Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-03-07

me to impose Of Offering, whilst we ask |
the surrender on one side Of a. favorite
measure, Of Offering to the other side some
compensation for that surrender or sacri-
fee. What are the truths, Mr. President +?
The first is, that by law slavery does not
exist within the territories ceded 10 us by
the republic Of Mexico. 1t is a misfor-
tune, sir, in the various weigh.y and i'm
portant topics which are connected with
the subject that am now addressing you
upon, that any one of the FIVE or six fur
nishes theme for heightened speech,
and l am therefore reduced to the neces-
sity, think, at least in this stage OF the
discussion, of limiting myself rather TO the
expression Of opinions than going at any
great length into the discussion Of all these
various topics.
Now, with respect TO the opinion here
expressed that slavery does not exist in
the territories ceded 10 the United States
by Mexico, l can only refer 10 the fact Of
the passage Of the law by the Supreme
Government Of Mexico abolishing it, I
think in 1924, and 10 the subsequent pas
sage of law by the legislative body of
Mexico, l forget in what year, by which
they proposed--what it is trne they have
never yet carried into full effect--compen-
sation 10 the owners Of slaves for the prop
city Of which they were stripped by the
act Of abolition. can only refer TO the
acduiescence Of Mexico in the abolition of
SLAVERY from the time Of its extinction
down to the time Of the treaty by which
we acquired these countries. But all
Mexico, so far as I know, acquiesced in
the non existence Of slavery. Gentlemen,
know, talk about the irregularity Of the
law by which that act was accomplished; !;
but does it become us, foreign power,
TO look into the mode by which an object
has been accomplished by another foreign
power, when she herself is satisfied with
what she has done, and when, too, she is
the exclusive judge whether an object
which is local and municipal to herself
has been or has not been accomplished in
conformity with her fundamental laws p
Why, Mexico, upon this subject showed
to the last moment her anxiety in the Goc-
uments which were laid before the coun-
try upon the SUBJECT Of the negotiation of
ibis treaty by Mr. Trist. Among them
you will find this passage in one Of his
dispatches:
| "A;hons the points which came under
discussion was ,he exclusion Of slavery
| from all territory which should pass from
Mexico. In The course Of their remarks
on The subject, was told that if it were
proposed to the people of the United
States to part with portion Of their ter
ritory, IN order that the inquisiiion should
be therein established, the proposal could
not excite stronger feelings of adherence
Than those awakened in Mexico by the
prospect of the introduction of slavery ir
any territory parted with by her. Our
conversation on this topic was perfectly
frank, and no less friendly, and the more
effective upon their minds, inasmuch as
was enabled to say, with perfect security
that, although their impressions respecting
the practical fact OF slavery, as it existed
! in the United STATES, were, | had no doubt
entirely erroneous, yet there was proba.
| bly, no difference between my Individual
views and sentiments on slavery, consid.
cred in itself, and those which they en-.
ter,ained. | concluded by assuring them
that :he bare mention Of the subject in any
treaty to which the United States were a
party, was an absolute in'possibility thai
no President of The United States would
dare 10 present any such treaty to the Sen.
ale and that if it were in their power Il
offer me the whole territory described ir
our project, Increased tcnfold in value
and, in addition TO that, covered a foot
thick all over with pure gold, upon the
single condition that slavery should be ex.
cluded therefrom, could not entertain
the offer for a moment, nor think even oI
communicating it to Washington. The
matter ended in their being fully salts fec
that this topic was one not TO be touched
and it was dropped with good feeling on
or both sides"
Thus you find that, in the very act Of negotiation
| by which the treaty was concluded which ceded tt
us the country in question, the diplomatic repre-
sentatives Of the Mexican Republic urged the alb
horrence with which Mexicn would view the intro
ducton OF slavery into any portion Of the territory
| which she about to cede to the United States
| But prohibition Of its Introduction was not in
serted, in consequence o! the firm ground taken By
DIr Tris., and his declaration that it was an ute
impos ssibil.ty even to mention the subject. take
it, ther for granted, sir-availng myself OF the ben
eft Of the discussions which took placs upnn this
| topic at a former session, which think have lef
the whole country under the impression of the non
| existence Of slavery in the ceded Territories-
take il for granted that what have said will satisfy
the Senate Of that first truth-that slavery does no
exist there by law unless slavery was carried there
the moment the treaty ratified by the two par
ties OF the treaty. under the operation OF the cons
tuition of the United States.
Now, sir really, must say that the idea that q
| instanh, upon the consummaion OF the treaty, the
constitution of the United States spread itself ove
the acquired country, and carried along with it the
institution OF slavery is SO irrcconciahle with AM
| comprehension or any ason which ossess, tina
| hardly know how to meet it. Why, sir, thes,
United States consist OF thirty States. III fifteen
them, there was slavery; in tltecn slavery dd no
exist How 1t be argued that the fifteen slave
States by the operation Of the constitution OF the
United States, carried into the ceded country theil
institution Of slavery, any more than 1t can be ar
susa upon the other side, that by the operation o.
the sae constitution, the fifteen free States carried
into tho ceded Territories the principle OF freedom
which they, from policy, have chosen to adopt with
in their limits? Let me snppoes case, sir. Lee
! me imagine that Mexico had never abolished sla
very there a. oil. Let me suppose that 1t was ex
isting thereby virtue of law, from the shores O
the Pacific to those Of North Mexico, at the nome nj
of the cession Of those countries TO us by the ttea
ty in question. With what patience would gentle
men, coming from the saveholdins States, listen te
| an argument which should be urged by the fre
States that outstanding the existence OF sla
very within those Territories, the constitution O
A. n1nr nj cd M