Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-02-14
ANTI-TEXAS CONVENTION IN FANEUIL
HALL, BOSTON.
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES
(COnclllied)

III. "AnneXaion is calculated and designed, by
the open declaration of its friends, to uphold the
interests of slavery, extend its influence, and Sc
cure its permanent duration"
The trankness Of this avowal superce DIES the me-
cessity of any attempt to strip off disguises or to
bring hidden and concealed motives into the light
There is no disguise, the motives are all confessed
They are boldly avowed to the country and the
world; and the question is therefore open visible
Naked and in its true character, before the Aner-
can people.
The treaty of annexation was negotiated under
the direction Of Mr.. Tyler, the present President
of the United States. In the early stages Of the
negotiation it conducted by Mr. Upshur, then
Secretary of State, and was brought to its concu-
sion by the agency of the present Secretary, Mr..
Calhoun
When the Treaty was sent to the Senate, it was
accompanied by an elaborate message from the
President setting forth its character and Objects
1t was accompanied by parts, though meagre and
scanty pats of the correspondence which had pre-
coded its conclusion. Repeated and persevcrng
calls of the Senate produced, at subsequent sue
cessve periods, other and more important parts of
that correspondence. Since the rejection of the
treaty, the Secretary Of State has continued to ad
dress our public Ministers abroad upon the subject;
and the country has before it a mass of cores
pondence between the Government in Washington
and It's diplomatic agents abroad and between those
agents and the Governments Of Mexico and Texas.
How far that correspondence, taken together exhi
bltcd lis ability, dignity, self-respect and respect
for the rights of others how far its general char
acter reflects honor and credit on the government
Of this country, willingly abstain from undera-
king to show. We refer to it now only as contain
ing those open confessions and ayowas, Of which
we have already spoken, OF TIE purpose with which
annexation has been proposed, and Is now pursued
with such unweared perseverance,
Here, then, is spectacle, in our Judgment a
sad spectacle, not only for the contemplation of our
own country, but that Of the whole civilized world.
These advocates of annexation insist, that not only
slavery an institution desirable in itself fit to be
retained and necessary to be maintained as bless.
ing to man, but they seem TO insist, also, that
leading object of the Constitution of The United
States 10 guard it, defend it, and assure its per-
petual duration. Let the Constitution of the coun
try be indicated from this imputaton; let d. OBJ
jects and its purposes, its ends and its MEANS be
clearly stated and then no lover of human liberty
will feel disposed TO turn his back upon it with dis
respect. The introduction of slaves into the South
ern States, while British Colonies is OF early date
For that introduction, the mother country is to be
blamed, more than the colonies themselves. Slave
ry thus got footing in the country, and was found
existing when the Revolution severed the United
States from Great Britain. Like other concerns of
the States it was, up to the time of the adoption of
the present Constitution, subject of State egsla-
ton and regulation. 1t is certain that the Constu-
ton recognized It's existence 1t took its existence
as fact, and as one fact going to make out that
actual condition of things in which the Constitu-
ton was proposed to be established, and to which ii
was intended to be accommodated, so far as must
necessarily be done.
The States in which involuntary servitude exist
ed, were not called upon to abolish such servitude
before they could be admitted into the Union; nor
on the DINER hand' was the proposed government to