Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-02-07
ANTLTEXAS CONVENTION IN FANEUIL
HALL, BOSTON.

Massachusetts, met on Inc EJtn UT. ana continued
its session through that and the succeeding day
Hon. John NJ. Williams presiding The call was
addressed to all parties, and in some measure,
responded TO by all-several locofocos being pres
ent, notwithstanding The denunciation of the lead
ing ocoioco presses in the State. Ihere were
present also many Jealous aboionists though the
great body of the convention consisted of Wigs.
Some Of the abolitionsts urged extreme measures
such as proposition by Mr. Garrison to declare
the Union dissolved in case annexation is consum-
mated, and then to meet in Convention and form
new government. The convention, however, would
countcnancc 10 bad faith to the Constitution or the
Union; in the language Of the Hon. Linus Child
Of Worcester, "thcy did not come to speak of the
dissolution Of the Union. and the rupture of the
ties that bird us to the Constitution, but to invoke
the Constitution TO save from this great scheme
Of infamy." Again: lie said that any measure
of annexation was not binding that Texas was
net annexed, and that the Union stands The Con-
stitution was whole, the act of Congress was inval
i'd We go for the repeal Of any act which annex
os Texas, should 1t pass both Houses. If single
joint resolution could annex Texas, joint resou-
ton could put it out" Slavery of course mingled
conden ID it, and the prevailing sense seemed to be
that all should unite against it the basis of the
Constitution and tie Union as it is. The Conycn-
ton resulted in the unanimous adoption of the fol-
lowing address;
TO TIE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES
1t is a fundamental maxim of all our American
Constitutions, that the people are the only rghtful
source political power; that government is del
egated and limited trust; that all authority not
conferred is reserved; and that in fact, there are
grave questions, lying deeper than the organized
forms of government, and over which, government
in none Of its branches has just control.
When, IN the course of events, question Of this
kind arises, it is fit to be examined, and must be
examined, by the people themselves, and consider
ed and decided by an enlightened and conscien-
tious exercise OF the public judgment, and full
and determined expression of the public will.
1t is, perhaps, matter of necessity, that those to
whom powerls conided, under a free constitution
must be lett IN ordinary cases. to be judges, them
selves, of the limits imposed on their own authori-
ty, subject to such checks and balances as the fra
mers of government may have provided. But in
times oil great excitement, OF political and party
heat, in times when mems passions strengthen dan
gerous'y the natural tendency Of all power to en-
large Its limits by construction and inference, by
plausible arguments and bad precedents, in such
times 1t behooves the great constituent body to put
lotth It's own power OF investigation and decision,
and TO Judge for ITSELF whether its agents are about
totranscend their authority, and abuse their trust
Such, an inquiry, in the judgment of this Con.
veptlon, is presented to the people of the United
States by the project preached last year, and now
zealous!y and holly pursued, of anneXing Texas to
the United States.
This question transccnds all the bounds of ordi-
nary political topics. 1t is not question how the
United States shall be governed, but what shall
hereafter constitute the United States it is not
question as to what system Of policy shall prevail
III the country, but what the country itself shall be.
1t is question which touches the identity of the
Republic. The inquiry is, whether we shall remain
as we have been since 1889, whether we shall
now join another people TO us, and mix, not only
our interests, hopes aid prospects, but very be-
ing, with another, and foreign State.
This fearful proposition must awaken, and we
are glad to know does awaken, deep and intense
feeling throughout great part OF the country. 1t
touches rejecting minds to the very quick, because
1t appears to them 10 strike at foundations, to endan-
ger first princ pies, and to menace, in mannet
well calculated to excite alarm and terror, the sta
bility Of our political institutions.
A question Of this magnitude is too broad to
stand on any platform of party politics. it is too
deep for any, or ALL of the political creeds and dog
mas OF the day; 1t presents itself, should pre-
sent Itself, not to political organization, not to
listing parties, not 10 particular interests local
considerations, but to the PEOPLE of the United
StalcS5 lne WHOLE lEOPLE OIL tue OHlleu OtdtcS,
a subject of the greatest and most lasting i'm
portance and calling, earnestly and mperatiyely,
for immediate considerations and resolute action
We are assembled here, where the voice of free
men is wont TO be uttered, to signify. opposition
TO this project. And the project itself bold
as it is alarming, scarcely seeking to disguise the
want OF constitutional power to sustain 1t, and set
ting forth its great and leading objects, with SO I'M
blushlng countenance, and such hardihocd of a.
vowal as to create astonishment, not only in the
United States but all over the world; so, while we
protest against it, in the most solemn manner, we
shall state the great grounds of our protest, re-
specially and dspassionately but freely and fear
lessly, and as If filled, filled, with the
most profound conviction that we resisting
measure, the mischief of which cannot be measur-
ed in its magnitude, nor calculated in its duration.
We regard the scheme Of anneXing Texas TO the
United States, as being:
]. A plain violation of the Constitution.
?. As calculated and designed, by the open dec
laraton of its friends, to uphold the interests Of
Slavery, extend its influence, and secure It's perma
nent duration
/. There is no constitutional power IN any
branch Of the Government, or all the branches OF
the Government, to annex foreign State 10 this
Union.
The successful termination Of the Revolutionary
war left the old thirteen Suites free and independ-
ent although united lin Common coniederacy-
Some of these States possessed large tracts Of ter
ritory, lying within the limits of their respective
charters from the crown Of England, not as yet
cultivated or settled. Before the adoption of the
present constitution, it is well known these States
had made extensive grants of this territory to the
United States, with the main original purpose of
dsposing of the same for the payment Of the debt
of the Revolution.
The cesson of Virginia, to whom much the
largest portion of this territory belonged being all
the land within her original charter, was made in
1884; and it was the express condition of that
grant, that the coded territory should be laid out
and formed into States each to be of suitable ex-
tent not less than hundred nor more than hun
dred and fifty miles square.
At the adoption of the present constitution these
territories belonged to the United States and the
Government Of the United States was bound to
make provision for their admission into the Union,
na Stnfns thn, ehnnld