Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-09-13
From tho O. S. Jourra
Texas. and the Slave Power.


There many vicws to BIO taken of the adj
mission of Texas into the Union, oycrwhcl
ming Ill themselves, that it is strange any man
can seriously press 1t upon tho country-especlal-
" any man living in a Misunderstanding State
As question of political power, for instance,
notation cannot for moment DO entertained, be-
cause it cnlarges representation on a basis, md
by qualification, anti-ropubcan in all its foa-
lures. 1t gives to property III one section of the
Union power denied to II IN another. We can
not be misunderstood, having often alluded to
tho subject before. The representation Of the
Slave population granted TO the old States. at the
time Of tho adoption of the Constitution, has been
aimed by and granted to all the new Slave States,
and will Of course be conceded to the new States
to DO created from Texas Should she ever be an
neXod) the threo-tifths principle-that IS, three
votes for every five slaves. Now, the mere prop
osition of property qualification would shock the
nerves Of the supporters of Mr.. Polk to such an
eAtcnt that they would throw up their hands and
rinse tner eyes III Hoiy horror, Pfvriouncrng sucn
n thing Antl-Domocratic. Just so--they would
be right IN theory, but, usual, sadly wrong in
practlcc--bocause. they are the men who seek
ing to do this very thing They seek annex
Texas to tho Union, right wrong. or no
war, with her unliqudatod National Debt amount
ing to indefinite ranging between Ten and
Twenty Millions Of Dollars, And for what -
That tho boundaries of Liberty may be enlarged !
Not That the arms OF tho Democracy may
b. strengthened No, no--but that the AkIS
TOCRACl may be made secure: That property
may be weighed against FREE-SU FIR AGE
And all this to be dono through slavery. for the
benefit of the (niss called Democracy Now
what is Democracy We had always hea Ri it de-
fined rs "a form of Government in which the sove-
reign power is lodged in tho body of the people,.
But here find the leaders of party. claiming
to be democratic. seeking to fix It IN PROPER
Tl This is so, and no man can deny it.
# No t,,lo 1o
seen in the old Slave States. A familiar example
will show it. We will take OHIO as the basis, be-
cause VIC all appreciate tho inequality. At
tho Presidential election of 1910 the vote stood as
follows:
Harrison. Van Bnren.
In Ohio, ISL 57 I24.7S2-Total, 272 ,959
In Virginia, 4l,59l 43.S93-Total, S6,394
Bong three to one in Ohio. over Virginia, with
a fraction Of 1857 votes to spare
Now, what is tho relative strength of the two
States in the Electoral Colleges We all know
that Virginia gave TWENT1-THREE votes.
while Ohio gave but TWENTY-ONE!! And
this inequality was produced by the presence in
Virginia of Slave Property which IS based rep
resontaton. The answer of citizen of Virginia
would be--this inequality is secured to under
the Constitution. So be It: will not disturb
tho Union rs is Is. HOT stmtt you.
We of the FREQ States have submitted 10 this
wrong patiently. because could not get rid of
also suffered additional States to be added to the
Union with this slave property provision cneraf-
ted in their Constitutions. because the territory
out of which they created had been added to
our boundaries without protest. and because also
such territory was purchased under pleas OF sre-
cia necessity. These cases never occur
again. because no special necessity. affecting el-
thor navigation. commerce. or boundary. can be
brought to bear on the question OF anneSlng Tex
as. TINT would not apply to universal dominion:
and because the State of Ohio has entered her
protest against it. in which she is joined by the
Free States az one man-and that closes the door
forever,
To admit Texas to tho Union would DO viola
ton of the Constitution. because no provision is
made in that instrument for the admission of FOR
EIGN States. The trcaty-makiug power cannot
be made to reach. because that power must be
erciscd within the limits provided by the Cons,ltu-
ton. under which it exists. 1t canno. therefore.
be claimed right. EXpediency can carry with
it no law superior TO the Constitution. Admit
that it does. and YOU abrogate the Constitution.
because YOU recognize power that goes behind
1t. beyond 1t, and exists without written law.