The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-01-27
The Hon. John P. HaIe's Letter

sure, addressed 10 MS constituents beloW we CIV
IS several extracts. 1t will be rocoected that at III
late session of the Legislature Of New Hampshire res
< outions were pissed ins,ructng their Senators an
requesting their Representatives TO vote for the An
nexaron of Texas MIR TIule's Letter il in part in
ply to these rcsoutons.-t'r Hale says
"Before make the suggestions which propose, o
the resolutions adopted by our Legislature at its lat
session, | wish to add word touching the constitu
tiona power of this government 10 incorporate for
egn State or Nation into the Union. Bot on a matter
OF such grave and serious import shall trust my
self before you with any crude remarks Of my own.
will neither affirm deny aught thereof but will
simply submit you the opinions OF two Justly
standing high in your estimation, and doubt not
in the estimation Of the whole country, as any two
living statesmen. mean Martin Van Buren, and Lee
( vi Woodbury-mon whom to name is to praise, and
who have been honored by holding the highest Offices
the one in the nation. and the other in Stnio
On the 4th of March, 1896, Mr. Van Buren, moved
TO amend certain resUlu ions then pending before the
Senate of the United States relative the then pro-
posed Panama Congress, by adding certain other
olutons, from which the following is extracted, viz
"Resolyed, That the power of forming entering
Gin any mnnucr whaever) into political associa-
lions, or conedeaces, belongs 10 the people Of the
United States in their sovereign character being
of the powers which, not having been delegated to the
! Government is reserved to the people,
| Those who voted in favor of this proposition Of Mr.
! Van Buren, were Messrs Benton, Berren, Branch,
| Chandler, Cobb, Dickerson Eaton, Findey, HOyne,
/ Holmes, Kane, King, Macon, Randolph, Rowan,
| Van Buren,, White, Williams, and Woodbury., In
the debate in the Senate the Panama mission, Mr.
Woodbury. said "But the United States, as a gov
eminent, have yet pledged themselves any such
entngling and despotic principle, in respect TO any
| other nation whatever They have not yet agreed
to bear the bruEt OF the contest in any foreign war;
| nor, at such hazards, the independence form Of
government of any Nation State, except own
nation and those of the States composing confed-
eracy. Any such agreement would violate the
situation, plunge into vortex ornew coalitions
and coniederacies, abhorrent every feeling and
maxim of our venerated fathers "
leave this constitutional question where those
gentlemen left dissatisfied that puny efforts Of mine
add strength to the inpegnable position in which
they placed it.
will examine the subject in the aspect pre-
relative to slavery. To determine what the cr
feet Of the measure is TO be, ask your attention
briefly the grounds assumed by its friends and adj
yocates, as iustilying and demanding it,
mir II. goes to quote the official Letters OF Mr.
Upshur, Calhoun and Others in which they declare !
the object of Annexation be the Strengthening of
Slavery in the U. S. He proceeds :
In the same letter, Mr. Calhoun informs Mr. Paken-
ham, that the treaty Of annexation has been entered |
into as the most efectual, ir not the only, of
preventing The abolition of Slavery in that country
He then goes on with statistical argument show !
that for the African race Slavery is preferable to
Freedom; that it would be neither wise nor humane |
;,s r,;,s 81
the other hand, if in the counses of the pur
poses Of Providence, it should cease exist among
US, it would involve in the greatest calamity the .
whole country.
This question mag have national aspects in which
may be presented the public eye; but If it have
they have been most carefully kept out of sight by
those who have thus far managed this negotiation
Slavery, its Defence extension, perpetui,y, and its
blessings, together with the inevitable calamities
which would follow its final extinction in the country,
constitute the alpha and omega of the diplomatic
respondence with which rulers have placed them
selves & the country before the world in justification
Of this measure of annexation.
lion. Mr. Belser, of Alabama, in speech delivered
by him in the House of Representative May 81, Is-
Al, while the question of the ratification orhe treaty
of annexation was pending before the Senate said:
CATER all, the great question involved in the treaty
now before the Senate for ratification is, Shall the
Stare institution Of the South be protected aot?''
In the same speech, the same gentleman says: ".No
non slareholding government tUiH be permitted to
rear its head in Irras uutI those Dho nop hare
slapcs are erterminaied.'
Hon. c. J. Ingersoll, Chairman of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, in speech delivered by him in
the House of representatives. January 3, ls45, said;
SIT is undenabe, however, that Southern interests,
Southern frontiers, Southern institutions i mean
slavery and allare to be primarily regarded in set
ting the restoration of Texas
Time would Cai me, were | to undertake to lay
before you a 1.-THE of the evidence with which the
public documents relating 10 this subject abound, all
going to show that the leading engrossing, aud al
most entire motive prompting this measure, is the
extension and perpetui,y Of slavery.
That you may fosm some idea Of the probability OF
any free State being formed out of that territory, I'M
less it is provided for by positive law at the time offs
annexation, and made part and parcel of the cond-
:. :, os,,aI iDtN ,k, |