Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-02-28

',uA o,Lor oou s,otas showing it imp ossible for
Mr. Rncbonnn ia call them foreign states. Inc
Vermonters were baptized In the Dloou OF inc rev
olution. Vermont was always true 10 the Consu-
tuition, though rather reoo''ou' """'u' '"o''0'
ENGLAND and mother York.
No, ,orrilorv must be acquired by treaty; new
States NAV he admitted by Congress This is the
law nrd the Constitution OF every country. ii we
acouire Texas in violation of our Constitution 1t
yyl he a curse and not boom lie did not expect
nm immediate dissolution of the Union, but IT the
friends of Texas, per Jas ant netGS, can carry by
bare majority this measure, 1t VIII result IN oter
ness and jealousy. Even should we divide by the
sword, the sword would unite us again; but the
blessings of our Union would be gone. But it we
annex by Congress, Congress can repeal that law
and slam the door in the face OF Texas And
who will say that may not be done in the deep agi
taton which will follow this measure'
Let me appeal to gentlemen from the South
We have hitherto appealed to the sacred comProm,
ses of the Constitution If we throw matters OF
this kind to the disposal of bare majority, what
will be the consequence? The majority in the
other House when full is 10. In u vote the other
day affecting the slave interest, there were ma
iority of so against the slave interest Let us have
these questions settled by the regular power-the
two-thirds power. This is our safety, and we shall
rue the day when we break down tins security
which we, the slavcholdng minority, have against
the whims of majority of Congress. The same
majority may soon repeal slavery in the District of
Columbia. 1t may, in regulating commerce, pro-
hibt the removal of slaves from one state to an
other 1t may repeal the safeguard we have in
the right to claim runaway slaves and then unlver-
sal emancipation may be proclaimed throughout
the land. FIVE set such lessons, even handed JUS.
tice will return the poisoned chalicc to our own
lips.
But look at another fact. Inter arm silent Iegos.
Suppose we have war, and this Congressional
majority makes such encroachment 1t may agree,
as condition Of peace with foreign nation, that
slavery shall be abolished in this country This
view OF consequences is revolving, abhorront, but 1t
is the legitimate result Of such principles as have
been broached in the wild Guor for foreign acqui.
siton.
He had been panied to hear his friend from
Pennsylvania. He believed that he would stand by
the Constitution, but he was sorry that he did not
step in to stay the Constitutional peslence that
was spreading over the land Would that some
Senator would step in between the living and the
dead, and by his commanding influence, stay the
postilence and he still hoped there would be found
one such.
My friend from Pennsylvania enumerated the
benefits to the several States, but he forgot poor
Virginia. There nothing left to her but de-
population. say it as a slaveholder-a slavehu-
er too who were it not for motives of humanity,
would liberate his slaves to-morrow-that Virginia
does not want Texas for her interest But Virgin
ia makes no appeal about interest. She has made
sacrifices for the Union and is ready again.
We are told that the treaty making power will
not annex Texas
If it cannot be consiitutionally done, let it be
never done though we have no proofs that it never
can be done.
Have we not room enough? a land capable OF
supporting three hundred milions--and surely we
need not be in such haste to break down the Con-
stitution OF our country in the acquisition of one
more An Irish Patriot once said, when appealed
10 to do something contrary TO the Irish Consiitu-
ton for the benefit of the Empire, Perish the En-
pire live the CONSTITUTIONS In that same spirit
he would say, wor2 they his last words, and they
might be the last he would utter on this floor =
Perish every Legitimate, supposabe advantage, but
live forever our glorious Constitution. Few of us
could say, with that Irish Patriot, that we watched
the cradle Of our counrys liberty. He trusted that
none of us would follow our Constitutional liberty
to the grave.