Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-04-04

All the stipulationS contained in the Con stuion in
favor Of the slavehoding States. which are already
in the Union, ought to be fulfilled, and, SO Tar
depends on me, shall be fulfilled in the fulness Of
their spirit and to the exactness of their letter.
Slavery it exists in the States, beyond the reach
Of Congress. It is concern Of the States them
selves. They have never submitted it to Congress,
and Congress has no rightful power over it.
shall concur, therefore, in no act, no measure,
no menace, no indication Of purpose, which shall
interfere with the exclusive authority Of the sever
al States the subject OF slavery, as it exists
within their respective limits All this appears to
me to be matter Of plain and imperative duty.
But when we come to speak of admitting new
States, the subject assumes entirely di farent
pect. Our rights and our duties are then both DIFF
ferept. =
see, therefore, political necessity for the an.
nexation of Texas to the Union-no ADJ antages to
be derived from ii and objections to it of strong
and, in my judgment. of a decisive character.s,
Mr.. WEBSTER. l have nothing, sir, to add to,
nor to take back, from those sentiments. That the
Senate will perceive, was in 1887. The purpose of
Immediately annexing Texas at that time was ahan-
doned or postponed; and it was not revived with
any vigor for some years. In the meantime it had
so happened that had become a member Of the
Executive AdministI alton, and was for short Pc
Rod in the Department Of State. The annexation
Of Texas was subject of conversation-not conf
dential-with the President and heads Of Depart
ments, as wen us with other public men. No seri-
Gus attempt was then made, however, to bring il
about left the Department OF state in May, 1913,
and shortly after learned, though no way conne
ed with official information. that design had been
taken up OF bringing in Texas, with her slave terri
tory and population, into the United States. Twas
here in Washington at the time. and persons are
now here who will remember that we had en- ar
ranged meeting fer conversation mon ii. went
home to Massachusetts, and proclaimed the exis-
tence of that purpose, but could get no audience
and but little attention. Some did not believe it
and some were too much engaged in their own
,stcA - ..S. hanl ~
their farms, or to their merchandise, and il was
impossible to arouse any sentiment in New Eng
land or in Massachusetts, that should combine the
two great political parties against this annexation
and, indeed. there was no hope Of bringing the
Northern Democracy into that view. for the leaning
was all the other way. But, sir, even with Wings,
and leading Wings, am ashamed to say, there was
great Indifference towards the admission Of Texas
with slave territory into this Union. 1t went on.
I was then out of Congress. Tie anne xation ESQ
luton passed the list Of March, lss5; the Legsla
ture Of Texas complied with the conditions and ac-
cepted the guarantees; for the phraseology Of the
language of the resolution Isl that Texas is to
in ssupon the conditions and under the eaGrnnties
herein prescribed.o happened to be returned to
the Senate in March, 1915, and was here in Deem
Der, 1915, when the acceptance by Texas of the
conditions proposed by Congress were laid before
US by the President, and an act for the summa-
ton Of the Connexion was laid before the two Hou-
Ses. The connexion was not completed. A final
law doing the deed of annexa alton ultimately and
nally had not been passed; and when it was upon
its final passage here, expressed my opposition to
It, and recorded my vote in the negative and there
that vote stands, with the observations that made
upon that occasion. It has happened that between
1897 and this time, on various occasions and oppor
tunties. have express d my entire opposition to
the admission Of slave States, the acquisition OF
new slave territories. to be added to the United
States. know. sir, no change in my own senti-
ments or my own purposes in that respect.
CONCLUDED NEXT wEEK1