The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-04-24

be DOW before me, which Is equally deci-
ded. The RICHMOND WHO, the leading
wbig paper in Virginia, says, annexation
should be thought Of pitiout the consent
Of the rhole family. must quote a para
graph from that paper The Italics are the
editors.
$50 immense, so critical, SO awful
question (says the editor) as the annexa'
ton of new Empire to the old. ought to
have been submitted to the people.in their
'calmest and most collected mood. Moth
ing respecting it should have been at
tempted without the previous ascertained
.wiN of the people. That will, when so
much was at stake, should have been the
will. not of a doubtful and equivocal ma
'iority, but of a clear, decided and unsec-
'honai majority. The northern States
should have been asked how this annex
'ation of new empire squared with The
ideas of perpe,uating the Union as 1t
stood. So of the middle States so the
western and southern. AN the family
should have been consulted. fairly, hon.
'ssily, candidly, and in the spirit which
dictated tho great American Confedera-
icy. Sectional feeling, political clap-irap
and aspirations, party interests OF every
kind, should have been excluded from all
share in-the determination OF a question
before which, in our humble conception,
"a war with England. or with France
'dwindIes into comparative insignificance,
Then go west of the mountains. see
in the paper Of yours now before me, an
article from the Louisville Journal (KEN-
TUcKY) zone of the most influential pa
pers in the west" as says the introduction
to the article which, SAYS the same intro
dnction. "spcaks out boldly, manfully, and
in voice Of warning" against annexa-
ton.
And then there is the bold stand taken
by CAssIUs NJ. CLAY. decided supporter
of Henry Clay against annexation. indi-
eating not only his sentiments. but the
undoubted sentiments Of large portion
of the people of Kentucky. Is Henry
Clay gong for annexation, with his Ken
lucky friends even divided upon the sub
jectl
d, Because the great, leading purpose
Of annexation is. VIGOROUSLY, the perpetu.
alton of slave power. 1t is the fsvoriie
measure of the Calhouns. McDufiies,
Walkers. and Benton of the south and
west. They take the ground that slave.
~ is, in the language of Mr. McDufiie
'.ths corner stone Of our republican insti
tuiions." They lore slavery and desire
to see it perpetuated. Not so Mr. Clay
However be may have been. or may
now be, opposed to northern abolition
movements" there is no evidence that be
wishes 10 see slavery perpetuateo.
have the fullest confidence that he de.
sIres no such thing and therefore, as he
has no sympathy in the leading motive
Of the movement he is not presumed to
be in favor of the movement itself.
Besides, Kentucky is fast coming on ia
the ground Of abolition. There is a grea
deal of the right spirit in that State
more, much more than meets our eyes.
1t is like leaven-it piH work-thanks
TO the God of truth and justice, and none
can hinder. MIR Clay cannot successful,
resist it. if he would. He is devoted tc
the welfare of that noble State /; and
knows 10 well what belongs to her true in
terests, to quarrel with Cassiis NJ Clay
and others of his spirit in Kentucky, about
abolition by The free riN Of Kentucky. He
is going TO make no great movement to
perpstuate slavery. No! lie sees thai
it cannot be perpetuated ; that the SHOWS
and ice of winter can as well resist the
advance Of the summer sun, as that slave.
ry can resist the power of the XlXth GEN.
fury of the christian era. If any suppose
that he is insensible to the progress of the
great antislnvery movement, they are
much mistaken. No--Henry Clay will
never put forth his strength, and hazard
his fame, in the insane project of shaking
this Union to its centre, and endangerIng
its very existence, to push the uphIl
scheme OF annexation, for the purpose of
perPetuaiing what he knows cannot be
perpeluated."
AS TO his competitor for the presidency.
| cannot say as much. There is scarcely
any one single point in which reasoning
in regard to Henry Clay's probable course
will apply TO Van Buren, who lives for
the present and for self. If he thinks ne
can hold 1.-The party" al the north by par
~ ties, while he goes for annexation, he
will ''go it' provided he can gain any
thing at the South by so dong. Gen.
Jackson's letter for annexation is now
brought out for that purpose. We shall
see whether the patty will so AT his bid
ding. The Van Buren, papers talk qneer.
ly upon the subjec;-waiting to see
whether it will do. They kind o. bate TO
do it, and wont if they can help it /; but
they have little oftbe direct and the out
spoken. And soma Of the leaders Of the
party in Congress from the free States al
so are out MIR BUCHANAN and Mr.
WOODBURY. for example--the former of
Of whom is full of missionary zeal fol
spreading the blessing of christianity and
of civil and religions liberty over the
whole North American Continent !" 1t
is not difficult TO sec what are tho tenden-
cies among the Van Buren, party in re-
gard TO annexation. IL my friend Hol-
comb has any wish 10 help the movement,
let him help elect Van Buren, BY persua-