Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-08-02
POLITICAL.
EXTRACTS FROM THE SPEECH OF
MR.. j. *. GIDDINGS, OF OHIO, ON
THE ANNEX ALTON OF TEXAS
I Delivered IN The House OF Representatives., u. S.
Man 81, IS141

May 81, 1914
Mr.. GrDDINas said, that his principal object in |
the committee, at this time, was to call
the attention of gentlemen TO the real question at
issue before the people of this nation.
The real issue has been made up it has been
placed upon the records of the Government and
will remain there in all coming time, subject to the
inspection of those who shall come after us. 1t
has been published in our newspapers, and is al
ready before the people, who are the constitutional
triers to determine the issue. The President and
his cabinet and the Democrats, aver that this ma
ton shall take upon it the support and perpetudtion
Of slavery in Terds, and of the sdue trade betceen
our Slnue breeding StuteS and The people Of That Gou-
eminent. They urge that our army and our navy
shall be employed, and our national energies put
forth our character disgraced before the civilized
world in order to attain that object. They insist
that we shall violate our treaty stipulations with
Mexico that we shall abandon our principles in
favor of human liberty acknowledge ourselves a
nation of political hypocrites; bring dshonor upon
the memory of our revolutionary patriots; turn
traitors to the sacred cause of freedom; and wage
an unceasing war upon humanity ITSELF These
are the matters urged on one side, and objected to
by the other. This is to be determined by the
The peope-by the electors of the north and Of the
south, of the east and west On this issue the
Wings, the Democrats, and Liberty men are to
pass judgment.
1t is true that the annexation of Texas to these
United States is brought forward as the proposed
means by which we may extend and perpetuate
slavery, and continue the slave trade but that OBJ
ect is merely collateral to the great and Interior
design of supporting slavery and the slave trade.
The object and purpose for which it is now sought
to annex Texas TO the United States is clearly and
unequivocally set forth in the official correspon-
dence between the Secretary of State and Mr. Ev-
erett, our minister at the Court of ST. James be-
tween said Secretary and our Charge d. Affairs" in
| hot md tbo nriti i
resident in this city, In every letter of that cores.
pondence the object is frankly avowed without any
apparent deIicacy or attempt at concealment. The
same object of maintaining the slave trade between
the slave breeding States of this Union and Texas,
and the perpetuating slavery in Texas, is the a.
vowed object of nearly every Democratic paper
south of Mason and Dixons line, by nearly every
address upon that subject, and by the proceedings
of nearly all the public meetings held in the slave
States for the purpose of promoting the cause of
annexation. The sane motives were fully and
frankly avowed on this floor during the debate of
yesterday by the gentleman from South Carolina,
I(Mr. HoImes,) and in the debate of to-day by the
gentleman from Virginia, (Mr, Atkinson,j and by
the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Belser. These
gentlemen, with commendable sincerity and frank
ness, met the issue fairly. Not with the gen.
/, tleman from Indiana, (Mr. Owen.l He is from a
free State and evidently felt somewhat embarrassed
in advocating the interests of slave breeders and
slave dealers he therefore, as far as possible a
t voded the main issue. lie, however, spoke learn
eddy of treaties and boundaries, and of early wri
t tiers upon international law, and of governments
! de )dcto," and Of governments "de jnre," while
his illusions to the subject of slavery and the slave
trade were very slight, although they had. up to
the time OF his Speech formed the prominent theme
t Of those who advocated with him the annexation Of
4 Texas.
}, | regret that the honorable gentleman has left
= the Hall. was DESTROYS of addressing some re
marks to him, well as to his constituents There
n are objections to the annexation of Teas which
: meet us at the very Threshold of the argument
!, When it is proposed by the people Of Texas to c
, rase the name of that republic from the list of ma
tons to surrender their existence as separate in
dependent people and to place themselves unde
the Government of the United States; we know
there must be an object, an actuating motive tina
induces them thus to mingle with the people o
- these States. These objects are all set forth il
the treaty now under discussion in the other en
of this Capitol. The first of those objects to which
II will call the attention of the comm ttee, is III
y payment Of their debts by the people Of this Union
This of the vital conditions Of the treaty
Il without which the people of Texas would not 70
!, moment listen TO any proposition for annexation
10 this think there are some strong objections
T. A portion of the Representatives in this Hall ar
= DESTROYS that the people of our States shall con
II tribute of their hard earnings some ten or twen.
ding, repudiating Texas TO this proposition tn,
a Wings both north and south, object The Presi
u dent, the Democrats and the gentleman from In
diana. urge its proprety and insist that it is the du
ty of our people to pay the debts of Texas, in or
i der to have slavery there, and to provide marke
e for our slave breeding States.
II And now what say our Democrats of New Eng
I, land and New York, and Ohio? call upon then
n TO come forth and show their colors play the mar
+ meet the issue, and let us have no lodging. w
shall soon return to our constituents, and must NEE
l. this question before the people. Will the gentle
~ from Indiana then stand forth frankly and sa
At to the Democrats of his district, "you must wor
D. hard, and live cheap, and be economical, for W
IL have agreed to pay the debts of Texas, and ever
s. luborng man in the nation must contribute POI
y ton of his earning" And then suppose the homes
farmer in the true Yankee fashion, should inquir
ID for the benefits which this nation derive fror
er the payment of this twenty millions of Texa
OIL debts will that gentleman frankly and boldly dc
u clare to him, that by paying that amount of none,
OF we have established true Democratic slavery
IN Ieras, and have secured first rate market for tn
u Democratic Sldpe deaters Of the South. | cannC
disrust that gentemans ncerty and yet ha,
u sort Of mixing that he would rather talk of som
SC other points, and leave these important consider
ne tons out Of view, as he has done here to-day.
as could not wonder at the policy which he NANTES
"a ted particularly as his State is unable to pay ii
II interest on her own debts, had no right to eXpe
e him to speak Of his anxiety to tax his constituent
ny TO pay the debts of Texas. How is 1t with II
he Democrats Of the States which are unable to me
oil their engagements Will they insist upon pay
he the debts of Texas, and leave their own States
as be dishonored by reputation? Has Pennsylvan
as more interest in maintaining the slave trade tina
ng she has in maintaining her own honor? WIN ii
ed Democrats of that State forget their own indebted
we ness, and spend their money TO perpetuae SLAYER
as IN Texas? And those Democrats, whose ;ndgni
raj ton is kndled not little at the most remote a
fusion to the assumption of our state debts by II
Federal Government, are they ready 10 assume Il
N, debts of Texas, and then shout huzza for Sidre
Try and The sioue trade? Will those gentlemen, wi
Use deny all constitutional powers of the Federal Go
ng ernment to apply the proceeds Of the public LAM
IL to the payment of our State debts turn rour
nd and urge to the people that there are full powe
lei in the Constitution to pay the debts of Texas wi
ar the peoples money in order to encourage the sla
Irade' Let them meet us on this point, and let
make our annoal IN tho npoDle who nav the mona