The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-10-23

: crimes" And what still more strikiEgl
f evinces the spirit of those times, and III
true bearing Of that ordinance in respec
| TO slavery, the preamble 10 the articles G
= compact declared, that they were ordan
\ ed "tor extending the fundamental prlnci
5 Piles of civil and religious liberty which
t form the basis wherein these republics
: their laws and constitutions are erected.
j If il had been asserted in The convention
: that formed the Constitution, that unde
, the clause declaring that new States ma,
5 be admitted by the Congress nlo this Un,
, ion," foreign slave States might and
; would come 10, it is very manifest that The
clause would not have been adopted with
out an express negation of such con.
structIon-much more, that provision fol-
} the representation of three>6hhs of the
: slave population would not have been per,
: mited place in the Constitution. The
fact that such provision was made is,
therefore, conclusive evidence that the ad =
mission lnto The Union of foreign slave
States under The Constitution, entered into
no ones conceptions and would have been
expressly guarded against, if suggested
from any quarter.
II follows that every assertion bv the
SouIh of the sacredness Of the slave repre-
sentatOn compromise, is an argument out
of its own mouth, that the introduction of
foreign slave States into the Union is. it.
self violation Of the compromises Of the
Constitution. And 1t furthermore 10 lows,
! that cncb tro1pcIICD cE forairn eio,
States, in effect discharges the North from
It's obligation to a continuance OF the slave
| representatives representation sufficient
y onefous when confined 10 the C0nsti-
tutaonal Unlon, but n'oerabe when eX-
tended TO new Union, formed by the in
PRODUCTION OF foreign slave States, for the
purpose OF perpetuaiug the dominion of
the slave power. Let the South either
reIinquish the unrig hteous advantage Of
the slave representation. or cease 10 press
for the admission of foreign slave States.
10 claim both is an nggravalion of injus-
tice, equaIed only by that OF the great
system for whose support and contnu-
ance it is perpetra!ed.
Equally unjust and absurd is i, TO claim
an execution of the constitutional stipuIa.
lions for the surrender OF fugtiyes from
oppression, and for protection against do
nestle violence, while the right is claim
ed and exercised, to augment and perpetu.
ate, indefinitely, the burden Of these obli> !
cations, by the annexation of foreign slave
States TO the Union.
Slavery, moreover, is an element of
weakness, inviting invasion, which the !
Constitution binds The nation to repel, in
whatever quarter il may threaten. How
long, and to wha, extent this obligation is
10 be binding, may hereafter become a
question. The advocates OF annexation
would Go well now, 10 consider ii; as they !
would also, the question, 10 what exlenl
there shall be maintained, at an enormous
expense, navy 10 prevent the coastwise
slave trade, destined to acquire unwonted
activity under annexation policy.
To these motives for resisting the con-
summation ofthe threatened measure, must
be added its injustice to Mexico, aud the
disgrace of perpetrating it, because she is
unable TO resist. And TO render this in>
justice the more fragrant, and the grasp.
ing spirit in which the whole annexation
movement originated, and has been con-
Quoted, the more manifest, it would now
seem that the Executive is pushing claim
to territory as part of Texas, clear Y be.
yond any limits ever assigned to the de-
par!ment Of that name, and not even In
possession of the government to whom the
overture for annexation has beer made.
The impotence OF Mexico may be 10 u.
IN e6cctual protection. We are probably s
safe from the injury her sense of wrong
nay prompt her to ofict. But who shall 9
protect us from the just judgement Of an
impartial world, or blot the stain of injus- :
ice from the pages Of our country's his
Dry.
10 reference 10 the position sometimes
aiken, that the action already had upon
he subject of annexation, concludes US I
rom further opposition 10 the measure, Ii d
S sufficient 10 say, that no right can be r
oncInded by any action Of the character n
It that Legislation under which The over s
ure to Texas has been made. L. is an e
tempt to annex by joint resolution of con- C
ress-the unconsulu;jonallty OF which Il
vas so apparent, that it became necessary C
. connect with il an alternative resolution
rovdiug for annexation by treaty. Il r
vas by the union of such an alternative o
hat conscientious scruples as to annexa-
on by joint resolution were quieted, tho 5
ne Alternative left it in the power of the
President TO give effect, as he has done,to in
le Joint resolution Itself, and thus do the al
cry thing which those scruples would II
OF allow could be done. re
We have thus double violation OF the er
constitutions; TO which must be added, the
CT that the President elect made his ap>
narance at the scene of action and uurued Of
lie trembling scale, by throwing into i, K