Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-02-03

his war will yet secure TO the Mexican
people. ] would desir = at once, sir, to
extend Dir resenue laws owe: Mexico,
and push the war vigorously TO the oc.
rupation and subjugalioh Of every Mex
lean State. Which these brilliant re-
suits Should be acccmplished-an and the
task is more simple than we, generally
conce1e-I, for ons, shall be content
To leave with our existing government
the adjustment OF satisfactory peace.
But, sir, ] 10 to, ptesu,ul 10 press
! these views al this time. am quite
confetti To support the policy of the ad-
ministration, as presented in the Presi-
dents message, and take at once the
territorial indemnity recommended by
him; though l would venture to hope
his recommendation might be extended
to include the valley ofthe Rio Grande
south Tampico, as well as New Mexis
co and California. Such an atquisia
ton of territbrsj combined with the
measures recommended by the PRESS
dent, or the extension of a judlcious
revenue system over Mexico, and cons
tinued prosecution of the war, would
constitute, in my judgement, policy
which will yet receive the sanction Of
the American people.
! Sir, in viewing the more enlarged
and comprehensive policy indicated in
the remarks have just submitted, 1
would observe that such a policy,
though it certainly embraces the whole
Of Merico in its influence, and is in.
tended to give moral and physical lift
to the people and institutions of that
portion of the American continent,
must not be COMPOUNDED with the sim
pie proposition OF the Standardization
ofMexico and the annexation of that
country and people as an integral and
sovereign portion Of our own confeGer
acy. Nine-tenths Of the people of
Mexico are hardly less aboriginal, and
certainly rot so well cultivated and adj
vanced, as The Chocta,c, of even the
| Cherokee Indians, who, as a people,
though conquered, are still left TO the
enjoyment Of civil and religious free.
dom; insti,uting their own fundamen.
tai laws, and enac,ing their own mu-
nicipal regulations, under the most i'm.
proved and independent system of re.
publican government within the terri
tory and jurisdiction of the United
States, yet not constituting an integral
and soverei gn portion of the confeder.
acy itself. Nevertheless, sir, theft
laws, their public schools, their civil
and religious cultivation, presents types
ola civilization in few respects interi.
or to our own.
The principal and main objection,
sir, that have heard advanced against
the partial acquisition of Mexican ter.
ri,ory, will doubtless be applied to the
policy here indicated, and lies in the
supposed extension of slavery among
a people and over territory from which
it is now excluded by municipal law.
This objection, sir, ! regard as Of little
weight-not because | am in any wise
insensibls to the outrage which such
forced extension ofsuch an institution
over an unwilling people would con.
constitute. l regard this objection,
sir, of little weight, because / do not
believe the act of acquisition, of itself,
would necessarily extend this institu.
ton over the territory so acquired
Still less do believe that the sutjuga-
ton Of all .Merico, and the subsequent
government of that county by the in
habitants thereof, under free and re-
publican institutions, would ever result
in the extension of slavery beyond the
limits where it now exists. Further,
sir, do not believe that any &C. of the
federal government of the United
States can either create OF abolish sla-
very any aohere, within or without our
present limits. The powers of our fed
eral government over the institution of
slavery are limited, 1st, TO their emu.
n,eration, in fixing the ratio of con-
gressional representation; I'd, to their
arrest and restoration when .fugitives
from labor; and Sd, TO prohibit their
im porta,ion or their immigration from
abroad subsequent to the year $685.
Territory acquired by the United States
with slavery existing .herein as do.
nestle municipal institution, as Florida
and Louisiana, would remain slave
territory without regard and without
the sanction of treaty stipulations 10
make it so. or 10 guaranty its exist
ence.
On the other hand, territory acquif-
ed without the existence therein of
this municipal institution, would re-
main free, so far as any power Of Con-
gftss to create it there, or to declare
that il should exist there,is concerned.
The people who may have abolished it
therein, or who may have failed TO Gre
ate il there, are alone possessed of SOW
ereignty over it-being purely do
-. loco1 on.l 1or.,1:c.. :s.xs.