Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-01-29

Iquestion will have 10 be considered aud decided
shall II be free, or shall il be slave lerritoryl
And here, and nov, propose TO say something
on this question, shall, trust, speak with can
! dor, but mean 10 speak with freedom. So long
as you confined this question Of slavery to the
States, admit that Congress could nghaJlly
have nothing TO do with il, But, sir, you have TO
keep il there. You have brought it here, and
made il one Of national concemment. IL lies at
the foundation, and enters into every part Of the
superstructure ofthis war; aud do not feel call
led upon to make any excuse for discussing il, so
far as il is connected with the subject in hand
/ The people OF most Il will not say al) of the free
States are resolved To prevent the annexation TO
this Union Of any more slave territory, if they
can. You may call ii ianaticism, or treason, or
what some gentlemen seem to regard as worse
than either, federalism; il will not change their
determination, nor distract them on this question.
/ They will be united as one man, and they ex-
pect their representatives TO carry out their views
in good faith. When the question of annexing
more slave territory comes before this House,
Northern Representatives must be here. Ii will
not do TO be sick, nor to have family sick, nor
TO 60 abroad on business then. They must be
here in their places, and they must yote and they
must vote right. They must disregard the gag
They must disregard The organ They must
disregard the parry Woe to the Northern rep
resenative who shall prove recrcant, or faltel on
that question. Mr.. Polk has not a land Office so
far in the wilderness, Sub-trcasury so deep and
strong, nor mission so distant, as that il will pro-
tect him from the wrath of his constituents Ii
will follow him to his grave, and his children 10
the fourth generation.
! While ! say this, admit that the people of
the South are equally determined not to have ter
ritory adjoining any Of the present slave States
annexed as free territory, and their representa-
tves here will be equally firm and equally faith
lul in their endeayors TO carry out the will If
their constituents. do not blame them for this.
only regret the North has not always had rep
resentatves as faithful, and as united to support
her interests on this floor as the South has had
TO support hers. But, sir, when this conflict
comes, as come II must, if we annex any more
territory on the southwest, what will be the con-
, sequences! Whichever interest may prevail, the
slave holding or non-slavehoding, the whole
/ country will be conyused, and this Union will be
; shaken TO its foundations. The question will
not admit of compromises and if it would, there
T but one man who could effect it, and he will not
be here. lie gave you timely warning of this
+ danger, but you disregard the warning, and are
5 Plunging upon the danger. | would avoid il in
the only way which think it can be avoided:
, would stop the acquisition of territory. | would
stopthewar. | would save the Union from the
/ perils that even now threatrn it.
fear that two wings of the Democratic par
y in this House are in danger of enrapping
themselves, whilst they suppose they are setting
iOr oh 9th, | Il
ern wing overrate the influences at the other end
of the avenue, the power of the gag, and the
iulninations of the organ;' and they underrate
the strength OF the memories of their Northern
brethren. They may rest assured that the North
ern Locofocos have not forgotten the scenes of
the Baltimore Convention, and that the game
played there can never he played there but once
, successfully upon the same men. On the other
hand, our anti-slayery war Locofocos of the
, North, who go for prosecuting the war vigorous
ly, but are opposed to the annexation of any
more slave territory who were so loud in their de-
nunclations of slavery at home, and who are so
= silent here, may learn, at last, to their sorrow
D and shame, that they have been lying little too
f low; that whilst they have been chuckling to
r themselves over future "WiImot amendments" ,"
I a scheme has been concocting elsewhere for an
: nexing and openingtO slave-hoIding and slave
= breeding emlgrants, territory, Oh our southwest
. border large enough to make dozen States as
t large as Indiana. They may be awakened some
morning by the sounds ofreoicing over the rati-
tcation off treaty accomplishing all this without
their advice, or consent, or even knowledge
| What will they do then! 1t will be too late to
"look TO the Senate" and 'Wmot amendments.
will be ofno avail. Then, sir, the anti-savery
war men may go hang. Let them look to this in
= time.
7 do not know that | should have sought an op-
portunity. to address you, but for what have
heard from different parts of this Hall as to the
f, position that the Wing party occupies in relation
TO this war with Mexico. am willing that every
member Of this House should think, speak and
2 act for HIMSELF on this and all other subjects that
come before it for consideration; but no gentle.
man is authorized 10 think, speak, or act for me.
t If what have said and done respecting the war
is not sufficiently indicative of the position that
occupy with regard to it, will say that stand on
7 my own footing, all alone, for aught | know or
care. As understand the Wing creed-the old
wing creed-l am Wing and nothing else:
but II new doctrines, which may obstruct the path
= oil my duty TO my country or my constituents are
lnterpolated into that creed, care not by whom
, tits done, will trample them under my feet.
/, know the will ofmy constituents on this subject,
f and with Gods help will do it. Yet, sir have
: given them no pledges-thoy have given mo no
, instructions. Had they supposed that needed
+. them, they would not have sent me here. They
: are ireemen, and whilst hold seat in this Hail
It they shall have a free representative-free to
speak and to vote, free to approve or condemn
D as my judgment and conscience dictate. No
: views Of party expediency shall prevail with me
to assist or consent TO Mexican throat-cutting, O,
n to let it pass uncondemned. The administration
shall no more commit me to their bad war meas.
l ures, than to any other ortheir bad measures
e Their needless war shall not gag my mouth, nor