Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-10-17

be laid before Congress for s final action or before
The first Of January" next, and with q provision
among others. that thew States Of convenient sze
and having sufficient population may, by the consent
of said State be formed o. the territory thereof
and entitled TO admission under tho provisions Of the
Federal Cons
To this resolution there was added another, to the
effect that IL the President should deem il most advis
able, instead Of submitting the foregoing resolution TO
the Republic Of Texas, es an overture for admission,
10 negotiate with that Republic, then that the adms.
sion might be effected either by treaty to be submit.
ted to the Senate or by articles 10 be submitted the
direct.
Upon the passage Of these resolutions, the President
proceeded to act upon the fret and forthwith submit.
ted i TO Texas, as an overture for its admission Up.
on the receipt OF the overture, convention called
which has formed constitution which has been sub.
miiled TO the people of Texas for their action on the
ed and submitted 10 the Congress Of the United States
M its next session, for the approval, which 10 in.
dispensabIe prerequisite 10 admission into the Union.
The question Of annexation being thus an open ques-
tion the states may, with view TO its final decision
as well as in reference TO their duty upon possible
consummetion of the measure, properly subject to
the ordeal 'of'severe scrutiny deem, therefore, no
attention, nor for the expression of my conviction
that Vermont should firmly resist every advance to.
wards the contamination Of measure so utterly
subverslve Of her rights as member Of the existing
Confederacy.
This ineditsied invasion of our rights is not 10 be
regarded, or treated, as ordinary violation of the
constitution for which there may be constitutional
remedy in the nerposition of the judicial power. Ma
deed be done-the foreign State admitted and its Sem
ators and Representatives be actually in Congress-
and practically decision Of the Supreme Court would
poweress. The truth is, the is essentially
Revolutionary. It is a fraud upon the Constitution,
and utterly subversive of-changinq essentially, our
domestic Federal relations and creating union,
of which neither the present constitution, mutual
confidence will constitute the bond; a union whose
only bond will be, the apprehended evils Of actual sep.
aration since is impossible that confidence or aec.
ton exist where there is an abiding sense of fla
grant injustice and usurpaton.
Much has been said in regard to the ''com-
promises Of the Constitution" in favor Of Slave.
ry; and so sensitive are the South on this
subject-so tenacious Of the concessions wrunp
from the North, as the price Of the Union, thai
the bare proposal, by the legislature of Massa.
chusetts, to amend the Constitution, by abo ish
ing the slave representation in Congress, has
been denounced as little less than treason IL
the Union. But this very compromise carries
with it an irresistible argument against the
measure of annexation. A slight conside ration
Of the subject will render it apparent. that the
compromise securing a slave representation
must have had reference TO a union within the
then limits Of the United States, because i
concerned a sectional interest, the adjustment
of which, in the compromise, must necessarily
have had respect TO DEFINITE territorial limits
otherwise the balance might be DESTROYED, ant
the compromise practically nulliied, by thu
addition Of foreign slave States, giving to tn,
slave interest an unlooked for and perlnanen
preponderance in the Union.
And such notification will be the effect o
concentrating the measure Of annexation.-
The compromises touching the question o
slavery will be at an enG-as clearly SO, a.
would be one Of two dependent and reciprocal
obligations between individuals, where the 9th
er had been violated.
The truth is that, at the time Of securing thu
great and fatal concession of the slave repre-
sentation-by whose votes in Congress almos
every question affecting the relative INTEREST,"
Of the slave and non saveholding States, in
GLIDING the question Of annexation, has beer
decided-no thought was any where entertain
ed, OF extending the bounds Of slavery beyond
the limits Of the United States, 1t was on the
contrary, the universal expectation that SLAYER,
would decline, and at no distant period, cease L
mar our Federal Union. II was in tho spirit o
this anticipation that il was declared, in the ar.
ticles Of compact embodied in the celebrated
Ordinance Of Congress Of 'e7 for the govern.
ment Of the Territory North West of the Rv.
er Oho--which passed with but one dissenting
|
involuntary seryitude therein, otherwise than
in the punishment Of CRIMES" Aud what still
more strkingly evinces tho spirit Of those
times, and the true bearing Of that ordinance ia
respect to slavery, the preamble to the article,
OF compact declared, that they were ordained
"for extending the fundamental principles O
civil and religious liberty which form the bas,
whereupon these republics, their laws and con
stltutiOns are erected"
If it had been asserted in the Convention tina
formed the Constitution, that, under the CLAUSE
declaring that new States may be admitted BY
the Congress into this Union," foreign slave
States might and would come in, il is very man
ifest that the clause would not have been adopt,
ed without an express negaton of such a con
struction--much more, that a provision for the
representation Of three filths Of the slave popu.
lation would not have been permitted place IN
the Constitution. The fact that such provs.
ion was made is, therefore, conclusive evidence
that the admission into the Union Of foreign
slave States under the Constitution, entered
into no ones conceptions. and would have been
expressly guarded Sgainst, if suggested from
any quarter.
1t follows that every assertion by the South
OF the sacredness Of the slave representation
compromise, 10 an argument out Of it's own
mouth, that the introduction Of foreign slave
| oto'Co tuc OutOu ies U6eU q VIOLATION d
the compromises Of the Constitution. And il
furthermore follows, that such introduction o
foreign slave States, in effect discharges the
North from its obligation to q continuance Of
the slave representations representation
sufficiently 6nerous when confined to the Con.
sthutional Union, but ntolerable when extend
ed to new Union, formed by the introduction
OF foreign slave States, Tor the purpose of per.
petuating the dominion Of the slave power.--
Let the South either relinquish the unrighteous
advantage Of tho slave representation, or cease
to press for the admission Of foreign slave
States. To claim both 10 an aggravation Of in
Justice. equalled only by that Of the system
for whose support and continuance il 10 perpe.
trated.
Equally unjust and absurd 10 il to claim an
execution Of the constitutional stipulations fol
the surrender Of fugitves from oppression, and
for protection against domestic violence, while
the right is claimed and exercised, TO augment
and perpetuate, indefinitely, the burden OF these
obligations, by the annexation OF foreign slave
States to the Union.
Slavery, moreover, 10 an element of weak.
ness, inviting invasion, which the Constitution
binds the nation to repel, in whatever quarter il
may threaten. How long, and to what extent
this obligation is TO be binding, may hereafter
become question. The advocates of annex.
alton would do well now. to consider il al
they would also, the question, to what extent
there shall be maintained, at an enormous ex.
pense, navy 10 prevent the coastwse slave
trade, destined to acquire unwohted actiyjtv