Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-08-08

SIR, Mr.. Folk. az we all know, was e1c1fU1 Pte1.
dent Of the United States BY the vool5f q
Northern Democrscy.
Soon after the Baltimore Convention, the ton,
OF the Northern Democratic press changed. :
Nothing was heard about the extension and per
petuaton Of slavery The acquisition of Texa.
was declared 70 be measure Of great national
concern and designed to extend the area of free
dom. Well, sir, in December, 1874. after the
Presidential election, Congress assembled, and
joint resolution for annexlng Texas 10 the U
ni,ed States passed the House Of Representa-
tiyes. and was sent here for the concurrence oil
the Sensfe What course Democratic Senators
from the North would take on the question was
a matter of some doubt One S,uthera Sena-
tor Mr Bagby,) and three or four Northern Sen.
a'ors Of the Democratic party, doubted the con-
st'tusionalny Of the House resolution, and ex.
pressed determination not to vote fnr it, In
this coniillion Of afftirs, Nj. Walker Of Mlssis-
sIppi then a member Of the Senate, offered an
amendment 10 The House resolution in the words
following:
"That it the President of the United States
shall, IN his judgment and discretion, deem il
most advisable, instead of proceeding to submit
the foregoing resolution To the Republic Of Tex
a, As an owe rture on the part of the United
States. TOR admission, to negotiate with that Re-
pub &c" sc.
Tie enIment was adopted; and Northern
Democratic Senators, after obtaining solemn
pledge from both the acting President and the
President elect, that the House res ,luion should
eso' be presented TO Texas as an overture for ad-
mission, voted for the amended resolution, and
u pissed BY vote OF 26 to 25 Now. Mr.. Pres
i'd mt, the honorable Senator from Illinois Mr..
Doug ass says there is no inconsistency IN The
v'tes gwen by Democratic Senators from the
Nohh touching the question of annexation. =
They voted against the treaty, he says, in 1914,
BECAUSE its avo~ed object was the extension aud
perpe,uatl,n OF slavery; and they voted to
mex The same country To the United Stties in
1915 because It was great national measure,
designed 10 extend the are. of freedom. Both
reasons assigned by tie Senator tor The vies
gwen, are 20 doubt very good ones But must
oe allowed to ssy that am unable to discover
how The area of freedom can be exceeded by cre-
aiing and admitting into the Union new slave
States 1t looks to me, must confess, little
more like extending the area Of slavery than the
arcs OF freedom.
4 Tie brief history have given Of The nnnexa.
ton Of Texus shows that the slave poSer man
ages all quesnons touching their interest with
skill aud dexienty; and am sorry to say it al
30 discusses some transactions anything but hon
oraaie 10 those concerned In them. ] alude sir,
10 the pledge gwen by the aching President and
tine iresident elsct TO certain Northern demo-
cratic ser atnrs, hat the House resolution if pass
ed by the Senate with Mr. Walkers amend nent
should n,t be presented to Tex s as an over
ture Tor ad-nsssnn. but that the country should
be acquired, 1t acquired q: all, by -goiation
and treaty. have said enough on this branch
OF the 'bject, to show that the slave states are
not quite SO weak and powefless they have
been represented ir to. Equilibrium or no eqni-
Il3fiuu', they we had hlngs pretty much their
own way Tor the last half OF u century. do
not wish t., be understood as casting the least
degree OF censure upon Southern politicians for
the skill and Gexterty with which they manage
their affairs. No, s,.; | find no fault with the
unanimity Of their action, or with the adroiine-s
they display In arranging their party machine
ry. 10 bring IN portion of the north 10 support
tneir measures. Il they move their men upon
d >, II IS our fault, not theirs.
Bet, Mir. President, It Is time to PISS to legis-
lation OF The country. said to have been 8, injp-
rious 10 the South. The first 10 the series of
nc complained Of is the ordinance Of 1851
That IN ASSURE ,s not c,argabie to the North. Ii
concurred in by all the states IN the confed
crazy. Souta Carolina gave It her UNANIMOUS
consent. lndeed there was but one vnte against
It, and that was from the North. The interest
manifested III support OF the ordinance was
stronger IN the s.uth tim al the Nnth. Sure
ly. then, 1t furnishes good cause o. discomfort
On the part OF the South. Nor has it, IN any
way or manner rctardei the growth ami prosper
Ky OF that section OF The country. Ii has aided
10 the Un,on live magnificent free slate, now
the Iuli enjoyment OF the highest degree OF pros
perry. Aud cir, in my humble judgment, IT The
South lad followed the example OF the North,
md g.. 1t
factuled her own great staple, she would this
da, nave been The Manchester Of America.
A biies Ii tory # the ordnance will show
thu the So.tneIn States had 10 desire 10 ex j.
tend slavery beyond its then exlsIiog limits 10
the Congress OF 1874, ihe first after the PEACE Of
1883 committee, consisting Of Mr.. Jefferson Of
Virginia Mr. Chase OF Maryland, and Mr. How
ell Of Rhode Island, reported bill for the gov
era"ent OF the Western Territory. Mr.. Jeifer
SON was The auiher OF the document. 1t con
talned the following provision: g After the year
OF leO0 of The chr stan era, there shall be nei-
Their slavery nor Involuntary scrvitudc IN any of
the said states, otherwise Than IN the punishment
OF cfiles, wneseuf The par les shall have ben
du,y convicted ,c have been personally guiI,y. >
On the l3'ho: April, the above clause was
stricken out Not, however upon The ground
that The slavehoiding States desired t. occupy
The territory with their slaves, or that the power
To enact the prohibition was doubted. No such
objections we're urged against the measure
Slavery was regarde on all hands as a great
moral and political evil, and all desired its aooli
ton as soon as 1t could be brought about with
safety. The provision w.s objectionable 10 the
States tolerating slavery, because II contained
no provision for the restoration Of fugitive slaves
escaping into the Territory. This is apparent
from Tue vote If the States enihe proposition.
Mr.. Spelght, Of Moth Caroins, novel 10 strike
ii out-and, on the question, shall the words
moved to b. stricken out, stand ? the yeas and
nays we're required by M. Howell, and ordered.
Seven States, viz: New Hampshire, M,ssachu
sets, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Yak.
New Jersey, asd sylyania voted yes Ma.
ryiand, Virginia, North Carolina, and s .u,h Car
DINA voted no. Georgia and Delaware were
net represented in the vote. So tire proposition,
not receiving The requisite number of votes, was
stricken out. TIE non saveholding States voted
against the nolion TO strike oui, and the slave
holding States for il. , s.srns
On The 10Th Of March, l775, Rufus King, 4
member from Massachusetts, moved the follow
ing SThere shall be neither slavery nor invol-
unlary seryi;uds in any of the States described
10 The resolve of Congress Of the 23i Of April.
l564.o,nerwise than IN the punishment Of crimes
wiierctf tho M ~ i.h,t1 hero baoa s,>~xcu.f~