Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-09-13
VOL. XI.- 3.

o comprehend the probable influence Of an
lexation on the durability Of the Union, and
ts influence on the temper and feelings of
he States composing the Union, one to-
wards another TO consider also, whether,
over and above these eternal antipathies of
liberty and slavery, which il must kindle
into inextingusbable fame whether over
and above these, this measure will not appear
and ought not TO appear, TO be mere at
tempt TO retain, or TO give, to one region
and one interest Of the republic, an ascen-
dency, TO which, as against the others, il is
not entiiledl Is there not vast danger, that
in this way, il will array States, and regions
Of States, against each other, on contest
Of interest, OF business, Of relative local pow
erl Will it not be regarded as aifrontiye
TO the pride, as usurpatioD, on the consti-
tutional rights, as mcnacing TO the pockets,
of portions of the people Of America, as
well as an outrage on the sentiment Of liber-
ty and the spirit Of The age? How can it
be defended, on the principles of our politi-
cal association The generation OF our
fathers, who framed the Union, who saw as
we'll as we do, the great natural regional d.
visions of The country. They foresaw, as
well as we now see, that one ofthese regions
might come to prefer one system Of indus
trial governmental policy, and another to
prefer another that one might incline to
lree-trade, and another TO protection; that
one might little more solicitously favor
the interests Of cotton planting; another,
those Of navigation; another. those Of gen.
eral agriculture another, those of the me-
chanical and manufacturing arts. They
foresaw that in this way, there might grow
to be such thing as a southern, or as
western, or as a central, or as an eastern
administration-each of which should be
constitutional administration and yet, the
policy of each might take a tincture from
the locality, which predominated in It's
origin and composition. They foresaw, too
that there would come to be, what you
would call southern influence, and western
influence, and central influence, and eastern
influence; that these would strive together,
without rest, for anicable mastery; and
they fondly dreamed, or nationally hoped,
that out Of this opposition and counteraction,
this reciprocal struggle Of discordant pow
ers" might flow harmony that should never
end. They foresaw, too, that in the pro-
gress of time, the operation of natural caus-
es might change, and change often, all those
relations which marked the era of I7s9.-
The young cotton plant Of the south, scarce
~ known 10 art or commerce then, might
place or might keep the fair and fertile re-
gion that alone produced it for ages. at the
head of the confederacy. The exaustless
soil and temperate climate the west, might
attract and seat the center of power there
on the impurpled prairie-by the shores of
inland oceans. Labor and liberty, and Gull
lure might sometimes win it back to the
rock Of Plymouth, the battle fields of Bunker
Hill and Bennington TO the summiis of our
granite mountains, TO the side Of our bridal
sea, OF all these alterations, they intend
that the people of America, the people of
each region Of America, should take the
risk. Of all these, we are ready to take the
risk. OF all these, we always have run the
risk. But there is one thing, of which The
trainers of the constitution never meant.
that we or any region should take the risk !;
and that is, that any region, any interest,
should call in foreign allies TO prolong and
augment dn dscendency, which under the
action Of natural causes, might be imagined
to be passing aroy! They never meant
that the north should call in the Canadas.
or Newfoundland, or Greenland, for the
sole purpose of giving us more voters in
/ Congress for lumber duties, or fishing boun-
ties, or the protection Of wool. They new
er meant that the south should bring in
Mexico, or Cuba, for the sole purpose OF
voting down the tariff, or maintaining any
dominion or any institution. merely because
the broad, deep, and resistless stream oil
time was threatening to bear il silently
away. No Mol That is not the Union
we came into That is not the race we set
cherish, certain national deniy. We a.
greed to place ourselves in the power Of a
certain national identity. We agreed to
take our chance, of any constitutional adj
! ministration Of government ; any fashion OF
! politics; any predominance of interests
, opinions and institutions, TO which that
, might constitutionally subject US. But we
did not agree to love--we did not agree 10
be governed by all creation We did moi
, agree that the merchants of Matanzas, the
gold miners of Mexico, the log wood cutters
) Of Honduras, and Indian traders Of Santa
+ Fe, Coahula, or Chihuahua, whose '.barba-
rous appellations," we can neither pronounce
nor spell, should make our laws Non hGt
in fnderd ucni Take care lest the people
of all regions, but one, should give the trans
latlon-"we made no such bargain, and we
: stand no such nonsense"
: With these impressions Of the evils Of an
e nexation, it is difficult to suppress septi
S ment of Indignation at what would otherwise
d deserve nothing but ridicule-the reasons
{ which men give for this measure, who ar,
e ashamed or afraid to give the true one
g "Texas is SO fair and fertile" as if thi