Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-06-14

on our weakest point? Gen. Jackson has not
exaggerated the importance OF the annexation
in this view OF the subjec;
cannot suppose that there is any portion of the
Union which every Senator here is not prepared,
ana does no; feel bound, to protect against every
danger. This is a consideration which rises
above al party distinctions, above all local inter
ess. II everthcrc was question strictly national,
this is one. | do not dcnounce the efforts of En-
gland; yet feel myselfcalcd on, as an American
patriot and statesman, 10 do all which constitll
lionaly may, 10 coun,cract her efforts, believing
they would be vitality Injurious To my country,
however intended. With the views entertain,
Ishould regard myseias IA raitorto the best int
rests of my country it, with such an imminent
danger impending, Lshould refuse 10 sanction the
only ACT which can save Us from great national
calamity.
shall not speak of the value of the lands in
Texas, nor of their immense proiuctiveneSs i'll
cotton; for, so far as that view Is concerned il is
the Senator from Massachusetts, and the State OF
Massachusetts and not myself and South Carroll
na, that are peculiarly interested So far as
have a mere pecuniarv interest, as cotton plant
er of South Carolina, know perfectly we'll that
IL receiving Texas | rear up against myself and
my constituents formidable competition. In this
view I have no more interest i'll urging the rati-
iicaiion OF this treaty than the Senator from Mas
sachuseits would have in inviting To the neishhor-
hood OF Boston or Lowell 4 competitor who pos
SaSsed some new and secret Improvement in ma
chnery, by means OF which he could underSell all
existing competitors But the whole South has
an interest in the annexation propose0; ana while
shall cndeavor 10 show the nature OF that inter
est, invoke the earnest attention Of the Senate.
The interest we have in this question is one which
we hold under the sacred guarantees oithe Consi-
tuition; and il involves not our property only--all
pf prOnarfv--hut existence DOII-
tical communities
The honorable Senator from Massachusetts
said, on former occasion, and with great elo-
uuence and emphasis that but Tor the protective
system he would Instantly abandon the sterile soil
of Massachusetts, and fly for relief to other and
more fertile regions And say, lie, those fearful
calamitieS come upon us, which may result from
what England considers as her philan,hropic poll
CIV Of extending by her counsels The spirit ot uni
versal emancipation-let the avowed wishes of
Lord Brougham and Lord Aberdeen ior the abo
lition Of slavery throughout the world be consum-
mated as respects South Carolina, and, as God is
nv Judge | would seek refuge on the highest
and most barren mountain of Switzerland, rather
than remain in my own native land, highly IA
vorcd as il is by the choicest blessings of a meT-
ciful Providence if | am 10 be surrounded by the
curse and the plague OF an emancipaed negro
population. The whole civilized word is labor
Ing under perfect hallucnaion Oh the subject OF
negro slavery as il exists in The U. States. NO
one Of the communities OF the earth IL we cx-
cent the slaycLolding States themselves, has the
slieh,es. conception of the tue character, and
the moral and political effects of an inStitl-
zion against which their intrusive and IN
iurjous denunciationS and intermeddlins ma
chinations are 50 perseverngy directed. do no,
say this 10 defend tha, institution upon the suPpo-
position Of right either here OF elsewhere To inter
fere with il in any way, much less 10 denounce
Judgment upon il, but speak to dispel prevail
ING delusion from the minds of those TO whom The
Constitution has bound 10 protect il as much as it
binds them 10 project the manufactures Of New
England against the ncendiaries or the soldiers
OF foreign power Will any patriot attempt 10
make distinction between the social rights and
institutions of the States Of this ConieGeracy =
That this Government may Consiiluiionally re-
fuse 10 extend lis protection 10 the properly OF
twelve States of the Union and even give laid
and comfort" 10 foreign and domestic assocll-
tons avowedly aiming al lis destruction IL has
no right TO inquire into the character oil any siae
institution that belongs wholly and exclusively
10 the sovereign people OF the State where The IN
stitution exists Now Sir, whatever others may
think. there is a deep and universal conviction
impressed upon The minds OF all the people oi The
South and Southwestern States, that The acquSi-
ton of q controlling influence over Texas ny
Great Misunderstanding the views she distinctly
avows-Wi he imminently dangerous to these
institutions. We ask you 10 give It's nothing we
only ask YOU Ia protect the properly We have,
which we hold by title derived from he anccS-
tors OF our tcilowciizens of the North during our
common dependence ON Great Britain. They (
imported the Slaves uncrr the laws and auspices (
OF the mother country, and agalnS The protests oil
some Of The Southern colonies and sold them 10 I
the ancestors OF those vino how hold them, ami /
qr,,yrapt.d he THE And the solemn guaranty al .
