lutil righti in .ctolintg tide coniiicitidia uestin ated yet d.'ni. Belicin, iui io:; '/,iha tii .li *e at ini, .ctit ilhi ac-.th noii ii liii .sl yaocuianie, itui:,iN tih.i ihe op in fai Mr. i'hlamtoe's &iainiI i ei ert hae.., d liw goaeL:t iat .agaiinit thec ..unib To) stii~..t .1 :ocit~wie :.i surd he, bsy implicationi, lays down a rule, Ihat he opinion of Congress, or any de pari nwt of tlie government, once ex pressed (n a constittional question, set ties it tarever ; anid this too when it is welt known that it w;as in direct coniradiction to the conrse he puruned in reference 'd the Bink of the United States. ,Tli right of Con!!rcss to charter such a L6ank had again and again been sanctioned by Congress, nod every department of thl governiment. Th at lie did not consider an this as settling the constitutional qinestion the long war he wn.,ed agiist the i'stitu [ion proves conclusively. It is his rate to involve himself in diletl inas at every step he takes, and which he is either ton blind to see, or too reckless id regard. lie l(as labored through many columns to prove that the cabinet of Mit; MIonro. was unanimous in favor of the power or Congress to exelude slavery from lio territories, and that they gave written opiniotis to thai elTect, in order to provii ihat I am ilhe real and responsible author of ilio Wilnot Proviso, without apparent ly perceiving, that if lie could succeed, it would destroy his conclusion ; for if the cabinet was unanimous, how could I alone be responsiile ? lie seems to have . felt the dilernma after lie got into it, and hadi mide a desperate effort to escape from ir For that purpose, he had to falsify the Constitution, and to assert, that the veto p awer was vested in the Cabinet, and not in the President, when iliat instrument ex prcssly provides, that " the Executive power shall be vested in the President;" and thiat every bill shall be presented td the President flor his approval or disappro val ; and that if he approves of it, it shall hecome a law, and if he disapproves 1i, shall not, unless passed by two thirds of both houses of Congress. .le follows dio this false assertion by another, that I had one-fdih of th veto porver in my handu. when, in fact, I had no part, and when Ihe.pnper, on which he relies to make out his charge, shows on its face, that the Cub inet consisted of six and not five, and Sf course. if it had !he veto power, but ond sixth part was vested in me. But this . double -nistnle is not sullicient of itself to wipport his charge. The question would 0% still remain, how could I be solely id. sponsible, when, according to his own showing, I had but a fifth of the power? Upon what principle of justice could I bi made responsible Ior the acts of the other three. or as the fact really -is-the othef four ? To escape from this dilemma, hb attributes to me ihe most commanding in' flience over the Cabinet-so commanding as in lie able to draw over to my side, d sullicient number of members to make a majority; and this too, when it is apparent froi the paper from which lie draws his statement, that .\r. Monroe had no doubt as to the power of Congress. I then in or tier to commitarid a majority, would have had to control ihree other members against him, which Col. flenion seems to think I could have done very easily, if I had thought proper. lie seems to have a most exalied itpiniou of my abilities, far more so than I have of his. Wherever I am placed, whether in Mr. Monroe's, or Mr. Tylers' Cabinet ; whether in the Senate or the tiotise of Representatives, or in the chair of the vice President, I alone, in his opinion, am responsible on all questions. I have now traced him through the long process by which lie attempts to prove that I am the anthor of the Wilmot Proviso, a1ol1, by conseqinence, of all th& mighty evils, that have followed in its train, and which he exhibits with so much parade; but after all. mighy as lie represents them t) toi, they are not so much so, as to pre-, vent him frotm declaring himself to be a Wilmot Proviso tian. Ile follows up hisi charge, by asserting that the -ll'ets of dis. closing the opiniotn of the cabinet by Mr. Dix, introdttcing the paper, cotmpelled me i0 closo rmy lips, abiandon my resolutione and1 to give til my intenttion of making htheii the subhject of a getciaul d'ebate at the text sessionf, with the intentioni, to use his >wtn laniguage, to make a chance for my elf at tho tnext Presidenttial election, by ettinig 01p a test wvhich' no rrorthern man' :ould striand. All this-is just ias erroneous, bothi its to facts and iniferences, as are hii tintemetnts atnd reasons, in his vaitn attempt to make moe the athor of the Wilmot Pro. If biy atbandlouing moy resolution'i; h9 rneans tbat it comipelled the to aibandon' heir pirincitples, on a single lposition takern ,y themn, or to lie silent, as to the consti utinal powetr iof Congress over the teni tories, his aissert ion would be false throgi' mrt. Thle restolutions were introiduced. as ie states the 19:h tiay of February, 1847, ienr the close of the short sessioni. So' 'ar llim abo udhming thtema or frotm keep,' tig sileti, 1idiscussed the pritnciples on' .vbtich they rest in the debate, oti the bill' o esiablisht the territorial governtmetnt of D)regoni tt gnrat length, at the next ses: ion, and establis.hedi thetm biy arguments~ lat have never yet, anid I wvili venture to' ay, ntever will be tefuited. Fewv Ittve ttt leltaken to refiite them, and thoso, vho Itave n-a'hertatken h, signally; failbd. Jihers, lse Ciii. l~i on, liave taken thio nore prudlent coursew. to- cry out firebrand -disni n--istead of ttetipjitij; to re rote lthem. lI tt if lie meanls i hat I was deterred fronw iinurodutinjg tmy resiolut ins at the next ses ion, biy ie consu0 whtich he atssignls, a simi ile ~,,ttment ,f titeis will aive his asser iin :t Ciinotadictioni. lieI has matde ,i:; ..aneouiiil so a-s to tmake the imptlres ,ioii, ti Mlr. Ilix itiiodiuced thec paper at he samoe time ihait I initi cduced tnty reo l-'n: r e'her a isc. ii .Aid Itit stkiica