Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-05-10


the avowal of Lord aberdeen, OF the desire of Great
Britain TO see slavery abolished In Texas and, as he
infers, is endeavoring through her diplomacy to ac
complsshfthy making che abolition Of iavery of
the conditions on which Mexico should ackno wledgo
her Independence. Ithas confirmed his previous i'm
pressp,sns 10 the policy of Great ln in reference
10 Texas, and n,ade his duty to examine with much
care nmd ,lici'ude what woud he its effects on the
prosperity and safety Of the United States should she
succeed in her cndcavors. The inves igaton has
suited in the settled conviction that II would he diff
cult for Ttxns III her actual condition, 10 resist what
she desires, without suppU>lng the influence and
tons Of Great Britain would be extended beyond the
limits assigned by Lord Aberdeen, and that if Texas
could not resist the o1snmmaon of the object o her
desire wo Id entangcr both the safety and prosperity
Of the Union. Under this conva,r,n, it is felt to le
the inpcrious duty If the federal government, the
common representative and protector of the states of
Sfthe Union To opt in scli-defcnce the most eiiec
.ti1l measures to defeat it,
This not the proper occasion To state nj large the
grounds of this conviction 1t is snilicen, to say,
that the consummaon cf the avowe obj CT Of her
wishes in ref renee to Texas would be followed bv
hostile feelings and relations between that country
and the United Siacs, which could not fail to place
her under the influence and control Of Great Britain.
That, from the geographical position of Texas would
expose the weakest a I'd most vulnerable portion of
our frontier To nroadg. and place in the of Great
Britain the most efficient means Of eiiecling in the
nr.hborng States ofihls nion what she avows to
he her de ire 10 do IN all countries where slavery
exists. To hazard consequences which would be
dangerous To the prosperity and safety Of this Unlon
without resotting 10 the most effective measures to
prevent ihcm wonld be, on the part of the Federal
Government. an abandonment Of the most solemn
obligation Imposed by the guarantee which the States
in adopting the Constitution, entered into to protect
each other against whatever might endanaer their
safety whether from without or within Acting in
obedience to this Obligation, on which our federal sys
tenn of government rests the President directs me
inform you that treaty has been concluded between
the United States and Texas, for the annexation Of
the latter TO the former as n part ofs territory, which
k,c nj, T., tl,aS far,
approval This step has been taken as the most
eff.ctual, If not the on, means of guarding against
The threatened danger, AMI securing their permanent
peace m welfare.
1t il well known that T.xns has long desired to be
annexed to this Union that her people, Mt the time
of the adoption Of her Constitution expressed, BY an
Utmost unanimous vote, her desire - that effect and
Tint she has never 1Scd 10 desire H. as the most cet
tain means of promoting her safety and prosperity
The United States have II retoiore declined To meet
her wshc, but the time has now arrived when they
can M longer refuse, consistently with Their
Guilty and peace and the s,cre obi !atlon Imposed
hv their constitutional compact for mutual defence
aud protection. Nor are they way responsible
for the cir cunstanccs which have imposed this obga-
ton on hem. They had no agency IN bringing about
the state Of Thing, which has erninaied in the sepa-
ration nj Texas from Mexico. 1t was the Spanish
Government and Mexico herself which invited and
offered high inducements to our c izels 10 cnlonizc
Texas. That, from the i rSliy of character, hab.
its. religion. and political opinions. necessarily led to
the separation, without the interference of the Uni'ed
States in any manner whatever. II is true, the United
Stntes early period, rerornzrd The independence
of Texas but in doing So it ia veil 'novn they but
acted IN conformity with established principle Ia
r.cnunze The Clover nment de facto 'Tbev had nre
vously acted on the same principle in reference to
Mexico herself, an the other Governments which
have risen an the former dominons of Snon on his
continent.
They arc equally without responsibility for that
state Of things, already aiverted to as the mmente
CAUSE of imposinp on them in self defence the obloo
ton of adon,np the measures thew have They re-
manned passive so long as the pocv on the part of
Great Britain. which has led to its Ioplion had no
Immediate herring on their peace and slfriy. While
they conceded to Great Britain the right of adopting
whatever policy she might deem best N reference to
the African race within her own possessions they on
their part claim the same riyht for themselves The
uocy ehe has adoped in reference to the norton of
that race in her don,nlons NAV be humane and wise:
but does not follow, if prove so with her that il
would be 30 in reference to the United States and 9TH
er countries whose situation differs from hers But,
whether il would he or not II belongs to each 10
;udpe and determine self With us it question
TO he decided not bv the Federal Government b, bv
each member of this Union for ITSELF according to its
own views of its domestic polcy and without anv
,iah, an ,he nar, Of The Federal Govnrnmcni IN inter
ferei any. manner Whatever Its rights and duties
are Unite to protecting under the Guarantees of the
Constitution, each member of this Union, IN whatev.
er nolicv II NAV o1opt in reference 10 the norton with
in liz respectye limits LARGE number of the State;
has decided that it is neither wise nor humane tr
change the relation which has existed from their fir
where the African is less numerous have adoptcd III,
opposite policy
II beonus not 10 the Government 10 oucsrior
whether the former have decided wisely or not ana
if did the undersigned would not regard hi, as the
proper occasion to discuss the subject, He does not
howeyer deem il irrelevant 10 state that if die eyper
ence of more Than half century is to decide wouI,
be neiher humane nor wise in thnm to chance then
oolrv. The census and other M hentc document,
show that in all inst ,nres in which the States hay,
chnnced the former relation bptwce, the two races
the condition of the African instead of BEING improv
cd has become worse They have been lnvariabl,
sunk in To vice and p,uperism, accompanied by tht
bodily and mental infections incident ,hcrcto-de,c
ness hind ness insnni,y and idocv TO n dnuree with
out ex ,n,nle. while in all other States which b,v,
retained the ancient relation between them thew hay,
imnroycd grea,ly in every rcspec-in number com
f,r, ;n,e;yence and morols-as The f,llnwnr G,r,s
,,Lsn from snch sources ,r;,I ervo m ilIus,r,to.
The number NJ deaf and dmmb hind HAS md j.,
.,ne Of Tho negroes in he states Thai have ch,pro
The ,nc;ent reioon between tho r,ces 10 ono ont n
evcry n;,etv civ ,vh;le in tho S,o,es o,jhorn, n, n,
il i; one oui If c,erv siv hu, lrcd and scyon,v 1yo
hot,s scven n me in f, vor of rho ,,,cr o
v;,h ,h. G,rmer
Tho n,mh.r If whites doof,pd dumb blind ii;o,s
md insane !, ,ha states ,h,, hovs cl,nnod ho ,o,
tinn ia nna in avcrv 70 b,ndred and s;x, n hs;n,
ne,rlv s;x IN one og,;ns, ,be f,ee hlack in ,ho ,n1