Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-03-21
IL JOURNAL.
E. p. WALTON, JR., EDITOR.
MONTPELIER, FRIDAY, MARCH 81, 1915
TEXAS AND SLAVERY.

IGAAN AND SbAN Eh1.
There are some IFS still in the way of the admis'
sion OF Texas. II Texas agrees to the resolutions
of the House, disgraccfully struggled through The
Senate and sent off with indecent haste-1 Presl-
dent Polk agrees to articles of annexation or
treay--ond il these are ratified by Congress, lex
as may be annexed Yet there is sui announcer I'M
portant iCbcfore the question is settled, WIZ the
u, S. Suprcme Court shall decide annexation to be
constitutional. The New York Tribune shows, in
the following article one mode in which the con-
sttutona question may be raised, and i the ques-
ton comes to this last extremity we hope still 9th
or ways of raising that question may be found. In
the mean time lei The people speak 10 the merit Con-
greSS let The opponents Of annexation consolidate
their strength; lei Third Pqytysm cease 10 pordyse
the arms of HE friends of freedom. Thus can loco
focoism be brought TO its senses on this question.
There never was clearer case of surrender and
betrayal of vital interests by those expressly chos-
en- to guard them, than in tic deinitive shaping and
passage of the Annexation Resolutions. When
the famous Missouri Compromise was settled in
1890, the boundaries Of the Union, so far as they
would be affected by this question, were dehnitye.
" known. Texas was no longer even pretended
to be portion of this Country. 1t was with great
difficulty that the South secured (bought we be-
lieve John Randoph's blunt cXpresslon) votes G.
nough TO decide that tllenceiorth each State form
ed South of the parallel go 30 MIN North latitude
should bc admitted with Slavery if she decided to
suffer il, while North Of that line Slavery was not
to be tolerated at ALL This Compromise, though
carried against the wishes and votes of great ma
jority in the Free States, has ever since been i'm
plictly respected by them. State after State has
been admitted until all the Territory conceded to
Slavery has been organized and brought into the
Union. I'm TO this moment riUhI Slave St1tns hp-
sides Texas and but Seren Free States have been
added TO the Union since the Revolution, although
the increase of the Slave region in Population,
Strength or Productive Power has by 10 means c.
quallcd that Of the Free. Under these circumstan-
ces. Humanity Policy and the simplest Justice die.
tatod that in case of any addition 10 the territory Of
the Union, so unnatural and revolving an excres-
ence as Slavery should not be suffered 10 pollute
more than half Of it at the worst.
Accordingly, it is but last year that the Locofo
cos OF the Northern States professed to be watch
ful that Slavery should gain no undue advantage
from the Annexation of Texas. On this ground
the rejection of Mr.. Tyers Treaty, which did not
stipuate for more than single Slave State, was
defended and appauded. Mr.. Sas Wright espe-
cially took credit to himself on this ground for his
opposition 10 the Treaty; and in his speech at Skan-
eatees last summer as doubtless in his speeches
elsewhere declared that he could never consent to
any plan Of Annexation which should appear cal
Nuiutcu W HIS was
reaihrmed in the resolutions Of the Polk mass Con-
vention at IIcrkimer, and in other imposing goth
erlngs Of the party.
Thus was the election carried but what have
we seen since? The very men who but recently
were So resoute against giving undue ADVANTAGE to
Slavery, have fasified all their pledges and given
it every thing! BY the terms of the annexing res
olutions, the Free States have not merely surrend-
cred at discretion: they have expressly stjpu ted
and bound themselves to pass under the yoke. The
question of Slavery in the newly acquired territory
is not merely left open as it was in Tylers Treaty
it is closed-put at rest-and expressly in favor of
Slavery to the utterlnost. 1t is there defntiyely
specified that all the States into which Texas may
be divided shall be Slave States if they choose
The condition is broad farce. Slavery will be
planted in the soil of each while Territory or a
portion Of the parent State of Texas-in either
case recognized and protected by law. 1t will form
the ruling interest and control the public opinion of
the community. Whenever such community be.
comes a State, it will be Slave State, and nothing
else. Thus Texas South of SO degrees 30 min-
that is the whole Of it. for there is no part of Tex
as North Of that parael-wi form in time five
Slave States, helping to swell the Postage tax and
other burthens Of the Free States and bear us down
on every question between slavery and Freedom
And this evil, with all its consequent inhunanity,
has been wrought by the connivancc Of Sas Wright
and the direct action of the Locofoco Representa-
tives of the North, including our thirteen, who but
recently were so vaorous to resist it The flip
flap Of Preston King g. Co. is only rescued from
immortal contempt by the later and still glar.
ing exhibition of Bagby.
What remains to be done? We say, resist the
contamination Of the Annexation scheme to the
last. Let Connecticut, Rhode Island and other
Free States, do their duty in their Congressional
Elections and the mischief may be arrested in the
next Congress but if not, we shall not yet give it
up. We shall try, on one hand, to induce Texas
to abolish Slavery, gradually if not Immediately
and if Freedom is allowed to discuss the matter,
we shall have great hopes of early success. Fail
ing or pending this, if any person in Free State
shall be claimed as fugitive Slave from Texas,
let his seizure be legally resisted and the case car
rled up to the U. S. Supreme Court Let US see
whether bare majority Of the Senate has power to
bind our people to any other people they may fan.
cy, and thus make part and parcel of another
Union than that to which the present States haye
in any way assented. Whether this shall succeed
or not, let US raise the question of Admission with
Slavery on every new State from Texan territory
which may present itself. The stipulation of i'm
punty for Slavery South of 80 degrees 80 min is
no compromised is no settlement of the question
but simple betrayal Of trust on the part of the
Northern AnneXationsts We have no respect fol-
tive will not be governed by tit las no mora
and certainly no legal force. If there be but prin
ciple and frmness in the Free States, we shall soor
make the Texan conspirators sick other triumph
CONGRESS-LOST BILLS.
The Sub Treasury Bill and the bill to organic