Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-04-08
NEWPORT, July %, 1887
WV. NJ. CuACr, ESQ. Cor. Sec 'ry, &c.

n Slr-l have received your Ietter oi tno
| 18th inst, containing a number Of ques-
iions addressed to me by n vote OF the
Executive Committee of the Rhode Is
land State An,i-Slavery Society, in con-
sc quence, as you state, Of 'the situation
in " which | am placed as n candidate for
the suilrages Of the people Of Rhode Is
land, to represent them in Congress"
You will oblige me by informing the
gentlemen who compose The committee,
that though feel no difficulty in reply
ing to the nterogatories they propose,
it would have given me more pleasure to
have received such a communication
from them, or from any others Of my fell
low citizens, in their individual caPaci-
ties, as citizens and ireemen, TO whom
every candidate for their suffrages feels
himself hound fully to declare his politi-
c al sentiments upon the slightest intima-
ton of their wishes to know them, with
out putting them to the necessity Of a.
doping any unusual mode OF 'Aamina-
ton.
NV opinions $50 far as have been
able satisfactorily io form and mature
them upon the subjects presented, 1
shall, on all ocrnsi"ns, cheerIully express
to any of my fellow citizens, VIII" think
them deserving inquiry, and | shall ex-
press them with equal plainness, and with
equal freedom from all influence OF per-
sona onsequencos, whether l am, or
am not candidate for an Office.
Upon one of the subject presented in
your letter, viz the annexing Of Texas
to the Union, | can have no hesitation or
doubt whatever. | am firmly convinced
hat Congress does not possess the power
to add to this Union any fore gn State or
Country.
Ifh could annex Texas, it could an
mex Cuba, or any, or all Of the West In.
dia Islands. 1t could annex the Rus
siss, or Turkey, or the Barbary States,
and as many other nations as il pleased
or rather it could annex the United
States to foreign nations, and transfer in
to their hands and control the Constitu-
ton and Government framed by the peo-
pie of the United States for their own
self government. | am equally clear in
the opinion, that if Congress had the
power the annexation Of Texas would
not only be inexpedient but ruinous TO
our country. II has long been the opn-
ion Of many Of our wisest statesmen, Tint
our empire is already too extensive to
be long Kept together under the mild
sway Of a Republican Government. And
should new states, beyond the present
limits of the United States, be added to
them, the Union would crumble 10 pieces
like a rope Of sand or the whole, in its
state OF disunion and imbecility, would
be seized upon by the iron hand Of des-
potism.
But this is not all II there be any
wholook wishful!y to such an event as the
nnexalion Of Texas to the Union, it can
only be with a view to that extensive ter
ritory as furnishing vent and market
for the overflowing slave population OF
the slave-holding States, or to the illicit
introduction Of slaves from Cuba. Such
projects, to say nothing Of their political
Tendencies. in reference to the United
States, are abhorrenl to every feeling Of
humanity.
With respect to the abolition Of sla-
very in the District Of Columbia, my
opinion is, that Congress has, under the
Constitution, the right to abolish slavery
in that Districl.-Wheiher it would be
proper and expedient to exercise the
right OF this time, so as Immediately 10
prohibit the inhabitants of the District
from the holding Of slaves, according to
the tenor of the petitions, should be un-
willing now to decide. 1t would be pre-
sumptuous in me to express positive,
confident opinion upon such subject,
until and unless | am called upon to act
on it. III should be placed in that stu
alton, | would endeavor to obtain all tho
light could upon the subject, and with
that guide | should act according to the
dictates of my conscience and the con-
victions of my best judgment. With re-
spect to the other object Of the petitions,
viz: the suppressing Of the slave trade
carried on in the District, which was
long ago brought to the notice of Con-
gress by the late Mr.. John Randolph,
have no hesitation in saying that Con-
gress ought to take immediate measures
to suppress 1t.
1t is just and lasting reproach TO the
country, that such a state Of things should
be suffered to exist, under the eye OF the
Government within its appropriate Terri
tory, and where its constitutional power
is fully adequate to its redress. .
As to the only remaining subject OF
your enquiries whether | believe "that
Congress should sustain unabridged the'
right Of the people to petition for the alb
onion of slavery and the slave trade in
the District of Columbia"-I ,eply, that
the Constitution secures the right OF tho
people peaceably to assemble and to Pc
tltion the Government for the redress Of
grievances and, moreover, that the
right Of the people to petition their own
Government and public servants is an
inherent right, which no constitutional
provision can add strength to, or take
away. / believe that the right Of petit
tioning on the subject referred TO in your
inquiries, as well as all other subjects,
| ,,,k;.h f., A ,y;th;p tha acope of the tight