The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-08-09
VOL. V.-NO. 8.

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u might be so, indeed, if we were GER
tam that Texas, pressed by necessities
and spurned from our coniederacy, would
always continue 10 be indepedent and
friendly. But what security have we that
forty years hence she will be either She
Is indeed young state, with American
sympathios, anxious now 10 become a
member Of that American brotherhood
from which most of her citizens have
been emlgran,s, and she has proffered her.
sell 10 US without reserve or condition.
but she is not without other wooers.
Great Britain has never ye, lost chance
OF getting foolhold on the outskirts of
her nelghbors' territory. She has Gil
oralter IN Spain, the Cape of Good Hope
IN Africa, and Hong Kong in China.
Once, Calcutta might have been added 10
Tins list, but that is now the capital OF her
empire possessions of the east. With
the West India islands as sentinels mon
our coast, she keeps Canada to the north
OF us, and claiming Oregon on the west,
is actually negotiating with Texas on the
south.
She is mediating, as she terms il, be.
tween Mexico and Texas. And with
villa, object! No, to obtain exclusive pri-
vileges, says Lord Aberdeen; not TO ad.
vance any peculiar interests Of England,
or with reference to any peculiar infu-
ence. Truly, she negoiates for none of
these. But the slave mistress of India, the
overseer and taskmaster Of Ireland, she
who but yesterday played the bully of the
opium !smugglers, fought the Chinese into
acceptance of the decencies of inloxica.
ton, has become a saint in these later
days--a very Pecksnilf-and now
"Compounds for sins tina, she's inclined to,
ny damning those she has no mind TO-"
"She DESIRES" says Lord Aberdeen,
''to see slavery abolished throughout the
world, and will not desist from her honest
Deis for procuring this result. She
would wish even TO see the southern
states Of this Union placed on the firm and
solid footing which general freedom alone
can obtain for them !" tho she graciously
promises that she "will make no differ
ence II her treatment Of the slaveholding
ana iree:" promise the more gracious
as well as the more easily kept, since war
against one set of states would be war
against all, and she can never have peace
tul intercourse with either slaveholding or
Tree, except by the instrnmenlality Of the
joint and equally constituted government
OF both "She has put herself forward.
she admits, in pressing Mexico to ac-
knowledge the independence of Texas )"
and, avowing her "wishes TO see slavery
in Texas as well as elsewhere,
she would rejoice" she says, "lhat her
recognition by Mexico should be accom-
panied by an engagement on the part Of
Texas for its entire abolition" Such are
the words of British ministers of state.
And he must be a stranger to the language
of diplomacy, and forgctful of the long
history of British intermeddling in the af-
fairs Of others, who does not see in this
that. if American slavery is 10 find an out
let for It's departure through Texas, it
must he by the relief of Texas from Rri-
lish influence, aud lis annexation 10 the
American Union.
To abandon Texas now, is to invite for
her British protection and British policy.
II is TO close round us the circle of Bril-
'Ish power, leaving the emancipation Of
The slave within our borders, the redin,e-
grafton Of his manhood, and his introduc.
ton to political rights, a problem to be
solved by the caprIce'of an alien and not
mprobIoIy hostile influence.