Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-11-27

lached TO IT, In my humble opinion we are now bound IN
honor and morality, to pay the just debt OF Texas and
should be equally bound by the obligations pay the
debt Of Mexico if it annexed TO the United States
Of all the possessions which appean to man, his col
ectye individual condition. should be preserved and
cherished with sedulous aud unremtng than that
OF unsuled character II impossible TO estimate it
highly in society," when attached individual il
be exaggerated or too greatly magnied III nation Those
who lose Indifferent become just objects of
and contempt OF all the abominabe transactions which suy
the pages OF history exceed in enormty that of the dis
membement and partition Of Poland by the three great con
mental Powers OF Russia Austria and Prussia Ages may
pass away and centuries roll around but long human
records endure all mankind will unite in execatng the rapa
cious aud deesabe deed That accomplished by
wheming force and the unfortunate existence Of fatal dsen
sons and divisions in the bosom Of Poland Let avoid a
fixing to name and national character similar If not
worse, stigma. am afraid that do not stand well in
the opinion Of other parts Of chrsendom Reputation has
brought upon US much reproach. All the nations appre-
hend look upon us IN the prosecution OF the present
being actnated by spirit OF rapacy and nordnate desire
for territorial aggrandizement Let not forfeit altogether
their good opinions Let command their applause by
noble OF oearance and justice In the elevated sta
ton which hold safely afford TO practise the godke
virtues Of moderation and magnamy. The long series of
glorious rumphs achieved by gallant commanders and
their brave armies, unattended by single REVERSE justify
without the least danger of furnishing the national honor in
dsineresedly holding out the olive branch OF peace We
do not want the mnes the mountains the and the
sterile lands of Mexico To her the loss Of them would be
Illuminating and be perpetual Of regret and NORTH
cation To US they might prove fatal acquisitions producing
distraction, dssenson division, possibly dlsunlon. Let
therefore, the integrity of the national existence and rational
territory of Mexico remain undsurbed For one, desire to
part of her territory torn from her by Some OF
people have placed their hearts upon the acquisition the
Bay of San Francisco in Upper California To great
maritime Power might prove to be of advantage hereafter
in respect commercial and navigating interests To
Mexico which never be great maritime Power, it
be Of much advantage If we obtain by fair pur-
chase, with just equivalent should be happy to see it SO
acquired as whenever the ceases Mexico ought to be
required pay the debt due citizens perhaps equiva
lent for that bay be found in that debt Government
assuming pay citizens whatever portion of it may be
applied to that object But it should form motive in the
prosecution of the war; which would 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 If the published
documents in relation to the late negotiations between Mr..
T and the Mexican Commissioners be true and have
them any where contradcted the Executive properly
waived any demand of indemnity for the expenses of the
And the rupture of that negotiation produced by Gov
ernment insisting upon cession from Mexico Of the strip of
mostly barren land between the Nueces and the Rio Bravo
and New Mexico which Mexico refused TO make So that
We fighting, not for the conquest Of all Mexico,
inmated in quarters for that strip and for the
barren Province of New Mexico with its few miserable mines
We bought all the Province of Louisiana for fifteen millions
of dollars, and is in my opinion worth than all
Mexico together We bought Florida for five millions of dol
lars and hard bargain it was SINCE besides that sum,
gave up the boundary of the Rio Bravo, which think
entitled the western limit the Province of louisiana
not seeking the conquest of all Mexico continue this
indefinitely for the inconsiderabe objects to which have just
referred
But will be repeated are we to have no indemnity for
the expenses of this Mexico is utterly unable make
any pecuniary indemnity if the justice Of the
part entitled demand it. Her country has been laid
waste her cities burnt occupied by troops her
exhausted that she unable pay her armies
And every days prosecution of the war; whilst would aug
men the amount OF indemnity, would lessen the ability Of
Mexico 10 pay it. We have seen, however, that there is
another form in which demand indemnity Il is
be territorial indemnity hope for already stated
that that frebrand will not be brought into our country
Among the resolutions which it my intention present
for your consideration at the conclusion of this address,
proposes, in your behalf and mne disavow, the most
positive manner any desire 10 acquire foreign
territory whatever for the purpose of introducing slavery
it. do not know that any citizen Of the United States
eItains such wish But such motive has often inn
pued the slave States and therefore think
notice it this occasion My opinions the subject Of
slavery well known They have the merit if be one
of consistency uniformity, and long duration have
regarded slavery great evil wrongfor the present,
fear, remediabe wrong-to its unfortunate victims.
should rejoice if single slave breathed the air.
within the limits of country. But here they are be
dealt with well can, with due consideration of all
circumstances affecting the security safety, and happiness Of
both Every State has the supreme uncontrolled and
exclusive power decide for itself whether slavery shall
continue within its limits without any exterior Intervention
from any quarter In States where the slaves outnumbe the
whites the with several the blacks could be
emancpated and invested with all the rights of eemen with
becoming the governing in those States Collisions
and conflicts between the two would be inevitable and
after shocking of rapne and carnage the extinction
expulsion of the blacks would certainly take place. In the
State of Kentucky, fifty years ago, thought the proper
ton of slaves in comparison with the whites inconsid
cradle that might safely adopt system Of gradual
cpaon that would ultimately eradicate this evil in State
That system totally different from the immediate abolition
OF slavery for which the party Of the Aboonists Of the pre-
day contend Whether they have intended or not il
my calm and deliberate belief that they have done ncacu
liable mischief to the very which they have epous
ed say nothing of the dscod which has been produced
different parts Of the Union According the system
attempted, the close of the last century, all slaves in
being remain SUCH but all who might be born sub
-anent specified day to become free at the age OF
twenty eight and during their seryic to be taught to
read wre and cipher Thus instead of being thrown up
the community ignorant and unpepared would be the
case by immediate emancipation they would have entered up
on the possession of their freedom capable in degree,
Of enjoying it, After hard struggle the system defeat
ed and regret extremely, had been then adopted,
our State would be nearly rid Of that reproach
Since that epoch scheme Of unmixed benevoencc has
sprung up which, if had existed that time would have
oyated of the greatest objections which made grad
ua emancipation, which the continuance Of the emanc
paed slaves abide among That scheme is the Ameri-
can Colonization Society About twenty eight years ago,
individuals, myself among them, together in the city
of Washington and laid the foundations Of that society. has
gone on amidst extraordinary difficulties and trials sustaining
itself almost entirely by spontaneous and voluntary contbu
tons from individual benevoence, without scarcely any aid
from Government The colonies planted under its auspices
well established communities with churches schools,
and other institutions appertanng to the civilized state They