Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-05-31

case, breast the torrent with all his constitutional
might.
! allow not to human laws, be they primary or
secondary, no matter by what numbers or with
what solemnity ordained, the least semblance of
right to establish slavery, to make property of my
fellow, created equally with myself in the image
of God.
Governments exist, not for the destruction of
liberty, but for its defence
Is any man so bcstoted as to suppose for mo-
ment that the slave holder has an atom Of right to
his slave?
On this ground, were there no other, should
say we cannot receive Texas as slave territory,
We have no right to continue chains which we
have no right to forge or impose"
CLAY. April II, 1874" l have forbomc to
reply because it was not very convenient, and
other reasons.
have seen no desire on the part of a consider
able portion of the people that Texas should be-
come a part of the United States.
IT, without the loss Of national character, with
out the hazard of war, with the general concur
renee Of the nation, without danger to the ntegri
ty of the union, and without giving any unreason-
able price for Texas the question would appear in
quite a different light.
We ought to take care not to make too great
sacrifice in the attempt to acquire it.
If Mckee yields her consent, that would mate
rally eject the foreign aspect of the question: if
did not remove all foreign difficulties.
lfany European nation entertains any ambitious
designs upon Texas, should regard it the duty of
this government to resist such designs to the extent
of an appeal to arms.
In conclusion, consider the annexation of Tex
as al this time, without the consent of Mexico, in
cxpedient in the present financial condition of the
country, and not called for by any general express
sion of public opinion"
VAN buren,. (Three days after Clay. )-It is
desirable that the action of an Executive should
not he embarrassed by assurances given at peri
cd when no safe opinion could be formed Of what
that conduct would be-
1t can scarcely be deemed consistent with pru
dencc to bind ourselves in advance in respect to
the particular line of conduct we will hereafter a.
dept in case of such magnitude as the present.
In 1897 proposition received for the an
ncxaton of Texas did not find it necessary to
consider the question of constitutional power, nor
the manner in which the object should be accom-
plished, fdeemed eXpedcnt and proper
The present condition Of the relations between
Mexico and Texas may soon be so far changed as
to weaken, and perhapst obviate entirely the OBJ
lection against the immediate annexation
Should such state Of things arise, and be
found in charge of the responsible duties of Presi-
dent you may be assured that | would meet the
question, if then presented to me, with sincere
desire to promote the result which believed best
calculated to advance the permanent welfare of
the whole country.
| am not, need hardly say to you, an untried
man, in respect to my disposition or ability to dis
regard any feeling of that character in the dis
charge of official duties"
So Underwood twaddcs along to the end of his
chapter, expressing some fears that there may
be those on both sides unwilling to trust him
and frankly admits that the people are not obliged
to vote for him if they are not mind to-
The above positions of each ofthc distinguished
etter-writers is, of course, attempted to be sus
= tanned by argument. But the positions themselve.
are fairly represented by the foregoing extracts
] To us it seems that every vote given for Clay OF
E Van Buren,, is given for the ultimate admission o
Texas. And only those given for Birney coun
E against such dreaded result, immediate or re
mote. B. H. F.