rewards made by Tie FEDERAL Constitution was +
nothing more than Il continuation vi TINS WdrIan-
~.
I Introduce this topic here on this occasion. TO
show how unjust il i 20 the people Of The South,
who have this moral and constitutional right to
Geyqaf Of this Government The protection oi This
description OF properly. 10 treat ii as sort CT ri-
men t,cST lcojs,dtiS--aS an offence 2@alDs, the
MAJESTY of abotion,m at home and abroad, 10
,alS ahon, il al all in discussing question which
involves is existence. II h;Is been significantly
limited here and openly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, that the
Secretary of STAT" by even abiding III his official
cores ondence 10 the subject OF slavery ana The
ayowed designs Of Great Britain in relation to it.
had committed gross ndrcorum towards The
abolition spirit OF the North which wonld drive
Northern Senators from The support OF Ibis treaty.
What, Sir has il come 10 this, thai man who
feels himself 10 he Tree citizen OF these United
States dare 10, even SPEAK OF his rights and OF
The obligation OIL, tins Government 10 protect them
against every danger direct OF indirect, open or
DISGUISED from whatever quarter II may come
A more singing insult could not be offered to |
free peop!c II has again, been said, in certain |
Quarters of the Union that Texas shall not be re-
ceivei into the Coniedcraoy OF the United States
because il will PROVE a nursery Of slavery AL |
low me 10 present plain and practical view as
m This aSDect OF the question.
What. then, wi be the effect Of the enanci-
patton of our slaves. or OF policy which shall
roniine them 10 tie limits OF the existing slave
S;a,esl What shall BE- done with the cmancipa-
ted slaves which will I've crowded upon Us! IS
there anv theorist visionary as 10 think that all
the enancpated slaves Of the United States can
I've colonized in Africa? Why, Sir the annual
increase OF these people BY procrcation is one
hundred thousand. And how many have the Ia
bors OF the benevolent societies OF the Y. States
annually transported from this country! Not one
hundred,h part OF that number They' have scarce
IL checked the increasing numbers of the tree
people of color already existing in the United
States
That population of the United States cannot be
Diminished but must be increased. Now, II we
shall annex Texas, il will operate as safely
valve 10 lie, of the superintendent slave popuia-
lion from among us. and will, at lie same time,
Improve their condition they will be more hap
NJ and we all shall be more secure. Bui II you
pen them up within our present limits what be-
comes OF the free negroes, and what will be their
condition | have no, seen them consregated IN
great numbers so as to form a SORT OF communi-
H. any where but in Philadelphia; and OF all
the spectaces ofsqualid wretchedness to be found
ON the face Of the habitable globe save perhaps in
the purlieus of London they there exhibit The
most wre,ched and revolving. They are, in every
view Of moral dignity, libel upon the human
race. Though they live under the control OF wise
laws, devised and enacted by not bad specimen
of the Anglo-Saxon race yet there they are such
a spectacle of human degradation and misery
If we send them 10 Africa, what will in Il little
while be the spectacle they will exhibit there ,!
Il viii be worse than that which St Domingo ex-
hibits now, alter progress OF forty years in the
eynerimcn, of selt-soyernmcnt A philanlhropist