The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1847-12-04

tut one, ueslre To see no part OF ner territory
torn from her by war. Some of our people
have placed their hearts upon the acquisition
of the Bay of San Francisco in Upper Califor-
MIA. TO us, as a great maritime Power, it
might prove to be of advantage hereafter in
respect to our commercial and navigating in
terests. To Mexico. which can never be a
great maritime Power, it can never be of much
advantage II we can obtain it by fair pur.
chase with just equivalent, should be hap
Ply to see 1t SO acquired. AS, whenever the
war ceases, Mexico ought to be required to pay
the debt due our citizens, perhaps an equiva-
lent for that Bay may be found in that debt,
our Government assuming to pay to our citi-
zens whatever portion of it NAV be applied to
that object But it should form no motive in
the prosecution of the war, which | wonld not
continue solitary hour for the sake of that
harbor.
But what. it will be asked, shall we make
peace without any indemnity for the expenses
of the war; If the published documents in
relation to the late negotiations between Mr..
Irist and the Mexican Commissioners be true,
and have not seen them any where contra.
dicted, the Executive properly waived any de-
mand OF indemnity for the expenses of the
war; And the rupture of that negotiation
was produced, by our Government Insisting
upon cession from Mexico, of the strip Of
mostly barren land between the Nueces and
the Rio Bravo and New Mexico, which Mexi-
co refused to make. So that we are now fight
ing, II not for the conquest of all Mexico, as
intlmated in some quarters, for that narrow
strip and Tor the barren Province of New Mex
leo, with its few miserable mines. We bought
all the Province of Louisiana for fifteen mil
lions OF dollars, and it is, in my opinion, worth
more than all Mexico together. We bought
Florida for five millions of dollars, and a hard
bargain it was, since, besides that sum. we
gave up the boundary of the Rio Bravo, to
which think we were entitled, as the Wes-
tern limit of the Province of Louisiana, and
were restricted to that of the Sabine. And
we are now, if not seeking the conquest of all
Mexico, to continue this war indefinitely for
the inconsiderable objects to which have Just
referred.
But, it will be repeated, are we to have no
indemnity for the expenses of this war Mex
ico Is utterly unable to make us any pecuniary
indemnity. if the justice of the war on our
part entitled us to demand it. Her country
has been laid waste, her cities burned or oc-
cupied by our troops, her means go exhausted
that she is unable to pay even her own armies.
And every days prosecution of the war,
whilst 1t would augment the amount of our
indemnity, would lessen the ability of Mexico
to pay 1t. We have seen, however, that there
Is another form in which we are to demand
Indemnity 1t is to be territorial indemnity
l hope, for reasons already stated, that that
fire. brand will not be brought into our coun-
try.
Among the resolutions, which it is my in
tention to present for your consideration, at
the conclusion of this address, one proposes,
in your behalf and mine, to disavow, in the
most positive manner any desire, on our part.
to acquire any foreign territory whatever, for
the purpose of introducing slavery into it. l
do not know that any citizen of such mo
tive has been often imputed to the slave States,
and therefore think it necessary to notice it
OH this occasion.
My opinions on the subject of slavery are
we'll known. They have the merit, if it be
one of consistency, uniformity, and long dura-
ton. l have ever regarded slavery as great
evil, wrong, for the present, I fear, an If
remediable wrong to its unfortunate victims.
l should rejoice if not single slave breathed
the air or was within the limits of our country.
But here they are. to be dealt with as well as
we can, with due consideration of all cir
cumstances affecting the security, safety and
happiness of both races. Every State has the
supreme, uncontrolled and exclusive power to
decide for itself whether slavery shall cease
or continue within its limits, without any
exterior intervention from any quarter. In
States where the slaves outnumber the whites,
as is the case with several, the blacks could
not be emancipated and invested with all the
rights of freemen, without becoming the gov
erning race in those States. Collisions and
conflicts. between the two races, would be
and after shocking scenes of rapine
and carnage, the extinction or expulsion of
the blacks would certainly take place. In the
State of Kentucky. near fifty years ago.
thought the proportion of slaves in COMPARE
son with the whites was so uncomfortable.
that we might safely adopt system of gradual
emancipation that would ultimately eradicate
this evil in our State
That system was totally different from the
;,nn,adiate abolition of slavaru for ,rhich tho