The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-09

thls Union; and certain politicians IN the begin
ming OF the present century, commenced the agi'a
ton of the question Of freeing the negro race in
the northern States, as political weapon with
which they expected TO defeat certain political
parties of those days, who possessed the power
of the Union. The old federal and old democra-
tic parties were partly agitated by this question;
but in consequence of the necessity of the demo.
cratic party of the north maintaining certain
reserve on the subject, avowedly to concilate the
South, and by their united strength to reach the
presidency and the source of power, the slavery
question, until recent times, has been overborne
by the organization of parties founded on
general principles, national measures, and other
important issues. Of late years, however, the
slavery question began to assume new impor-
lance; and at the last presidential election, the
party IN favor of abolishing slavery entirely in
the American Union, exhibited an independent
force of nearly one hundred thousand votes in
the northern States, number sufficient to de-
eide the presidential election one way or the
other. The slavery question has always been
famed by British interests in certain parts of
thus country; has always been a source Of weak
ness to the unity Of the nation, and has led some
of our able statesmen to believe, that it would,
in process of time, produce complete aliena-
ton between the northern and the southern, or
the free and the slave states. This dread has been
increased since the conquest Of Mexico, as may
be seen in the history of the Wilmot proviso,
and the ag,tations growing out of that PROPOSE
ton in the northern States, as well as in the
South and West.
The conquest, and now probable annexation,
of ,ho1o of - ac
new issues, to awaken new ambitions, and to
produce new agitations and discussions by the
public men and statesmen OF the country Mex.
leo is conquered-Msxico is held-she cannot
be run away from, nor let go. She contains a po-
pulation Of eight millions Of people, of whom one
million the descendants of European races,
and the remainder composed of the original in
habiants of the country, with more or less ad-
mixture. The political system of Mexico is re-
publican-her religion is Catholic, a sort of
mi-christianity-he social system is differ
ent from that of the northern or that of the
southern states of this Union.
In incorporating such a country, with such ele-
ments of society, into the North American Union,
there may be presented some obstacles in her
domestic institutions her religious ideas, or her
political system. Catholcty is her religion-we
have immense numbers of Catholics in this coun-
try-.on that point there is less liability of con-
hict. Republican she ca Is herself-we also pro-
fess 10 be republicans, and here we meet on
ground common to both. But her domestic in
situations, the right of voting, the elective fran
chise, are different both from those of the free
states of this Union, and from those of the slave
states.
In incorporating Mexico into this Union there.
fore, it will be absolutely necessary TO take those
most important differences into consideration, to
make due allowance for their characteristics,
and not attempt to contend with impossibIlities,
by seeking to Introduce either the domestic in
stitutions of the southern States or those of the
free States, into Mexico. The new American
Union, comprising territory from the st. Law
renee and the Lakes of the North, running from
the Atlantic TO the Pacific, and ending at the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec, ought TO be organised
and constructed, SO as 10 present an equality of
power and influence among these three different
masses of society, with all their peculiar institu
lions. The free northern states of this Union
comprise population of about ten millions, with =
out the existence Of dome site slavery; the south
ern or slave States on this side ofthe Rio Grande,
comprise about an equal amount of population,
small portion of whom are domestic slaves, with
out the power of voting themselves, but still held
as property" and giving political rights to
their owners, equivalent to ratio of five to three.
The new Mexican states, not Immediately, but
in due process oftlme-in the course of FIVE, ten
fifteen or twenty years, might be incorporated as
aconstituent element in this republic, permitting
them to enjoy their domestic institutions as they
now exist, and to preserve a particular amount
of power, equivalent to about one -third of the
new republic that might be formed out of the
whole. Their population is now eight millions,
and it would soon increase to ten Millions un
der American dominion. A vast portion of this
population consists of the aboriginal Indians, who
understand but little of political privileges, or
enjoy much political rights. The Hispano-
Mexican population occupy the same position in
Mexico that the Anglo American population do
in our southern slave states. Let the whole OF
Mexico be divided into fourteen or fifteen States,
forming one of the three portions Of power and
influence in the American Congress; let them
divide their territory according to their own no.
lions let them preserve their domestic, reli-
giou. and political l. silutions, as they were
formed at their own revolution, but which they
and complete repose for the last twenty five
years.
With such reconstruction and union of the
United States and Mexico, under one form OF
government, one constitution, and combined in
one great political power, the slavery question,
which begins to agltate this country so terribly,
will be nulliied and neutralized by the infusion
of new elements of social and political exist
ence, which Mexico would bring-and by those
means the Wilmot proviso might be given the
go by TO for ever and day. Under govern
ment like this, with the comparative honesty and
energy which this country has shown to the
world for the last sixty years, the new republic
with its natural resources, and its active and en-.
terprisng population, would soon become conf
dent in It's power, and in short time would ex-
hibit to the world one of the most remarkable