The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-13
No. 231.

these two gentlemen, members of this body brought
in Texas, and by their votes they also prevented
the passage of the resolution Of the honorable mem
Der from Georgia, and then they went home and
took the lead in the Free-soil party. And there
they stand. sir! They leave us here, bound in
honor and conscience by the resolutions of annex
alton, they leave us here to take the odium Of full
filling the obligations in favor of slavery, which
they voted us into, or else the greater odium of
violating those obligations, while they are at home
making capital and rousing speeches for free-sol
and no slavery. (Laughter.] And, therefore, /
say, sir, that there is not chapter in our history
respecting public measures and public men, more
full of what should create surprise, more full of
what does create, in my mind, extreme mortifica-
ton, than that of the conduct of this Northern De-
| mocracy.
/ Mr.. President, sometimes, when a man is found
in new relation to things around him and TO other
| men, he says the world has changed, and that he
| has not changed. believe, sir, that our self
respect leads US often to make this, declaration in
regard to ourselves, when it is not exactly true.
An individual is more apt to change, perhaps, than
all the world around him. But, under the present
circumstances, and under the responsibility which
l know incur by what now stating here, /
feel at liberty TO recur to the various expressions
and statements, made at various times, of my own
opinions and resolutions respecting the admission
| of Texas, and all that has followed Sir, early
as 1886, or in the earlier part Of 1897, there was
conversation and correspondence between myself
and some private friends, this project of annex
| ing Texas to the United States; and an honorable
| gentleman with whom have had long acquant-
| ance, friend Of mine, now perhaps in this cham
| Der, mean General Hamilton, of South Carolina,
| was knowing TO that correspondence. had voted
for the recognition of Texan independence. because
| / believed it was existing fact, surprising and
astonishing as 1t was, and wished well to the new
republic: but manifested from the first utter op-
position to bringing her, with her territory into
| the Union. / had occasion, sir, in 1887, to meet
| friends in New York, some political occasion,
| and then stated my sentiments upon the subject.
II was the first time that had occasion to advert
and Iyayill aak Tar dn
favor to read extract from the speech, for the
Senate may find it rather tedious to listen to the
whole oft. 1t was delivered in Niblos Garden in
1887.
from the speech of Mr.. Webster, to which he re-
ferred:
ssGentlemen, we all see that, by whomsoever
possessed, Texas is likely to be slaveholdng coun
do any thing which shall extend the slavery Of the
African this continent, or add other slave
holding States to the Union
"When l say that ! regard slavery in itself as
great moral, social, and political evil, only
use language which has been adopted by distin-
| guished men, themselves citizens of slaveholding
| States.
81 shall do nothing, therefore, to favor en-
courage Its further extension. We have slavery
already among US. The Constitution found it
| among us; it recognised it, and gave il solemn
| guarantees.
"To the full extent of these guarantees we are all
All the stipulations contained in the Constitution
favor Of the saveholding States, which already
in the Union, ought to be fulfilled, and, SO far as de-
pends on me, shall be fulfilled in the fulness of their
spirit and TO the exactness of their letter Slavery,
il exists in the States, is beyond the reach of
Congress. 1t is concern Of the States themselves.
| They have never submitted it to Congress, and
| Congress has no rightful power over it.
al shall concur therefore, in no act, no measure
| no menace, no indication of purpose, which shall
interfere threaten to interfere with the exclusive
authority of the several States the subject of
slavery il exists within their respective limits
All this appears to TO be matter of plain and
| imperative duty.
81 But when we come to speak of admitting new
States, the subject assumes entirely different
aspect. Our rights and duties are then both
different. .
al see, therefore, no political necessity for the
annexation OF Texas TO the Union, no advantages
TO be derived from il and objections 10 IL OF
strong, and, in my judgment, of decisive charac-
ter"
Mr.. WEBSTER. | have nothing, sir, TO add to,
nor 70 take speech from, those sentiments. That,
the Senate will perceive, was in 1887. The purpose
| OF Immediately annexing Texas at that time
abandoned or postponed and il was not revived
with any vigor for some years. In the mean time
il had so happened that had become member of
the Executive Administration, and was for short
period in the Department OF State. The annexation
of Texas a subject Of conversation, not conf
Dental, with the President and heads Of Depart
ments well as with other public men. No serious
attempt was then made, however, to bring itabout.
left the Department of State in May, ls43, and
shortly after ] learned though by means which
were way connected with official information,
that design had been taken up of bringing in
Texas, with her slave territory and population into
the United States. ! in Washington at the
time, and persons now here who win remember
that we had an arranged meeting for conversation
upon il. went home TO Massachusetts and pro-
claimed the existence of that purpose. bat could
get no audience, and but little attention. Some
did not believe IL, and some too much engaged
in their pursuits 10 give il any heed They
had gone To their farms, TO their merchandise,
and Il impossible 90 arouse any sentiments in
New England or in Massac husetts that should com
bne the two great political parties against thIs
nexation and indeed there was 10 hope of bring
ing the Northern Democracy into that view, for the
leaning was all The other way. But, SIR even with
Whgs, and leading Wings, am ashamed to say,
there great indifference towards the admis-
sion Of Texas with slave territory into this Union
The project went on. was then out Of Congress
The annexation resolutions passed the lst Of March,
ls4s the Legislature of Texas complied with the
conditions and accepted the GUARANTEES, for the
phraseology Of the language Of tho resolution is
that Texas is 70 come In "upon the conditions and
under the guarantees herein prescribed" | hap
pened TO be returned 10 the Senate in March, lsi5
and was here in December, ls45. when the accept
ance by Texas Of the conditions proposed by Con,
gresswere laid before US by the President, and an
act for the contamination of the connexion was laid
before the two Houses. The oonnexion was then
not completed A nnal law doing the deed of an
nexation ultimately had not been passed; and when
il was put upon it's final passage here, expressed
my opposition 10 il, and recorded my vo.e in the
negative; and there that vote stands, with the
observations that made upon that occasion
II has happened that between 1887 and this time,
on various occasions and opportunities have ex-
pressed my entire opposition TO tho admission Of
slave States, the acquisition Of new slave terri.
tories, 10 be added to the United States. know
sir, no change in my own sentiments OF my own
purposes in that respect will now again ask m
friend from Rhode Island 10 read another extract
from speech Of mine made at whig Conven-
ton in Springfield, Massachusetts, in the month of
September, ls47.
MIR. GREENE here read the following extrnct.
1--WE hear much Just of a pdnacea for the |
dangers and evils Of slavery and slave annexation.
which they call the 'Yiimof proviso. That certain.
ly is just sentiment but Il is not acntiment 10
found any new party upon. II Is not sentiment
on which Massachusetts Wings differ. There Is
not man in this hall who holds to il more firmly
than do, nor one who adhcrcs 10 il more than ano
Their
81 feel some little interest in this matter air
Did not commit myself in 1887 to the whole doc
trine iully, entrelyl And must be permitted 20
say thatl cannot quite consent that more recent |
discoycrers should claim the merit and take out a |