Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-08-02
SPEECH OF MIR. BENTON.
Of Missouri in Senate, Juns ID, 1911, in reply
to Mr.. McDuGie, on The TEXAS Question.

Thus spoke of the mourners as well as of the cx-
ccuoners, eight years ago. And how did the Sena-
tor from South Carol ,a-who reproachcs me for
supposed instructed humanity, how did he then
speak To this question let n ceriaIn message from
Governor to his State Legislature Of the contempt.
rary perod-let that message answer! 1t was too
notable TO be forgotten; and comes into play now,
like many edged sword, cutting many parties, and
even its master and cleavng down the treaty for
which he now stands up. That message repudiated
Texas and her cause; saw nothing but aliens and m
surgenls IN her struggling patriots; and rebeous
subjects IN her massacred prisoners. To that mes
sage remit HIM for the state Of his feelings, $50 DIFF
ieren from this day when the caamltles of the Tex
ans recent, and the names If the unbured dead
were crying 10 heaven for mercy and to man for
miseration. The feelings of that message contrast
strongly with the lamentations Of this day; and read
us new lesson IN the physiology of the passions
Love, is said, has agents in the heart careless and
decelttul creatures! that lie long dormant doing moth
ing; and then, on some sudden uneX peced OCCASION
occasion at all, break out in fury and conquer
all before them. This is said of love, but never
heard the same of grief. Sorrow had always I'M
dersooi was an extemporancous passion, breaking
out on the instant, and dying out in time. Not so
wi h the Senator's doctrine of the passions and
of his Texan grief. 1t slept until the calamity was
old, and then broke out with the violence of sudden
affection But there is another part of that same
message which il is good still to look uron; and thai
part in which annexation repused, because it vi.
oaed treaties, made war, DESTROYED commerce. and
planted enmlty between the neishboring nations
which ought To be friends. In all this the sentiments
Of the message Just that is authors present
position would be perfect if he only spoke now as he
did when he delivered it.
BIT advise the conrivers to give up this scheme.
Polk and Texas are strong, and can carry q great
DEAL but not every thing. The oriental story informs
us that il the last which roke the camel
back what if mountain had been put first upon the
poor ANNALS back ? Notification is u mountain |!
Disunion is n mountain and what could Polk and
Tpyns ln with % their hacks And
here, Mr.. President must speak on. The time has
for those to speak out who neither fear count
consequences, when Their country is IN danger The
country is in danger! Notification and sunon are
ace more danger than ever since coupled with pop
ular question which gives to the plotrrs the honest
sympalhies of the patriotic millions. have often in
inIaied il before, but now proclaim il. Disunlon is
at the bottom Of this long Texas machlna
ton. Intrigue AMI speculation co operate; but dis
union is at the bottom aud denolnce TO the Amer
lean people, Under the preteXt of getting Texas into
the Union. the scheme is To get the South out of it.
separate confederacy, stretching from the Atlantic
to California, land hence the secret of the Rio Grande
del Norte fronter) is the cherished vision of disap
pointed ambition and for this consummaIion every
circums stance has been carefully and arttully cont
we'd A secret and intriguing negotiation, concealed
from Congress and the people: an abolition quarrel
picked with Great Britain TO father an abolition quar-
rel home; slavery correspondence to outrage the
North war with Mexico: the clandesine concenlra-
ton of troops and ships in the southwest the secret
compact with the President of Texas, and the sublec
ton of the American forces to his commands the ia
grant of the purse and the swod the contra
dctorv and prepos. erous reasons which the deec.
ted military and naval movement was defended all
these announce the prepared canstr0phe and the IN
side of the treaty betrays It's design. The whole
annexed country is TO he admitted as one territory,
with treaty promise 10 be admitted as states, when
we all know that Congress alone can admit new
States, and that the treaty PROMISE without law OF
Congress to back it, is void The whole TO be sa, G
States, land with the boundary To the Rio Grande,
there may be great many0 and the correspondence,
which is the KEY to the treaty and shows the design
offs trainers wholly directed to the extension of sla-
veIy and the evaporation of the North.-What else
co I'D be done TO get up Missouri conUoverses, and
make sure of the non-admsson OF these States
Then the plot is consuinninled' ana leNas wi'hon'
the Union sooner than the Union without Texas al
ready the premontory chorus of so many resolves,
receives its practical application IN the secession OF
the South, and It's adhesion To the rejected Texas
Even without waiting for the non ADMISSION OF the
States So carefully provided for III the treaty and cor
respopdence secession, and confederation with the
forelg Texas il already the scheme OF the subaern
dsunonists. The subalierns, charged too high by
their chefs are ready for this but the more cunning
chiefs want Texas in as terrtory-n by treaty-th6
supreme law of the lnnd-wilh void promise for ad
mission as States. Then non ADMISSION can be call
ed n breach of the treaty Texas can he assumed ia
be part of the Union; aud secession and conlnnc
ton with her, becomes the fiHh'ini remedy ms
| the design, and denounce II ! aud bind IS he who
occupying position IN this capitol does not behold
lii
| ] mention secession as the more cunning method
of dssolvng the Union II ~ dlsnn,on aud the NOR
dangerous because the less pnlpabe, Nullihcalior
begat II and n allowed there IN an ond oil he Union
| The Senator from South Carolina complains tina
have been arrogant and overbearing ~ this debate
and dctatoris TO those who were opposed 10 mo ~
lar as this TepIoach ~ founded, have 10 regret u
aud to ask pardon Of the Senate aud ct It's members