Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1847-03-12

| One further observation upon the gentleman
! from Harrison and shall have done with him.
| He has told us that the democratic party nomi-
/ nated Mr.. Polk solely because he was in favor of
| tho annayation of Texas and, in another breath
proclaimed that the question of annexation was
anot fairly made in the last Presidential! campaign.
| Which IS true Mr. Speaker? for both cannot be
true to auy other mind than that ofthe gentleman.
i But. sir. will myself relieve you, IN part, by as
sertidp that the annexation OF Texas was made
EproniDent question: in that campaign, and was ap-
! nroved by tWo-thrds ofthe people--includng many
gefv many. of the gentleman's political friends
1t was accomplished, in obedience 10 that decision
| andof the consequences the gentleman has IN his
way, sufficiently rehearsed youN
All come next to take notice of the gentleman
from Medina (Mr. Blake) who in his turn, took
such special notice of me. The studied care with
which he wove into this discussion, matters not
in the least appertaining to 1t, convnces me that
he is one of those politicians who view every CUES
ton in the light, or darkness rather OF certain
opinions regarding the institutions of the southern
STATES He has not only denounced those states
their peope and their laws, but has asserted that
this war was begun, and is prosecuted solely Tor
the extension and perpetuation OF the cursed do
minion of slavery" eiceterd. And ne calls upon
me. by the name of his friend from Hamilton "a
compliment fully appreciate) to know whethera
war so begun and prosecuted, sorts with my de-
mocratic sentiments Mr.. Speaker am opposed
to Slavery in all its forms, as much as is the gen.
tleman I thank God, sir that we live IN a FREE
state thank God that no chain is here heard
TO clank which binds man in servtude to his broth
err man. and no sweat, forced by the hard labor OF
slave drops upon our soil, and like the blood oil
| Abel cries out for vengeance. But, Sir, neither
choose to make a war of determination upon those
states which are unfortunately bernden by the
/ institution nor to insult the names, derlde the
| character and deny the patriotism OF our fellow
| citizens who live in those states. 1t rather be
comes happy people like our own, enjoying Inc
| full measure of civil and religious liberty. to look
back upon the history of the nation, and thank
those states and the ancestors OF those fellow CT
! tizens for the wise and magnanmous iorbearance
which thew have formerly exercised, and to prac-
| tisc as we'll as approve, that torbearance. Con-
slider sir, and let the gentleman from Medina con-
slider, that at the formation OF our national gov
! eminent the slaveholding states had a ilrge ma
iorty of votes and influence, and were lar more
! powerful in their resources and wealth, But they
exercised none of that spirit of hatred and pro-
| scription which seems to fill the gentleman; they
| made no ordinance that none but slavehodlnG
states should be admitted to the blessings OF our
! Union, defend its honor and enjoy its laws: Upon
the contrary, sir, they evlnced spirit OF love ana
brotherv confidence in which were laid so secure
ly the foundations of our government that the gen
teman and fifty thousand other disconients have
not. in many wears Of abuse and rancor, been able
to disturb them. Time has sped his flight SINCE
| that day Of great men and great deeds and with
| the march OF emanci patton, and the settlement oil
our communities, the free states are now IN de-
! cided and dominant majority. Our own Ohlo'
then tenanted by the savage and overspread by the
| wilderness. now blooms like garden around the
| temple of freedom itself But, sir, Is 1t mag
! unanimous and honorable for us, arrived at the Ze-
1 NTH of our prosperity and strength by progress
uneXamped in history, to turn against thoSe sta!es
| 10 which we owe our very existence, and winch
| have ALWAYS been distinguished for devotion to
the country's veal Letme refer the gentleman
to a few pages of our early record. The most
troublesome question, by far, in the Continental
! CONGRESS- concerned the claims of the different
states to the vast uncultvated domain which then
was but in the midst of which wenow sit. When
we hear the pretensions OF Massachusetts and Con-
nec;cut to extraordinary patriotism vocllerated,
| in the same breath with curses upon the selfish
ness of Virginia and North Carolina we might as
well inquire their conduct at this perllous Crisis
! Massachusetts, Mr.. Speaker, came lntothe Union
with reservation to herself OF all her public lands,
! and only consented that Maine should become
state upon express condition that she should her
self receive one half the proceeds OF all the pup
lie lands therein sold. Connecticut was not at all
! behind Massachusetts. She held fast TO all her
public lands, and finally took advantage OF boun-
| darv trouble to exert what is now called The
| Western Reserve" for her own benefit New
York and Pennsylvania retained their lands, ana
sold them afterwards, at low prices, to invite
/ population. But Virginia freely surrendered the
soil of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana Michigan, and
part of Illinois, except what was covered by her
military warrants North Carolina surrendered
all but two millions of acres of what now constl-
tutes Tennessee, part of Mississippi, and part OF
Illinois. Georgia surrendered the territory OF
Alabama, or the greater part OF IT. Nor DID those
states murmer when from portion OF TINS vast do
main their institutions were forever excluded
! And sir when am solicited TO take sides IN any
onarrel between Massachusetts and Connecticut
on the one side, and Virginia and the CarolInas OF
| the other either upon an argument from their re-
suective patriotism, their liberia! public spirit, or
their GOOD will towards the Western States, shall
not fail to remember that New England has Tor
thirty wears plundered our people and mpoverlsh-
ed our SOIL by her system OF protective tariffs ana
that she now threatens dscord and almost dlsunon
because she cannot longer tyrannize over US.
/ But. sir, how much soever the gentleman from
| Medina NAV be disposed to violent measures to-
wards the Southern States, that trait did not dis,
tinpuish the character of the late able wise, and
| marnanimous'' Executive OF Ohio. whose last
SIGH of impotent malice was breathed IN TINS cham
! ber ere he sat down among those ashes OF des-
/ pair:' for which his sable, wise, and magnani-
nous successor probably intends to take out let
tiers patent. He made war upon Virginia, IN the
| Parkersburrh case not after the manner OF Presl-
dent Polk; but having given away TO his favorite,
| Samuel F. Vinton, a member OF Congress VINO
was starving upon eight dollars day eight hun
dred dollars ofthe public money, and to a Mr. Han
son, three hundred dollars more, from the same
source (for the late Governor was nowise stingy
when he did not pay the expense0 he devotes thirty
dollars to the artillery Experimentation is to
say that he caused briefto be printed-and thus
made he q dread attack upon the Virginia Court
of Appeals The success of this warfare casts
into Shade all the glories of Palo Alto and Monte