Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-04-14

the better Glasses of Indians in our ncighbor-
hood. Commend me to the Cherokees, the
Choctaws-if you please, not to speak Of the
Pawnecs, the Blacktcet, and the Snake Indians,
and the Fatheads-anything except the -
Indians, and am satisfied with them, instead OF
the people of New Mexico They have no no
ton Of our institutions, or Of any free institu,
tons. They any notion Of popular government
Why, not the slightest--not the slightesi, on
earth. And the question is asked, what VIII De
their constitutional 1t is farcical to talk OF such
a people making a constitution. They do not
know the meaning of the term. They do not
know rs import they know nothing at all
about II. And l can tell you, sir, that when we
have made it a territory, and wish to nuke it u
State, such constitution as the Executive pow
or of this government thinks 6t to send them,
will be sent and adopted. The constitution oil
our fellow citizens of New Mexico will be franz
ed in the city of Washington. Now what says
Colonel Hardin in regard to New Mexico, that
most lamented and distinguished officer, whom !
well knew az member Of the other House, and
whose death did most deeply dePloro. nc
gives n description of New Mexico, and SPEAKS
of the people of that country in these terms
aTbe neople ere on par with their land
Ono in 200 or 500 is rich, and lives like a ma
bob. the rest are peons or servants, sold ior
debt, who work for their masters, and are as
subseryient as the slaves Of the South, and LOOK
like Indians; and, indeed, are not more capaoio
of selfgovernment. One man, Jacobus san
chez, owns three-fourths Of the land our army
has passed over in Mexico We are iold we
have seen the best part OF Northern MEXICO
Il 40 the whole of il Is not worth much"
need not read the whole extract lie
4neaks OF all Northern Mexico and New Mexi-
90 i not the better part of it. Sir, there Is
recent traveller who Is not uniflendly to the
limited States, Il may judge from his works,
for he commends us everywhere. lie is an Eng
i;sbman. and his name is Ruxton. i believe his
WORK Is in the library, and | suppose that gentle
men have seen it. He gives an account OF the
manners and morals of these people; and, Mr.
President, and Senators, will take leave to IN,
troduce you to these, your soon-to-be respected
fellow citizens of New Mexico:
alt is remarkable, that although existing from
tho earliest time of the colonization of New Mex
leo. a period of two centuries, in state OF con-
t;nual hostility with the numerous savage tribes
of Indians who surrounded their territory, and
in constant insecurity of life and property from
their attacks, being also far removed from the
eneryatinp influences of large cities and in their
isolated situation entirely dependent on their
own resources, the inhabitants are totally dcsti-
tute of those qualities which, for the above rea-
sons we might naturally have expected to dis
tinquish them, and are as deficient in energy OF
character and physical courage, as they are IN
ell the moral and intellectual qualities. In their
social state-but one degree removed from the
vericst savages, they might take lessons even
from these in morality and the conventional de-
cencies of life. Imposing no restraint on their
passions. A shameless and universal concubinagc
exists, and total disregard of moral laws, to
which it would be impossible to find parallel
in anv country calling itself civilized. want
of honorable principle, and consummate dnplic-
ity and treachery characterzes all their dealings
Liars bv nature, they are treacherous and faith
less to their friends, cowardly and bringing to
their enemies cruel, as all towards are, they
unite savage ferocity with their want Of animal
courage as an example Of which, their recent
massacre of Gov. Bent and other Americans
NAV be piven-one of hundred instances"
Zone out of a hundred instsnces;" and these
are soon to be our beloved countrymen.
Mr. President, for good many years have
struggled to oppose every thing that thought
tended to strengthen the arm OF Executive pow
er. l think it is growing more and more for
midable every day; and l think that in yielding
to it in this as in other instances will give it
strength, which it may be hereafter very diff
cult to resist. l think it is nothing else than
fear of Executive power that commits us to the
support Of this war for the acquisition Of terri
tory, -fear-fear-and nothing else.
In the little part which have acted in public
life, it has been my purpose to preserve the peo.
pie of the United States--what the constitution
was designed to make-one people-one in in
terest-one in charecter-one in political feel
ing. When we depart from that we break it all
up. What sympathy can there be between
these New Mexcans, these Caliiornians, and the
inhabitants Of the valley Of the Mississippi or OF
the middle States, or Of the Eastern States in
the choice of PRESIDENT Do they know the
same men2 Have they any general concenta-
neous sentiment Not at ALL An arbitrary
government may have territorial governments in
distant possessions, because an arbitrary govern
ment may rule its distant territories by different
laws and different systems. Russia may govern
the Ukraine and the Caucasus and kamschat-
ka by different codes or ukasea We can do nc
such thing. They must be Of us-part OF US
or else estranged. / think i see then in pro
gress what is to disfgure and deform the constr
luton. While these territories remain terrific
ries they will be troublesome and annoying
They will draw after them vast expense
will probably require as many troops on an av
eraqe as we have been in the habit OF maintain
ing for the last twenty years, IN defending thes'
territories from the Indian tribes. we mus'
maintain an army at that distance, and wher
thew are States, they are still more likely to give
us more trouble than benefit l think / see
course adopted that is likely to turn the consti
tuition under which we live into deformet
monster-into a curse rather than blessing
into great frame Of unequal government, no
founded on popular representation, but foundet
in the grosseet inequalities; and, think, if
60 on-ior there is danger that it will 60 on
that this government will be broken up. l re
sist it to-day, and always-whoever ialters o
whoever fails, resist although | see that al
the portents arc discouragng. Would to Co
that / could auspicate good inhuences Woull
to God that those who think with me on thi
subject had stronger support. Would that w
could stand where we would desire to stand :
But with few or alone my position is fixed. ]
there were time, would gladly awaken tn
country. believe the country will be awaken
edit may be too late-but supported or unsup
ported, by the blessing of God, shall do m.
duty. / see well enough all the sinister indica
tons, but am sustained by deep and consei
entious sense of duty, and while supported b
that feeling of duty, and while such great inter
ests are at stake, shall defy al augury, and as
no omen but my countrys causei
PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCES IN OHIO
The Cincinnati Atlas has received the proceed
ings of Wing Conventions in very large mum
Der of counties in Ohio, and is of opinion tina
their Presidential preferences are as follows