Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-04-08
SPEECH OF CHEsSELDEN ELLIS, ESQ,
on TUE ANNEXATION OF TENAs,
T-,Scrrn-rD

slavery and what he called The "oeteslaoic PidS
lice of slave-breedins." | regret that inns s'ait
imputation against our Southern ore'hieh
slave breeding for market, shonld find ntteranct
ON mic Aoor Where is The evidence OF such &
business any where in our country Let iiI'
nn,a,;ons like these be left 10 the vulgar trloe
Enol;sh tourists, reviewers and orators The F'id
dies The Dckepses, the O'Connells; but, II tnei
yituperation is 10 be sanctioned here-it lmputa
tions palpably absurd on their face and whicf
oueh, 10 be known TO all wellinformed men tt
be uniounded in fact, are to De repeated mere
we need not wonder, though We may oiusn d
the notifying misrepresentation OF our hduoh
al character abroad. But sir, since Tue senue
man has made the assumption, lei me ask, does
ne really expect that The rejection OF Texas vii
aba,e or suspend the physical laws OF negro pro
paea,ionq He seems 10 suppose. tina! high prices
will stimulate production as they 90 IN ma
nu.aclory, where the power used IS 10 proper
lion 10 the demand and supply. But lei me as
sure him, that so long as the held OF occupatioi
and support for the negro race is as broad as J
now is and for generations must be, IN Inc Sonlh
ern portion of the Union, Nature VIII assert mel
rights of progression quite as eteciuai'y as
Texas be added to our dominions. ii The gen
,leman really believes his own proposition, VIII
ne tell us how an existing profitable demand fol
slave labor in Texas. occasioned by annexation
should induce owners further North, where The
labor is less profitable 10 retain them Tor breed
ing, instead OF taking the benefit OF The market
preierrinS The chances, not only OF uncertain IN
crease. but Of an uncertain market IN years lo
comet Sir. il cannot be- The increase OF The
demand must necessarily lead, not 10 burrowins
bat 10 emigration: and this truth is an answer
also 10 the assumption, that the acquisiiioh OF 'nis
territory will prolons The duration OF slavery
Sir. why should we OF the North object 10 inc
measure, independent of all other considerations
on account OF slavery2 We are not responsible
for lis existence II il be an objection TO Texas
il is equally an objection 70 Louisiana, 10 Aikah
sas 10 Missouri-ierrory not embraced 10 lhe
original domain OF The U. States, but ceded 10 Us
by France in 1903 1t is equally an ohlecuon 70
Florida, acquired from Spain in 1921. Here Is
portion of our country OF an importance beyond
Standardization which the Union would pe
dismembered by the Mississippi, and The COM
merce Of its valley be laid open 10 an enemy
from the Illinois 10 The Gulf and in lis passage 10
The ocean. would be at the mercy OF foreign
power seated on The peninsula. Ought we OF me
North 10 repudiale these mighty acquisitions Q!
Jefferson and Monroe, 10 purify ourselves from
The stain OF slavery which We neither MAKE nor
can unmakel Sir, this objection, II SOUND, strikes
q, the very foundation of the Union itseli. why
should the Union have been formed, or why con
time the association, il our moral sehSiniI!les
are so shocked at an institution over Whieh .Hc
North never had and never can have control, thal
we refuse 10 extend the jurisdiction otthe Govern
ment over another important and magnificent DO
main which embraces slavery, and which may
continue 10 embrace il, whether brought within
our jurisdiction or noll How absurd The obJec-
lion. Can annexation make one slave more man
now exists? Wilt impair the right OF exaS 10
control or abolish The institution! NO. SIR,
but il will preclude The possibility OF me
existence Of the slave trade between thal
country and others. because under cur Con
.,iluton. such trade is prohibited. Perpctuaie
slavery, Sir, il is not the ANNEXATION put tfe
REJECTION OF Texas that will perpeluate tom
hne the negro population within the hints OF 'lc
present slave States aud you inevitably Tx II upon
Them forever or in tune, convert them INTO CONT
mental Hayti Who bul must shrink from the
thought Of the accumulation OF this population IN
those States, with no outlet OF emigration OF,
no pairiot-ro, Sir, no honest man, who goes MOI
prefer an inferior and degraded race 10 his own,
can, Tor moment, desire u. Let the states ihdt
are free put the question 10 themselves, had you
slave population equal 10 your white, and increSs
