Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-08-21

oou-scHu W tuiS Ddnu OF pOllllclanS.
saddled firmly upon the country their dar
ling systems of a protective tariff and in
ternal Improvements. II involved US, BY
treaty with Great Britain for joint occu
patton, in difficulties about the Oregon
Territory, which everybody now sees are
likely to force upon us war, or the surren
der OF our rights to vast domain. Woult
to God this had been all But no!
deadly blow must be let fall most bung
lingly on the equilibrium of the Conled
eracy, and OIL the self.protecting capabili
ties of the South in all future time. AT Q
moment when Mexico, and all the cont.
mental American dominons Of Old Spain
in that quarter, were dropping from her
hands, by the irresistible process of war
and evolution--when, consequently, our
REIMBURSEMENT of our undoubted right TO
Texas in favor Of Spain's mere shred of a
claim, was tantamount 10 making her
merely the conduit of passing the title
from us TO the then revolted, and soon-to-
be-independent Government OF Mexico
at that moment it was, when it had be-
come broadly apparent that, within few
years al most, Spain would be as glad to
quit.claim Texas TO us, in order to thwart
her rebel Mexican dependency, as France
had been, in 1903, TO sell US Louisiana,
lest the British should conquer it from her
such a moment it was, say, that Mr..
Monroe's Administration selected for the
swapping of Texas for Florida. Is it not
manifested, by the after course of events,
that a little of that wisdom that waits upon
time to work out her designs in our favor,
would have enabled US to get clear of the
Spanish claim to Texas, by only giving
very small additional price for Florida.
But the Administration lacked that kind
of wisdom; or, in its eagerness to put an
end 10 difficulties with Spain, growing out
of our Indian enemies and their instigators
finding refuge in Florida, did not exer-
ci.e it. The result was, that we got Flo.
rida, and threw away TeXns.
The deed was no sooner done, than Il
was denounced by Henry Clay. Opposed
as he then was 10 the severance of Texas
from our country, is it not strange that he
should now be unquaIifedIy opposed to a
reunion? What things have changed
since, to produce such change in him !
No such change had como over him as
late as 1897 for in that year, he himself
tells US he made an effort, as Secretary OF
State, TO open negotiation with Mexico
for its retrocession to us. Ay, with Next
co!-although Spain did not, for years af-
forwards, give up her claim, or recognize
the independence Of Mexico. What things,
| ask again, have changed since that time,
to make Mr.. Clay's views so different now
from what they were then2
The answer to this question presents
matter of the most solemn import 10 the
South. have already adveItcd TO the
hostility which existed at the North against
Mr.. Jefferson's purchase of Loulsiana-e
hostility emanating from the first statesmen
Of that quarter of the country, and based
exclusively on the fear Of The measure in
causing the eventual and perpetual loss OF
Northern ascendancy in the Union. They
were not willing there should be an equi-
librium--a happily adjusted balance of
power between the North and South
What they wanted was preponderance and
permanently secured to their
side. This object they saw was defeated
by the acquisition of such vast and fer.
tile Southern territory as that which
stretched from the Perdido to the Rio
Grande del Norte. But they took heart,
and became treasured after the cessicn of
Texas TO Spain by us in 1919. They sur
veyed the wide expanse of all the States
and remaining national domains of the
Union; and were satisfied that the de-
crees OF nature had placed the North in a
perpetual supremacy, provided the prohi.
bi.ion of slavery could be effected within
a certain line Of latitude. Hence the
Compromise, and the fearful
struggle between the North and South by
which it was preceded. 1t was struggle
for political power surely. Abolition had
not then reared its snaky crest in the land.
Well, gentlemen, that compromise was
a great thing; and ever grester as q aigu
than as an event. 1t proved, beyond all
OF doubi,fhat, both in the North
and South, slavery, or the slayeholding in.
stitution, SSos felt as the great political tie,
paraWount 70 all others, among those
States in which ii existed. 1t proved that
t was tie so strong as TO band together
he States in which it existed, on one side,
and those in which it did not exist, on the
other; and to array them as two great Sec
tons of country in an attitude of perman
ent opposition and contest for power in
the Confederacy. And if any man will
just take up the map, and compare the
number of the States and the extent and
character of the territory on the North side
of the line Of the compromise, with the