The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-09-25


Eden. The position which Mr.. Clay held
the inhabitant ola Slave State-his birth
place Virginia-the part he transacted in the
Missouri controversy-his known and intense
Americanism of feeling. eager enough-ea-
ger in the man as in the boy to lay hold of
every occasion to carry up his country to the
loftiest summit of durable and Just glory,
and therefore notdisinclined to mere enlarge
ment of TERRITORY, ifthe acquisition had heen
just, prudent, equitable, honorable the fe-
licity of position enabled him 10 do what few
other men ofeven equal capacity and patriot
ism could do; enabled him to quench
the spark. if now the people sustain him,
this stupendous conception ofmadness and Of
guilt.
If the election of Nr. Polk, then, may an
mex Texas, and that of MIR. Clay defeat or
indefinitely postpone it, what are the moral
duties OF the opponents Of Annexation, Of
all parties? You are a democrat, for exam
pie, aud you would on every other account.
than this Of Texas, desire the success of the
Democratic ticket. You are all abolitionists,
and without suspecting the success Of your
ticke:, you would desire to give it the utmost
practicable appearance ofsrowth &strength.
But can you in sense and fairness say that all
the other good which even on your prInci-
Piles, the election of Mr. Polk, or the exhibit
ton of growing vote for Mr.. Birney would
accomplish, or all the other evils which eth
er Of these results would prevent, would COM
pensate for the various and the transcendent
evil Of Annexation Can you doubt when
you calmy weigh all the other good which
you achieve by effecting your object, against
the mischief you do by Annexation, can you
doubt that the least thing which you owe
your conscience, your country, the utmost
which pride and consistency have right to
exact of you, is neutrality? You will not
say, for instance, that you believe, a mere
postponment of Democratic ascendancy for
five years will permanently and irreparbly
impair the Constitution and the prosperity of
our Country, or bereave her of ray of her
glory! She can endure so long, even you do
not doubt the evil of the politics which you
disapprove. She can afford to wait so long,
even you will admit, for the politics which
you prefer. But the evil of Annexation is as
immediate as irretrievable. and as eternal as it
is enormous l-Time-terms of Presidential
office, ages-instead of healing, will but dis
play, will but exasperate, the immedicable
wound. Yes, yes. He who, some space
hereafter,-how long, how brief that space,
you may not all taste ofdeath until you know,
he who, another Thueydides another Sis
mondi, shall observe and shall paint Union
dissolved; the silver cord loosened the golden
bowl broken at the fountain; he no shall
observe and who shall paint the Nations flag
folded mournfully, and laid aside in the ST.
lent chamber where the memorials of renOwn
and grace, now dead, are gathered together;
H. eLon 1-l Il, e. e. 81.
proflgare ambition, the hot rivalry, the wars
OF hate, the truces of treachery-whichs shall
furnish the matter Of the history of alienated
States, till one after another turns out and
rolls from its place on high-he shall emit
tie this stained and mournlul chapter, the con-
sequences Enumeration.
But look at this business little more in its
details.
l will uot move the question of its effect
on American Slavery. Whetherit Williams
plant the stricken race from old States to
| new; whether it will concentrate it on diff
erent, larger or smaller area than it now GOV
ers, whether the result Of this again would
be TO increase or TO diminish its numbers, its
sufferings, and its chances ofultimate eman-
cipation-this is a speculation from which
retire. repeat what | had the honor TO say
in the debate on the treaty, that the avowed
and direct object of annexation certainly is,
| to prevent the abolition Of slavery on vast
region which would else become free. The
immediate intended and secured in the first
! instance, therefore, certainly is the diffusion
and increase of slavery. So far we see. So
much we know. More than that, no man can
be certain that he sees or knows. Whether
this is to work an amelioration of the states
of slavery while it lasts, or to shorten its du-
ration, is in His counsels, "who out OF evil
still educes good in infinite progression
| The meaus we see are evil.-The first effect
is evil. The end is uncertain. But, if il
we're certain and were good we may not do
evil that good may come. While, therefore,
feel tito be my duty distinctly to say, that
/ would leave to the masters OF slaves every
guaranty Of the Constitution and the Union
the Constitution as it is-the Union as it is
without which there is no security for you
or for them-no, not for day; still con-
trovert the power, deny the morality,
tremble for the consequences, Of annexing an
acre of new territory, for ue mere purpose OF
diffusing this great evil, this great cause, over
wider snrface Of American earth. Still
less would ], for such a purpose merely, lay
hold on such territory as Texas, larger than
| France, and almost as fair; least Of all now,
just when the spirit Of liberty is lowering
over il, in act TO descend.
Remainder merit ,ceek.