Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-05-06

OuI COUNTY, Wncni anu not tlll Wnen, lne spirit OF
conquest shall cease TO rule the hour and shall he
abandoned and when the demouiac idea Of vim
dcaiing or preserving the national honor, by com.
hitting national robbery upon feeble neiqhhor.
ing sister Republic, shall be forever discarded
Nc Chairman, myopp osition to taking any terri
tory from Mexico arises not more from the con.
sideraion Of its injustice to her, than because be.
lleve Il would prove aud not blessing 10
our own country. And this, after all, is the para.
mount and all important consideration growing
out Of the whole question Of the Mexican war
However Just you may claim the war with her to
be, and however just that in any peaceful arrange
ment she should indemnify us for its expenses, IN
whole or in part, II would be infinitely better for us
10 yield il all than 10 receive as an indemnity that
which in reality would prove TO be bancio US
What idioiic madness, then, is it TO wage war for
the conquest OF possessions which, IL granted TO US
peacefully aud gratuitously would forever rest up
on the heart OF this nation like the incubus OF death
The acquisition of territory from Mexico, upon
whatever terms, of peace of war, would forever
be source of conlenton aud strife with u.s. IL not
sooner or later, fatal 10 the integrity Of the Union
itself This Hall has already witnessed the fore
bodings Of those evils, which are sure 10 come Of
the accession Of territory, in the excited dis
cussion and wrauglmg which has arisen in relation
to the division Of the expected acquisitions. You
are despoillng neghborng republic OF its posses
BUNS anu (tl Dtlhe tue pIlLc IS IN your ETJfp,
while you arc yet 10 hot pursuit, and painting in
the chase, you are warning among yourselves about
the ultimate condition upon which your anticipated
conquests shall be Incorporated into this Govern
ment, and the pledge upon either side is nothing
less than dissolution Of the Union. You are rush
ing headlong aud blndloldcd upon appalling dam
gers, before which the stout heart sinks, aud brave
men turn pale. You are reminding the slumberng
fires Of volcano, which, whenever they shall burst
~ 4.
that the happiness and the hopes OF enty millions
Of freemen shall be made the sport and the sacri-
flee Of miserable ambition for territorial aggrun-
dizcment. The only guaranty Of our safety aud
salvation is, to keep the ship Of state from the rock
upon which urskiliul pilots fast driving il
Take no territory from Mexico either by treaty or
by conquest, aud you will have no strife about the
condnioDs Of its annexation.
Sir, am opposed to taking one foot Of territory
from Mexico, either by force or by consent or up
on any condition. whether bond or free, with sla
very or without slavery. Aud let me warn the
people Of The North not to deceive themselves, nor
be deceived, with the idea that the territory we
may acquire from Mexico will remain free territory
And let me tell them, ia all lrankness. that. let us
attach what conditions we may to its acquisition
incorporate into these preliminary acts as many
"WIluiot proyisos" as We please, they will be Of
no avail in the end, aud will not be regarded or
treated Of any bindlng obligation upon future leg.
islaire or treaty action upon The subject And let
me tell Them, Furthermore, that with the Texas les
son before them, the ouly guarantee upon which
they eau rely against the indefinite extension OF
slave territory is to take none at ALL This new
and strange horror Of the extension OF slavery which
has so suddenly come over certain portion Of the
northern Democracy upon this floor, is to say the
least OF II, IN singular contrast with their second
ton upon the Texas question. | hope this new
born zeal, which they exhibi, of late, may prove TO
be the fruit Of sincere repentance that il may prove
the result Of principle rather than political cacula
lion OF mere party advantage. Bu, they will pardon
US Il VIC are little doubtful .o( their sincerity.
while their hands yet washed OF the founess
Of their Texas votes
"IimeO Ddnoss It doaa jerentes"
hlr Chairman, there are other and formidable
grounds OF opposition to this spirit Of national az
gTandizcment by territorial extension. Suppose
that Mexico we're to yield her reluctant assent TO
our possession of all the country of which you now
claim the military occupation! WHh the territory
you must take It's mixed and semi-barbaran popu.
lallon-a distinct and dissimiar race of people
of different habits aud OF different language from
us and feeling no interests in common with Us, aud
having no sympahes with US but 10 hate US You
could hold authority over such people ouly by the
same ioree with which you conquered them, ODE
dIenee TO your laws aud respect for your magis-
traies must be enforced at the poiat OF the sword.
Standing armies must be stationed aud kept around
their borders to keep in subsection these scattered
and turbulent people, unused TO the restraints OF
law. With the ciya aud military government of
these new provinces comes vast extension OF the
already overgrown power Of Executive patronage
power which already oversladows all The other
departments Of your Go,ernment-a power which,
with the command Of armies and nayies, has. in
more than one instance in tho history Of republics