ing more rapidly than your own, would you, Tor
oae instant, submit 10 have prison wall drawn
around you? Abolition will answer, free them
Suppose YOU do Does that remove them What
is 10 become of this mighty mass when deprived
of their domestic home-lhe home oil physical
comfort. which the master is bound 10 provide,
and. with rare exception. does provide2 You
would not admit them individually, or IN dense
masses 10 condition OF CIVIL social, or political
equality. Instinct lorbids il. Sir, your country
would be filed with starvation, paupcrism, and
c~;-,o o.. ror TA~as and The wap &c rraro rod
not only for the safety OF the South, but Tor Inc
ultimate and not far distant extinction of slavery
Nself. The superior capacity and adaptation oil
that country for tropical productions, must neces-
sarily carry forward slave labor in that direction,
If embraced within our jurisdiction. II will drain
The more Northern slave States gradually, but
certainly and soon add them 10 the number
Of the Tree. II will push the institution FUR
Their and further from the Capital OF The Union
Il is this inevitable operation Of the unob-
structed laws OF progress that renders the &C
QUESTION Of Texas more important and desl-
rabe. As slave Stale of our Union, il vii
gradually become The receptacle OF that popula-
lion in its natural emigration towards the SCUM
and hereafter form its outlet 10 Mexico ana Inc
Equator. Such, ON this continent, is The desli
nation of slavery A single generation will moi
pass away if this measure be accomplished, be-
fore the States OF Delaware, Maryland, Virginia
Kentucky and Missouri Join their sisters OF The
North in emancipation, then made sale by The
drain Of emigration. North Carolina and Ten
,.essee must soon afterwards follow their example
Il is a change which depends upon natural laws
where distractions TO progress are removed. As
soil becomes impoverished or labor less produc
tive, migration must advance, while inducements
10 more profitable occupation open the way
These opinions are no visionary. They are sup
ported moi only hy reason, but also by fact. Had
slavery been restricted 10 The original Southern
States which skirt the Atlantic, what would have
been their condition in reference to The African
race3 Three millions of that population would
have been confined where less than hall The
number now are. The progress Of the race, as
new States have arisen, Indicates Inc inevitable e.
feet Of continuance OF Inc drain True, Texas
herself and the extreme Southern ana South
western States, maj themselves IN Time be over
whei.ned with this population. But is not lis
transfer from the more Northern States, dIsbur-
dening them of the incnmbrance, blessing =
Must not The laws OF population and Of produc-
tive industry necessarily open an outlet to Mesco
and the central portions OF the continent! The ro-
pical regions OF The EARTH 10 which the Creator has
wisely adapted The character istics Of the African,
jsde.iined as their abiding home. In Mexico and
Central America the comminslins OF III" Moorish.
The Indian and African races OF mannlnd. aieihsre
preparing 4 condition of social, ciyil and pohii'
cal EQUALITY, which viii secure 10 them al The
advantages and blessings which they are capable
OF ENJOYING. There The African will ind IL
these blended races not his superior, bu; his
nuri,r> TO ubstruct the free course Oh emigration
and nix him permanently among race with
whom he has. and can have no sympaihies OF
slna!..;--a race his superior BY the gifts OF Ma
.ure, aud 10 whom he naturally falls into subofdi-
nation, is to conhne him 10 perpetual scrviiude.
Sir the consummation OF The measure before Us
is identified with The welfare Of The African race.
II increases no burden diminishes no comforts !
adds none 10 the number of The service bound ;
insures in large portion Of our country more
speedy emancipation, and The ultimate extinc-
lion OF slavery in it all. Sir, it is because this
beneficial result must flow from The measure, and
because rejection must defeat il, that more ar
IDENTITY desire its contamination. Such portions
of the territory as are adapted TO productions pc
culiar to slave labor will become slave States
Those portions not thus adapted, cannot be made
40 by Legislative or Constitutional cnactments
and must be free. In the expansion OF our 20.
pulation, the nature OF the labor will depend up
-. add v,ln