The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-20


moral laws or the Deity. Such persons knew my
meaning very well. they chose 10 pervert and
misrcpresent il. That is all.
In classical times, there was a set Of small but
rapactous critics, denominaed capfaiores rerb0rsm
who snatched and caught at particular expires
s'ons expended their strength ON the Gs;ecta
"'embra Of language; birds of rnpne which proved
on words and syllables, and gorged themselves
leeaIng on the garbage Of phrases, CHOPPED,
nesn ana limbs are, by the claws Of unclean birds
ouen efiiicsare rarely more distinguished for ability
IN discussion, than for that manly, moral feeling
when disdains To state adversarv's argument
otherwise than fairly and truly an as he ,pean, +
1 10 be understood
X IL has been thought remarkable that an inteil;-
gent field officer in the American army. IN writipS
private letter to a friend here, dated Santa Fe'
the capital OF New Mexico, Two days before my
: speech was delivered. that is, ON the 5th OF
March, should have used this Language:
We have no papers later than the Presidents
i message. fnncy Congress is debating about
slavery IN New Mexico, where starery is pyohiJi-
fsd by Stronger than all human ia,cs-shs lac Of
climate, and production, and e!finterest Not more
Than hundredth part Of New Mexico could ever
be cultivated il water ever so plenty such is
the soil, topography, and rock of. this land But
IN the centre of vast area, without large bodies
Of water, the rocky surface sending what little
water falls upon it rapidly down to the ocean, nm
der an atmosphere ever thirsty, into which eyapo-
ration is marvellously rapid, not more than one
part in two hundred and fifty ever be inn 8
] proved. y
And now, gentleman, have one other consde-
ration TO bring To your minds and that is, that
the slavery Of the African does not exist in
New Mexico that il is altogether abolished that
there is not single African slave to be found
among any Of its mountains, or in any part Of It's
vast pains. And thepeople of Mexico, to man,
are opposed TO slavery their state Of society re-
jects il their use of cheaper labor rejects it the
opinions the sentiments, and feelings ofthe people,
all reject 1t, warmly and decidedly, it is re-
jected by the people of Maine.
i And it appears to me just about as probable that
/ African slavery will be introduced into New Mex
leo, and there established, as il is that the same
slavery will be established on Mars Hill, or the
side of the White Mountains
i Among the maxnls left us by Lord Bacon, one
| is, that when solutions, discontents arise, the
part of wisdom is, toremove, by all means possible,
the causes The surest way to prevent discontents,
If the times will bear IT, IS to take away the matter
ofthem for if there be fuel prepared, 1t is hard
to tell whence the spark shall come that shall
4 it on fire. So counses Lord Bacon but with us,
there are other advisers. Although the dispute lie
4 obviously altogether unimporant and although
/ the times Will well bear the taking away of the
matter of It, their patriotic aror still admonishcs
us 10 continue the contest--to fight it out; if the
oyster be gone, still to make fierce battle for the
1 shell; nor give up the warfare till we obtain
joyful victory, or shall nobly fall.
Gentlemen, l will conclude this letter by a short
reference to one other topic Agood deal of COM
I plant has beenmanifested, you know account
Of the opinions expressed in my speech respecting
Texas, and the legal construction and effect of the
resolutions, by which she became annexed to the
United States. Surprise and establishment, and all
the eloquence OF capital letters and notes OF admit
rntion, have been summoned to mark the utterance
of such new and startling sentiments The truth
is, however, that there is nothing new i'll the whole
matter The same view, substantially, of the re-
solutions Of annexation had been taken again and
| again, by myself and others.
i Gentlemen, voted against the treaty by which
/ these Territories were coded by Mexico to the
! United States and in open Senate, in speech
4 made on the Esd Of March, 1913, ! referred TO
/ Texas and to the resolutions enumeration. The
/ speech was published in the newspapers, and cir
! culated in phamphlet form and read by everybody
who chose to read it. In that speech you will find
i these words:
/ Snow, sir, | do not depend on theory. ask
you and ask the Senate and the country to look
| at fslcts, to see where we when we made the
departure three years ago, and where we now are,
/ and shall leave ii to imagination to conjecture
/ where shall be-
eve admitted Texas one State far the present.
| But f-you will refer to the resolutions providing
1 for the annexation Of Texas, you will find pro-
i vision that 1t shall be III the power of Congress-
| hereafter to make four other new States out Of
Texan territory. Present and prospectively there
fore, fire new States sending ten Senators may come
/ into the Union out of Texas. Three years ago
wedid that Now we propose to make two States;
for, undoubtedly, if we take what the President re-
| commends, New Mexico and California each will
make State so that there will be four Senators.
/ We shall have then, in this new Territory, seven
States, sending fourteen Senators to this Chamber.
Now, what will be the relation between the Sc
nate and the people, or the States from which they
comc;''
/ You viii see that here is the same opinion ofthe
meaning of the Resolution Of Annexation, ,res-
sed nearly IN the same words, as are contained In
my speech Of the 18th of March last. And this
only two years ago. But nobody then expressed
either surprise or astonishment. There was
call to arms. no Invocation ofthe Genius ofLiberty,
to resist false construction OF am act of Congress,
no stirring and rousing paragraphs in the newspa-
1 pers, patriotic appeals to the. people, and
insane declarations, such as we now hear, that the
I Texan Resolutions are utterly void.
i But, gentlemen, will pursue no further, a topic
Of some little interest to myself, but of great
Importance to you or the country. / leave il,
with the single remark, that what true in re-
4 spect To the construction of act OF Congress in
! lS4S, must be true in the same in 1850: and
! if an individual, on his own authority, may de-
| clare act of Congress void, he may, with equal
proprety, absolve himself from the obligations i'm
posed on him by all other acts; his oath binds him
4 only to the observance of such laws as he appro-
YES! How far such sentiment is fit to be acted
| upon by men, or to be instilled into the minds Of
\ youth, the country must Judge
| But you, and the whole country, gentlemen,
are interested, most deeply, in Knowing what is
the prospect of settlement Of existing difficulties.
| On this point, am happy to say, that can
| speak with hope, ifnot with confidence. think |
see indications that the public Judgment WILL ere
long, be brought to bear upon these troublesome
and exciting questions, and that the voice Of ma
| iority Of the people will hush other dscordant
voices. How soon this will happen, cannot say;
but fully believe that the floods will yet subsde,
that the troubled waters will return within their
banks, and the current of public affairs its
| accustomed and benefcert course
am, gentlemen, yelr obliged fcow-citizen.
and obedient servant,
.iNIEL WEBSTER
ROBERT III. G,RnIxf- Esq, and others.
TREATMENT OF SLAVES. Last Sabbath present.
ed scene which, could Northern abolitionisis
have been here to witness it, must have staggered
fheir nth On Ia snbcct Of the hnrrorS ofs layervf