The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-02-05
SPEECH of the Hon. VIM. Slade,
AT The H7hig State Convention Of Vermont IN
October last.
Continued


Continued.
come to the purpose of the annexation
movement From its commencement to this hour, it
has obeyed single impuIse-that Of IL determination
10 sustain and perpetuate The Stare porer. or this
will, as briefly possible present the evidence
BY the Constitution of Mexico adopted in 1924, ii
declared that no person should thereafter ''be
born, or Introduced us II slave into the Mexican ma
ton" The abolition Of slavery thus made prospec-
tive only, was rendered absolute and complete on
tho 18th Of September ls29-the anniversary Of Mex
lean Independence.
The abolition Of slavery in Mexico brought in con-
tact with the South another frontier Of freedom. How
should that frontier with its anti slavery influence be
removed and how should the barrier 10 emigration
with slaves be thrown down' were questions which
came 10 agtate extensively, the Southern mind
AnRerGtioG furnished the nswer. And il furnished
to another question-where shall be found
territory for the manufacture Of Stare States for
This UhioH.
Thomas II. BENTON, United States Senator
from Missouri, participated in the discussion of the
subject and, in series Of essays, under the sigma
ture Of "Americdnus," Published ut St Louis urged
the importance Of the acquisitions Of Texas, express
ly the ground Of the space and advantages which
that country would afford for "ht future existence
Of Stare Siaies'-nine Of which, he said, might be
formed iom it, cas- large as Kentucky" The jux-
Imposition with the slave holding States of a non
slave holding Empire, was also urged by him a
motive for the acquisition These essays, to the
language of South Carolina paper Of that date, "op
Grated upon the public mind in the West, with cleo.
trical force and rapidly" The whole South was
moved by the same impulse. Here is among
the many evidences of it, Charleston paper OBJ
served
at is not improbable that he president JacEsonl
is examining the propric,y and practcnbiiity Of
retrocesson Of the vast territory Of Texas;
prise loudly demanded by the welfare of the West,
and which could not fail to exercise important and
favorable influence upon the future dcsnies OF the
South, by iac, easing he rotes Of the Stare holding
SI0ies in the Uated States Senate
But the addition Of nine Slave States with the aug
mented Slave holding votes in Congress, were not
the only motives disclosed Tor the acquisition OF Tex
To the cravings for potcer added
lust FOR The gains of Stare breeding. The following
samples of the evidence on this point.
Judge Upshur (now Secretary Of Staie) said, in a
speech in the Virginia Convention in 1929, that if
Texas should be obtained which he strongly desired.
it would raise The price Of slares, and DO great dd
Uantage to Stare holders in that State.
In 1882, Mn GHoLsoN said, in the Virginia Leg
isaure that the price Of slaves fell twenty five per
cent, within two hours after the news received
of the passage of the Law of Louisiana prohibiting
the importation OF slaves; and that he believed the
acquisition of Texas would raise the price fifty per
cent.
These evidences OF the OF public sentiment at
the South, show the leading impulse under which
Texas flooded with armed "emigrants,'' and
her revolt from Mexico urged to its contamination
That mmatiou the formation of Constitu
ton in March 1896. The 9th section under the
head Of general provisions exhibits the monster
which had been long undergoing The process Of
incubation. Here it is,
SIG. 8. All persons of color who were slaves
for life previous TO their emigration to Texas, and
who now held in bondage, shnl remain in the
like of servituds provided the said slave shall
he the boHGde property Of the person holding said
slave aforesaid. Congress shall pass law pro
hbit emigrants from the United States Of America
from bringing their slaves into the Republic with
them, and holding them by the same tenure by which
such slaves held in the United States; shall
Congress have power to cnancip'te slaves; shall
any slave holder be allowed to emancipate his her
slave slaves without the consent of Congress-,
less he or she shall send his or her slave slaves
without the limits of the Republic. No free person
Of African decent, either in whole in part, shall be
permitted TO reside permanently in the Republic with
out the consent oil Congressi ana Inc Importation or
admission Of Africans negroes into this Republic
excepting from the United States Of America, IL for
prohibited and declared To be piracy."
Such is the fundamental law Of Texas! Men
duced again to bondage, who had become, of right,
free by the force Of Mexican law; the free mporta-
ton ofsldves from the United States pcrpetuay Sc
cured; emancipation nterdicted TO Congress, and
slave holders, but with the consent of Congress,
the Punishment Of the emancipaed; free Africans for
hidden permanent residence; nnd monopoly Of
slave breeding for the Texan make: "forever,' gran
ted TO ''Ms United STATES Of dmerica' consti-
tuition worthy the Gots and Vandas who overrun the
territory Of friendly Republic, in the face of SOL
treaty Of universal peace, and true and sim
cere friendship" for the purpose of overshadowing
her fair fields with the perpetual eclipse Of slavery,
and booming her soil to its everlasting curse!
II is too otvions TO need remark, how precise
ly this provision Of the Texan Constitution placed her
in position TO become without the slightest change
or her fundamental law, member Of the slave hold
ing brotherhood in this Confederacy. What ab ap-