Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-03-21
VOL. Xiv, NO. l9.---WHOLE NO. 2266.

know that cotton was exported at all from
the United States; and have heard it sai
that, after the treaty which gave to the Uni
TED States the right to carry their own com
modities to England in their own ships
the custom-house in London refused to ad
nit cotton, upon an allegation that it coul'
not be All American production, there be
ing as they supposed, no cotton raised II
America. They would hardly think ST
now
Well, sir, we know what followed. Thu
age OF cotton became a golden age for ou
Southern brethren. 1t gratiied their desir,
for improvement and accumulation at th,
same time it excited it, The desire grew
by what it fed upon, and there soon CAR
to be an eaCerness for other territory, anen
area or new areas for the cultivation Of the
cotton crop, and measures leading to this
result were brought about rapidly, one after
another, under the lead of Southern men al
the head of the government, they having a
majority in both branches 10 accomplish
their ends. The honorable member from
s. Carolina observed that there has been a
majority all along in favor of the North. Il
that be true, sir, the North has acted very
literally and kindly, or very weakly; for
they never exercised that majority five
times in the history Of the Government
Never. Whether they were outgeneralled
or whether 1t was owing 10 other causes. i
shall not stop 10 consider, but no man ac-
quaiuted with the history of the country can
deny, that the general lead IN the politics oi
the country for three fourihs Of the period
that has elapsed since the adoption of the
Constitution, has been a Southern lead
In 1892, in pursuit of the idea of opening a
new cotton region, the United States OBJ
tanned cession from Georgia of the whole
of her Western Territory, now embracing
the rich and rowing State of Alabama. In
1893 Louisiana was purchased from France,
ont of which the States OF Louisiana, Ar
kansas and Missouri have been formed
as slas ehoiding States. In 1919 the ses-
sion of Florida was made, bringing another
cession of slayeholding property and terri
tory. SIR, the honorable member from
South Carolina thought he saw in certain
operations of the Government, such as the
manner of collecting the revenue and the
tendency of those measures To promote
emigration into the country, what accounts
for the more rapid growth Of the North than
the South. lie thinks that more rapid
growth not the operation of time, but ofihe
system of Government established under this
Constitution. That is matter Of opinion.
To certain extent it may be so; but il
does seem to me that if any operation OF
the Government should be shown in any
degree to have promoted the population,
and growth, and wealth of the North, it is
much more sure that there are sundry I'M
portant and distinct operations of the Gov
erumenu, about which no man can doubt,
tending TO promote, and which absolutely
have promoted, the increase of the slave
interest and the slave territory of the South.
Allow me 10 say that it was not time that
brought in Louisiana; it was the act of men.
1t was not time that brought In Florida; it
was the act of men. And lastly, sir, TO
complete those acts of men which have con-
tributed so much to enlarge the area aud
the sphere of the institution of slavery,
Texas. great and vast and illlmitable Texas,
was added to the Union as slave State In
1915; and, sir, pretty much closed the
whole chapter aud settled the whole ac-
count. That closed The whole chapter
that settled the whole account, because the
annexation of Texas upon the conditions
and under the guarantees upon whicl. she
was admitted, did not leave an acre OF land
capable of being cultivated by slave labor,
between this capitol and the Rio Gran6e or
the Nueces, or whatever is the proper
boundary of Texas-not an acre, not one.
From that moment the whole country from
this place to the western boundary of Texas,
was fixed, pledged, fastened, decided, TO
be slave territory forever, by the solemn
guarantees of law And now say, sir, as
the proposition upon which | stand this day
and upon the truth and irmness of which
intend to act until 1t is overthrow, that
there is not at this moment within the Uni
ted States, single foot of land, the char
acter of which, in regard To IT'S being free
soil territory or slave territory, is not fixed
by some law, and some irrepealable law
beyond the power of the action of this Gov
eminent Now, is it not so in respect TO
Texas! Why, 1t is most maniiestly So
The honorable member from South Carroll
ma, at the time of the admission of Texas,
held an important post IN the Executive
Department of the Government he was
Secretary of State Another eminent per-
son of great activity and adroitness. mean
the late Secretary of the Treasury, Mr..
Walker,) was leading member of this
body, and took the lead in the business of
annexation; and | must say that they did
their business faithfully and thoroughly !:
there WAS no botch left IN ii. They round
ed it off, and made as close joiner-work as
ever was put together. Resolutions of an
nexation were brought into Congress fifty
joined together compact, firm, efficient,
conclusive upon the great object which
they have i'll view, and those resolutions
passed
Allow me to read the resolution. Ii is
the third clause of the second section OF the
Of the LIST March, 1915, for the
admission of Texas, which applies to this
part of the Case. The clause reads in these
words:
New States of convenient size, not ex-
ceeding four in number, 10 addition to said
State of Texas, and having sufficient popu-
|ation. may hereafter, by the consent of