Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-09-13

scheme -" unUdrrdnfd6B enough, no
doubt, but yet the precise aud single scheme
which Mr.. Polk was brought forward to
accomplishment whether they, or such as
they, who surrendered TO the candidate at
Baltimore, would be very likely to beard
and battle the incumbent at Washington
He then resumed.
The election Of Mr.. Polk, then, will, or
may probably annex Texas as territory
The election of Mr.. Clay defeats or post
pones it indefinitely. Some persons pretend
to doubt, or at least seem to deny this. But
do they do him, themselves, aud the great
subject, justicel Read his letter, upon
this subject; observe the broad and perma-
nent grounds Of exclusion which he there
sketches advert TO the well Weighed decla-
ration, that so long as any considerable OPP
position TO the measure shall be manifested,
he will resist it; and you cannot fail to see,
that unles, you yourselves, unless Massa-
chusetts, and Vermont, and Ohio, should
withdraw their opposition, for his term at
least, you are safe, and all are safe. That
letter, in my judgment, makes him title TO
every anii-Texas vote in America. The
circumstances under which il was given the
world, happened well to know. 1t was
before either convention had assembled at
Baltimore. Ii was as yet, to me at least,
uncertain, what ground Mr.. Van Buren,
would take Warm friends OF Mr.. Clay in
Congress would have dissuaded him from
immediate publication. They feared IFS eff
feet even on the Wing convention itself
they feared its wider and more permanent
effect. Wait little they said. Feel the
pulse of the delegates as they came to
Washington. Attend for few days, the
rising voice Of the general press of the
South. He rejected these counsels Of inde-
cision, and directed it to be given to the
country. In my judgment, that act saved
the country. 1t fixed and rallied the univer-
sal Wing opinion upon this subject instantly
and every where. 1t suspended the warm
feeling of the south, until its sober second
thought could discern, as now it has begun
to discern, that fair and tempting as this
forbidden fruit shows to the sense. it brings
with il death, and all wo, with loss of Eden
The position which Mr.. Clay held in
habitant of a slave State-his birthplace
Virginia-the part he transacted in the
Missouri controversy-his known and in
tense Amercanism Of feeling, eager enough
eager in the man as in the boy, TO lay
hold of every occasion to carry up hi!
and JUST giofy, and thefeore not dis,neae,
TO mere enlargement of territory, if the ac
QUESTION had been Just, prudent, equitable
honorable this felicity of position enabled
him to do what few other men of even equa
capacity aud patriotism could do; enabled
him 10 quench in the spark, if now the PEG
pie sustain him, this stnpendous conception
of madness and of guilt.
1.-THE election of Mr.. Polk, then, may an
mex Texas. and that of Mr.. Clay defeat o
indefinitely postpone it, what are the mora
duties of the opponents of annexation, o
all parties You are a Democrat, for ex
ample, and you would on every other &C
count, than this Of Texas, desire the success
of the Democratic ticket. You are an ali
olitionst, and without expecting the success
of your ticket, you would desire to give
: the utmost practicable appearance Of growl
and strength. But can you, in sense an
! fairness, say, that all the other good whic
J Polk, or the exhibition of a growing vot
, for Mr.. Birney, would accomplish, or al
the evils which either OF these results woul
; prevent. would compensate for the various
> transcendant evil OF annexation? Can yo
doubt, when you calmly weigh all the oihe
good which you achieve by effecting you
object, against the mischief you do by ar
nexation, can you doubt that the least thin
which you owe your conscience, your cour
try, the utmost which pride and consis,enc
, have a right 10 exact of you is neutrality
You will not say, for instance. that you bt
lieve, that mere postponement of democrat
ic ascendency for Eve years will permanen
ly and irrepairaby impair the constitution
and the prosperity of our country, or bereay
+ her Of ray or her gloryl She can endur
F.; so long, even you do not Doubt the evil {
the politics which you disapprove. She ca
afford to wait so long, even you will ADM
for the politics which you prefer But III
: evil of annexation is as immediate as irr'
e trievable, and as eternal as it is enormous
! Time--terms of Presidential Office, ages
instead of healing, will but display, will bl
exasperate, the immedicable wound. Ye
u yes He who, some space hereafter Tho
Il long, how brief that space you may M
~ all TASTE OF ueath uhtii you KNOW, ne WI
u another Thucydides, another Simondi, sha
: observe and shall paint union dissolved
!. the silver cord loosened, the golden DO,
u broken al the fountain; he who shall obser,
L and who shall paint the nations flag folde
: mournfully, aud laid aside in the sile
l. chamber where the memorials Of renov
n and grace, now dead or gathered togethe
'e who shall record the ferocious factions, Il
at profligate ambition, the hot rivalry, Il
IL wars ofhaie, the truces ftreachery-whi'
~ shall furnish the matter of the history
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