The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-05-28
NUMBER 5.


The third proposition Of this bill is TO
purchase the claim Of Texas to the dis
puted territory between her and New
Mexico. 1t was amusing to see the man
ner in which that matter first came be-
fore the Senate. A bill was reported for
the admission Of California, and for tiers
ritorial governments for Utah and New
Mexico For these the committee we're
responsible; and then there came troi-
ting iuto the camp loose unbrided colt
that no man would claim aud ito man
would own, proposal TO purchase for
blank sum the claim Of Texas. The au-
thor of this bill, with bolder hand, has
caught and harnessed that colt whether
1t vii! add strength TO the team, time a
lone can determine lie has at least
fixed the price he proposes to pay ten
millions of dollars. | suppose it is al
ready rrevocably ordained that we and
our children. and our children's children,
are TO be taxed for Texas trust that,
as free agents, we may have voice III
determining whether that burden shall
be increased. Many words have been
wasted to show who is responsible for the
annexation Of Texas, and the evils that
have flowed from it, 1t is easily settled;
for the facts are recent, and any intell>
uent man can relate them without a ret
erence to documents. ask your aten~
ton to that point, and do so with no de-
sign Of gathering materials for reproach'
ing any man or party speak with
the freedom of history and without Of
, fence" In April, IS44, President Ty-
, Ter sent to the Senate a treaty of annex
h alton, which was rejected by vote of 10
TO 35, but a single northern Senator
i voting in favor OF it. At that time all
)? parts aud all parties OF the North were
" decidedly opposed to it. This is shown
5. by the resolutions of Conventions and
r Legislatures, aud the voice of the press
A Democratic organ uttered the general
= sentiment, when it said, "rather than an
nexation let there be an impossible gull
- between Texas and the Union. The
=. matter was taken into the Baltimore Con
n vention, was inserted and announced as
% a part Of the Democratic creed. Then
T. there was change, a great aud sudden
ID change. A large portion OF the party
IL wheeled to cover their file leaders. We
~ wen, into the canvass, the Wings North
" and South agains, annexation, The DEM
;, ocrais North and South in favor OF 1t.
~ In New York there was a small party
which held the political balance of that
K Sta,e. when New York held the balance
IS OF the Union. If this is not clear, every
re one may see parallel in elecsing the
d, Speaker of this House. In both cases
OF the balance was SO managed, by design
or accident, as to secure the triumph OF
y the Democrat and the stakeholder. We
C. came out Of that canvass with titty-eight
!" electoral votes of the North for MIR. Clay,
=, and one hundred and six for Mr.. Polk.
In This was regarded as the Popular decls>
er ion. In the next Congress, Texas was
9 annexed, by almost a clear party vote
re throughout the Union. twill be seen,
OF then, that so far as power is concerned !
H. the gentleman from Maryland Mr.. Nc
o' LANEl is right in his boast, that 1t was
- done by Democratic power. But there
is a question that lies farther back, who
o. put that power in molten in that parties
n. ular direction! Not northern men, GER
d. tainly. nor southern men as a hodr, nor
n even as majority, but it was done by
Al, men from the South, having for their
's avowed object the protection, 1t not the
extension of slavery. The war and ac-
es QUESTION are the acknowledged, as they
al were the loreseen results. This is the
II history, and it shows us who are respon-
y sible for the present crisls-who have
! brought upon us our present dangers
. why il is that the waves are now dashlng
an over us, while we are almost helplessly
rs wallowing in the trough OF the sea. 1t
cs the tempest shall drive us to the cllls,
I'd every survivor on every floating fragment
st of the wreck will curse the plan of an
,! nexalion and The authors who brought II
upon the country. Let those who have
" caused these perils of the Union now
come forward and remove them let them
al exercise the spirit they have raised
y They have the power in both branches
10 of Congress--lf they vii! use IT tor
Sc ust and honorable settlement OF this con-
h. troyersy of their own creation, they Will
+ receive from generous country not on
y" " oblivion of the past, bu, graIii lde for
the future.
~ An important element in the campaign
At of lS4l, was the impression made at the
y Nunh that # Texas came into the Un-
t, ion, at least one-hali of her territory
p would be free, because the soil and cll-