The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-21

uniform system Of laws, the preponderance Of popula-
ton and political power residing in the lower country the
Institution OF slavery must have been fastened upon the
people OF the upper country against their Will and
waoS, asr sonssnt m la view q this posoaomie m con- on
division OF Texas into any number of States nor ex-
ceeding four in addition 10 the present one and that
with OF with Without % slavery, % as shall desire But for
this provision part of Texas south Of 36 deg 80 min
could ever become free, so long as there was slave
raising sugar OF cotton on ,ne % low lands giaeI any
whenever il shall be admitted into the Union. How
many Of these States, south OF 80 deg 80 min, in
the event that four shall be created shall become ree Y
there is anything OF merit or responsibility in the ex
preston Of individual opinion, am willing to hazard
my own and place i on record by the side and in oppos
ton to that OF the senator from Massachusetts,, that
whenever four new States shall be created within the
limits of Texas at least wo and probably three Of them
y %
choice of the people themselves This opinion is not new
10 me, nor original with myself. II my memory serves
right, the distinguished senator from Kentucky Mr.
cAY expressed the opinion in his celebrated Ra;
leigh letter in 1874 and know that il The general
impression among those best informed on the subject at
the time Texas was annexed. Subsequent events to-
geher with all the information which has been de-
veoped upon this subject have served to strengthen this
conclusion Hence assert that the final character of this
country is not fixed by fundamental law. II is
pledged to slavery than il is to freedom The only effect
Of the resolution of annexation to remove the resrc
ton which must have deprived the people Of any portion
of that territory from establishing free institutions If they
desired. and to to them that privilege in each
OF the new States.
Mr. WEBSTER. I stated that this was slave terrific.
come in as slave States they choose but that they could
not be formed either as free or slave States without the
consent Of Texas Well suppose, reasoning upon that
res Sates ou o her territory Q
Y Mr.. DOUGLAS. thank the senator for his explana-
on for il furnishes conclusive reuaton Of his most
serious charge against the northern democracy. His
charge was that the resolutions Of annexation contained
pledge bndng in honor, law, and conscience upon him
and his whg associates to bring into the Union four new
slave States Now, when the fact is made probable, il
not certain, that majority Of those States will be
free and not slaveholdng, we are told that Texas will
not consent to the division Well sir. suppose she does
plant that the democracy responsible for the ad
mission OF four slave States into the Union' His
mode OF avoiding the force Of my argument that they will
be free States, is conclusive realization of his charge
against the northern democracy. confess that part
cpae in the apprehension suggested by the senator from
Massachusetts,, that Texas will not consent to the sub
This is the only doubt only fear, have have ever
entertained, upon the subject think there is an i'm
piled obligation on the part OF Texas to give her consent
at the proper me and when the proposed subdivisions
shall contain the requisite population The greatest diff
Guilty, apprehend, will be in laying out the subdivisions
and adjusting the boundaries 80 as TO- separate the plant
ing region, the country adapted to the culture OF sugar
and cotton, from the farming and mineral country on
the uplands and in the valleys and mountains, from
which slavery excluded by the laws of nature and OF
physical geography, i may be permitted to use the
emphatic language of the senator himself, when re-
fernng to New Mexico and California. have ex-
pressed apprehension lest Texas might not consider
herself bound, under the resolutions of annexation TO
give her assent to the subdivision wish not to be mis-
understood upon this point have full confidence that
Texas will observe good faith in the execution OF every
portion OF the compact The only question is, whether
she will consider that portion Of the compact relating
new States as obligatory merely discretionary her
part That she will find II more consistent with her in
.ll..,
State, have doubts and hence may naturally con-
clude that her will be readily and cheerully gven
unless she should be inclined 10 believe that il her
duty her sister States OF the South to withhold it, in
order 10 prevent the increase OF the number OF free States
in the Union Whatever may be the prevailing opinion
in The different sections ot the Union as TO the expe
diency OF the subdivisions OF Texas, think hazard but
little in the prediction that when the time arrives for Civ
ing our assent on behalf OF the United Saes opposition
will be much likely to arise in the South than in the
North But must pass and notice another paragraph
in the speech OF the senator from Massachusetts For
greater certainty as 10 his meaning, will read it:
Sir that body Of northern and men, who gave
those votes at that time, are now seen taking upon them
selves in the nomenclature OF politics. the appeaton Of
the northern democracy. They undertook 10 WELD the
Sfnss 1 i sy Pasd' il 40
bring into hs country all the territory they could They
e case Of and hey e SsHe aid II
bringing la these new conquests."
Under pledges, absolute pledges to the slave inter.
est" These are bold assertions Where are those pledges
were the terms, and by whom given
Mr.. WEBSTER. When resolution was brought in
here by the senator from Georgia Mr. BERRENl against
continuing the for the acquisition OF territory, il
negatiyed by the votes OF the northern democracy.
Mr. DOUGLAS, Well, does that vote prove that il
was done under pledges 10 the slave interest II only
proves that the wings who voted for the resolution
opposed TO the acquisition OF California and New Mexi
co. and that the democrats who voted against II 10
favor OF the acquisition That is all il proves and that
we are proud TO confess The democracy claim Calfor
MIA and New Mexico the rich fruits OF their labors
We acknowledge with pride that we stood by our coun.
Try in Just war against cruel aud perdous foe, and
substantial results OF policy. And because an.
nexed Texas and thereby provided Tor the exclusion OF
slavery from five and half degrees oil latitude In which
tthen had legal existence, and al the time made
provision for its exclusion hereafter by the action OF the
people themselves from large portion Of the residue,
and because supported our counrys cause in time OF
war, and in consequence acquired five or six hundred
excluded ''by the arrangement OF things BY the Power
above u.s. the senator very generously ners that II must
necessarily all haye been done under absolute pledges
TO the slave interest" What logical deduction How
irresistible the infeence How can il fail TO work
vction in the mind OF every candid man, after reading
the following description OF the country from the sena
tors own speech
Nov, California and New Mexico, hold slavery
to be excluded from those Territories by law even supe
that which admits and sanctions IL In Texas, Imean
the law OF nature OF physical geography, the law Of the
formation of The eafth That law settles forever, with
strength beyond all terms Of human enactment that slave
ry cannot exist IN California New Mexico. Under
stand sir mean slavery regard IL; slaves in
gross the cooed transferable by sale and delivery
like other property 4 shall discuss the point but leave
bu suppose there slave OF that description in
California understand that yeoaism Of penal