Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-05-30


the State where they are held. 1T wa:
commerce in merchandise, regarded as sucI
by all the States, and not commerce in per
son, that was designed to be regulated by
Congress. Commerce in persons, if it may
be so called, was not intended to be regula.
ted by Congress, because it was peculiar
and local, and not national" -1ppcnclix to
Petcr<'s Reports, oOi. 10, p. s..
Ii that doctrine be true, 1t is because
slaves are property by local, and not by
general law. That is the sentiment of Yer
mont 1t is not new. 1t is Older than the
thunder of Winthrop, or Webster, or VIII
mot The old battery, whence it origina-
ted, Is still sound, and sends forth It's annu-
al charges. ! believe it has been found ca
sier to peryert than to answer it, 1t was
declared thirty years since. In that time,
tive new slave states have been admitted. =
She has demonstrated against them all, and
most earnestly against the last. But they
have been admitted by the constituted au-
thority, aud she has submitted. \ whole
generation has come and gone since that
was proclaimed. 1t was the utterance of
honest sentiment, and had 10 reference to
political effect, the Senatorial snecrs of n.
hampshire to the contrary notwithstanding.
hecent events lead US to suppose that her
sister States do not accuse Vermont of put
ting her light under a bushel, or smother
ing her sentiments IN her archleves. She
does not spring upon you with a new prin-
clpie, after the territories were acquired
on knew beforehand that If that territory
was acquired, Vermont had lien upon 1t
for freedom. You took it with that mort
gage. She is not prompted by the ilashy
aud tlippant zeal Ola new political convert,
but by long settled and abiding principle
Her choice, most unquestloniDly Is govern
mcnts for the territories with the proyiso,
that was first presented for adoption If
that cannot be secured, there Is As little
doubt that she will sustain the plan of the
President She regards the plan as orilln-
atlng from patriotic motives and she es-
teens lis author as one OF the most Impair
tIal, aud noble minded, and national mind
ed patriots that has trod the Presidential
platform since the organization Of the Gov
ernmeni. But she can consent 10 no plan,
to no action or non-action, aud to no CON-
promise that does not give positive and per-
manent security for freedom in the terrific
RES. You cannot change that purpose
on may as well attempt to unseltle the
foundations of her everlasting mountains.
The third supposItlon OF this blll is to
purchase the claIu OF Texas TO the disputed
territory between her and New Mexico. |;
was amusing to see the manner IN winch
that matter first came before the Senate. A
bill was reported for the admission of Cali
iornia, and for territorial governments for
L tei' ~..d 49, -'fo-,.Oo- To- '"0sO tnC NO.iI-
mltee were responsible; and then there
came trottiur INTO the camp loose unbrl-
died colt that no man would claim and no
man would own, proposal to purchase for
Il blank sum the clam OF Texas The au-
thor of tins bill, with a bolder hand, la,
caught and ha7ncsscd that colt whether 1t
viii add strength to the team, time alone
can determine He has at least fixed the
price: he proposes TO pay ten millions of
dollars. | suppose It Is already Irrevocably
that we and our children, and our
chldreu's children, are to BE- taxed for Tex
as. trust that, as free agents, we may have
a voice IN determining whether that burden
shall be increased. Many words have been
wasted to show who Is responsible Tor the
annexation OF Texas, aud the evils that have
flowed from II. 1t is easily settled; for the
facts are recent, and any intelligent man
can relate them without a reicrence 10 dOcu-
ments. ask Your attention 10 thdt point,
aud do so with no design OF gathering ma
terials for approaching any man or party
4 J.
without offence" In April, 1874, Presi-
dent Tyler sent to the Senate 4 treaty of all
nexatioiI, which was rejected by vote Of
10 to 80, but single northern Senator, Mr.
Woodbury., voting III favor OF 1t. At that
time all parts and all parties of the North
were decidedly opposed to It, This Is shown
by the resolutions OF Conventions and lie
gislatures, and the voice OF the press. \
Democratic organ uttered the general SEN
tlment when II SAID, :" rather than annex
alton let there be an impossible guilt between
Texas and the Union" The matter was ia
ken into the Baltimore Convention, was IN
serted aud announced As part OF the Demo-
cratic creed. Then there was 4 change, d
great and sudden change. a large portion
OF the party wheeled to cover tier file lead
ers. We went INTO the canvass, the Wings
North and South against annexation, the
Democrats North and South IN favor of 1t.
la New York there was a small party which
held the political balance OF the State, when
New York held the balance of the Union.
II this is not clear, every one may see par
allel in clecting the Speaker of this House.
In both cases the balance was SO managed,
by design or accident, as to secure the IN
triumph of the Democrat and the slavehold-
err. We came out of that canvass with fif--
ty-eght electoral votes of the North for -Ur.
CLAW. aud one hundred and SIX for Mr.. Polk.
THIS was regarded as the popular decision.
In the next Congress Texas was annexed,
by almost a clear party vote throughout the
Union. 1t will be seen, then, that 50 tar as
power is concerned, the gentleman from
Maryland Mr. McLaue Is right IN his
boast, that 1t was done by Democratic pow
er But there is question that lies lar
ther back, who put that power IN motion IN
that particular direction Not northern
men, certainly, nor southern men as body,
nor even as majority, but 1t was done by
men from the South, having for their ayow-
ed object the protection, II not extension
of slavery. The war and acquisition are