The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-10-31
OCEl, THURSDAY EVENGNGI, 0CTOBEH 81, lsa4.

e vlded between these opposite and irreco
h ci!able elements of power. 1t is Ques'l
a whcIher,by an act of arbitrary pover, VI
, mont shall be forced, without her consel
! into federal union with state or state
not admissible by the compact into whiC
she has entered. 1t is as though a majo
Ity OF The members of an ordinary partne
ship were to attempt to force member i
TO the concern without the common COZ
senl-compcling the dissatisfied membt
or members to subject the whole bushes
and destiny of the establishment to tn
hazard ofa connection with new partne
ii may be bankrupt in fortune and chara,
ter, or not trained to habits of business, c
possessing infrmties of constitution, rcr
derIng the connection valueless, worse tina
valucess. An ordinary violation of tn
constiiutIon-such, for example, as an al
lodged unauthorized regulation Of com
merce for purposes OF protection, might b
submitted ounlll the action of the appro
pirate Judicial tribunal could reach ant
remedy the evil But this is case whicI
no Judicial power can reach The foreign
state once admitted, and the mischief i
done irreyocably; and resistance on TIT
part of the injured states becomes the onI,
remedy, though it may involve the hazart
of forever quenching the watch-lires Of oul
Liberty and union in blood.
The right to annex is claimed to rest on
the grant ofpower in the constitution tc
admit new states into the union. II there
had been no territory within our original
limits upon which this power could operate
the right to admit states from bcyound them
would seem necessarily TO have been EN-,
braced in the general grant of power
But such territory existed, large an ample.
The advocates of annexation would seem,
therefore, to be thrown upon the necessity
of furnishing evidence of intention, quite
beyond any thing that can be found in the
general language-"New States may be
admitted by the Congress into the Union,"
which, if allowed the latitude commended
for, would leave no limit to the exercise of
the power, short Of the entire habltabe
globe. That the trainers of the consli,u-
ton had in THEN contemplation a provision
admitting such latitude is incredilable,
and it is equally so that if they had such
INTENTION they should have failed TO en-
press 1t, in language suited to the grant of
power OF such fearful magnitude as tina, Of
eliecing, by single act of Congress, an
essential change in the relations of the
constituent members Of the confederacy;
ard this too, while congress is invested
with no power to change even line Of
the conslltntion--which can only be done
by the solemn act OF three iourths of the
states Of this union.
But it is attempted to obvidte the con-
'titniIonal difficulty, by claiming title to
Texas as part of the Louisiana purchase,
and calling the proposed measure rc-anneX.
alton. In reference to this it is sufficient
% say that by the treaty of 1919 with
Spain, after protrac,ed negotiation with
regard to the Southern boundary of Louis
ana, it was agreed to fix it on the Sabine
hat the yielding of our disputed claim to
Texas entered into consideration of the
,esslon to us Of Florida, and that the line
hus established was subsequently confirm
ID by our Treaty Of limits with Mexco.-
The claim to 'e-anneXalon, then, is as
hough upon the possible independence of
Canada, and treaty with her confirming
he boundary, established by the treaty of
" Washington, we should afterwards claim
IS our own, the territory ceded to us IN
hat arrangement, because it was embraced
within our lormeIy claimed limits. Who
would be willingto hazard the peace or
lie honor Of the country, upon such
lain as this! Aud yet such is the claim
or remuneration.
But there is another insurmoun,able con.
ttuiiona objection. 1t is found in the
mpOse of annexation. That purpose is
D establish aud perpetuaic slavcry-and
tempt TO do which by the General Gov
rnment is, of itself, manifest violation
t the national compact. For where is to
z iouIu dilIOHp 'HO P'NCio SIuIlVu III
he constitution, the semblance of power
D establish or pcrpetuaie slavery, any
here! With the exception of the proyls-
,ns for delivering up lugitiyes, and the
Impression of instruction, and the three
ihs slave representation in one branch
{ Congress, the constitution confers on
'avery no privilege; aud imposes no duty,
nd con(ers no power on Congress, look
lg, in the remotest degree, 10 lis support.
t was a state institution before the consti
ilion was formed, and, so far as that con-
llution is concerned, it remains so still
rec to live, if it can, but certain to die
'ithout unconstitutional aid for its sup
ort. That aid it is the purpose Of annex
zion to afford.
The onward progress of freedom, under
$ high impulses, is rapidly changing the
alance of power, and leaving slavery TO
erish; and now the nation is suddenly
allied on to come TO the rescue-to save
from snkirg-to infusc into it fresh life
nd vlgor, and to prolong and perpetuale
IS power And this at the expiration Of
,ore than half a century from the forma-
on ofihe constitution, when the entire
alton entertained the belief that slavery
oud not survive the first quarter Of CEN
lry of our national existence.
I, :, ,,;J ;,JooJ ,bat onpoya,,on u;Il