The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-02-12
SPEECH of the Hon, VIM. Slade,
al The Hhig State Contention Of VermOnt in
October last.
Continued

al The Hhig State Convention Of VermOnt in
October last.
Continued.
Having considered the Increment, and its ruotiue 7
will dwell few moments upon the effects of an
say attempt, because consider absolute annexation.
ms entirely out Of the question. 1exas will never be
unified to this confsderacy. There are principles Of
rcPusion which forbid the possibility Of a ugion.-
There may he attempt either by,an abuse of tho
treaty milking power, or an act Of Congress, both
combined. But by whatever means it may he at
tenPted,-by how many agencies, direct or
indrect-thc moment the deed is done, there will be
demonstrations of feeling which the mnd-cap movers
of the scheme lutte dIeam of. Gov. Gilmer affects
TO think that the excitement will be "salutnry'' Ito
believes that sit will bring about u better I'M
Outstanding OF our relative rights and obligations
And so do !. Such nm understanding, indeed, az
shall reach the bottom Of our Federal Compact-ta-
king hold Of the foundations which il sitting
thoroughly the whole matter of the Compromises Of
the Consttuon''-showing the extent of their VIOLA
ton by the slave Power-exposing the enormous en-
croachments of slavery, and its utter incompatibty
withreedom-and, above all, proying,to demonstra-
ton, what is INSERTED in the Resolution am consid2
erins-thnt annexation will 'abolish The old, by the
constitution Of a new political family, and thus break
up the foundations OF our Federal Union"
This last point has received the consideration il
deserves II seems 10 be taken for granted by many,
that The question Of annexation is to be treated like
any other question of mere erpcaiency. Gov. Gimer
thus treats it; and holds out to the North and West
the lure of proft-as though, If the advantages in
tibet respect could be established, the Whole question
would be settled. This is fatal error There is
deeper question than that of pecuniary profit md
loss. Annexation would be, ipso facto, destruction
Of the Union. The introduction Of mine States' or
one State, from beyond its present lnrits-I will say,
from beyond its original linits-makes it a new poo
ca family. organized or attempted TO be organized
upon buss-not the basis of the Constitution
not the basis of The will Of the family with which the
Union is sought, but upon the basis of treaty,
act of Congress, which the President and Senate or
Congress have no more 'ght TO make or enact, thh6
they have declare that these United States shall be
annexed to, and form part of. the British Empire. IL
would not be an ordinary violation of the Constitu-
ton, to be corrected by the ordinary process of ju-
dcial decision. The disease would not be function
al, but organic. 1t would change the structure of
Federal Sysem,or rather the parties to the Union
so that il would cease to be the Union formed by
the Consultation of s7. In tho language Of the Req
olution 'ihe foundations Of the Federal Union would
be broken up
f annexation is to be effected u, all il must be tho
of the people in the exercise of their original SOW
eraignty. To form the neW Union, the sume pro.
must be gone through with, that preceded tho
formation OF the old No delegated power I'M
der the old, be adequate The formation Of the
new.
This reasoning which would be conclusive ia rc-
gard 10 the attempted annexation of any kind of
the Conlederacy,s especially in reference
to the attempted addition Of Stare State. Slavery
is an exotic in the soil OF freedom. II fell TO be
such when the Constitution formed The 'sself
evident truth that ''aH men created equal "was
the soil which brought forth the Constitution Of our
Unon and the Constitutions Of the States that orig
inally composed it. The preamble even to the Con.
sttulion Of Vrgiaia expressly asserted that great
truth. l..t ....H.t
But slavery existed; and for tho sake Of tina Union
il was suffered to remain; not, however, as u cher
isled element of SYSTEM but as thing 10 he toll.
Grated during the brief period which it was supposed
would limit its existence. WILLIAM PiNKNEr"
spoke the sentiments of that day when he said, in the
Mar, land House of Delegates in 1889" The lily
and tie bram6ie may gro,c in social proximity, but
liberty and slavery delight in separation" The er-
tension ofslavery not dreamed of, even within
our original hmits-much less by the addition Of
States beyond those limits; and still less by the nd
don Of States obtained for the aroiced purpose Of
such extension. The annexation Of Texas, aoih rs
siarery, would therefore give the fundamental viois-
lion of the Constitution Of which have spoken, the