The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-14


My honorable friend, the member who addressed
us the other other day, from South Carolina, was
then Secretary Of State. His correspondence
with Mr. Murphy, the Charge d'Affaires of the
United States in Texas, had been published.
That correspondence WAS all before those gentle
men, and the Secretary had the boldness and can
dor to avow in that correspondence that The great
object sought by the annexation Of Texas was TO
strengthen the slave interest of this country.
Why, sir, he said, in so many words
Mr.. CALHOUN. Will the honorable Senator
permit me to interrupt him for q moment
MIR. WEBSTER. Certainly.
Mr.. CALHOUN. ! am very reluctant to in
terrupt the honorable gentleman; but, upon
point of so much importance, deem It right TO
put myself Tso,uS curia ! did not put 1t upon
the ground assumed by the Senator. | put it
upon this ground that Great Britain had an
nounced TO this country, in so many words, that
her object was TO abolish slavery in Texas, and,
through Texas TO accomplish the adjustment OF
slavery in the United States and the world. The
ground put on it was, that l. would make an ex-
posed frontier and if Great Britain succeeded
in her object it would be impossible that that
frontier could be secured against the aggression of
the AbolitiOnists; and that this Government was
| bound, under the guarantees of the Constitution
| to protect us against such a state Of things.
MIR WEBS TER. That comes suppose, sir,
! to exactly the same thing. IL was that Texas
must be obtained for the security of the slave in
! terest of the South.
! Mr. CALHOUN. Another view is very dis
tinctly given.
Mr. WEBSTER. That was the object set
forth in the correspondence of a worthy gentle
man not now living, who preceded the honorable
member from South Carolina in that office There
Ysposs- On the flies of the Department Of State,
az | have occasion to know, strong letters from
Mr. Upshur to the United States Minister in Eng
! land, and believe there are some to the sane
minister from the honorable Senator himself, as
sering to this extent the sentiments Of this Gov
eminent that Great Britain was expected not to
! Interfere 10 take Texas out Of the hands of its
! then existing Government, and make 1t free
country But my argument, my suggestion Is
! this. that those gentlemen who composed the
| Northern Democracy when Texas was brought
! into the Union saw with all their eyes that 1t was
| brought in as slave country, and brought In tor
the purpose Of being maintained as slave territory
| IN the Greek Kalends / rather think the honor
! able gentleman who was then Secretary of State
migbf. in some of his correspondence with Mr.
Mnrpbv have suggested that it was not expedient
70 saw TOO much about this subject, that it might
create some alarm; but, sir, he did ayow it boldly
and manfrlly: he did not disguise his conduct
Mr.. CALHOUN. Never, never.
Mr.. WEBSTER What he means he is very
apt to say.
Mr.. CALHOUN. Always, always.
Mr.. WEBSTER. And | honor him for it.
This was in 1915. Then in lS47, fag1dnte bello |
between the United States and Mexico, the prop |
ostion have mentioned was brought forward by |
my friend from Georgia-the Northern Democ-
racv voting straight ahead against it. Their rem
edy was to apply to the acquisitions, after they |
should come in, the Wilmot Provso What fol-
lows2 These two gentlemen, worthy and honor |
able and influential men-and if they had not
been they could not have carried the measure
these two gentlemen, members of this body,
brought in Texas, and by their votes they pre-
vented the passage of the resolution Of the hon
orable member 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 annexation-they leave US here to take the
odium of fulfilling the obligations, in favor of sla
very which they voted US into, or else the greater
odium of violating those obligations while they
are at home making rousing and capital speeches
for free soil and no slavery. Laughter And,
therefore say, sir that there is not chapter in
our history, respecting public measures and pub
JIG men, more full of what should create surprise;
more full of what does create, in my mind, ex-
IRENE modification, than that of the conduct of
this Northen Democracy.
Mr. President sometimes when man is found
in a 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
selfrespect leads often to make this declaration
in regard to ourselves when il is not exactly true
An individual is more apt to change perhaps, than
all the world around him is to change But, under
the present circumstance, and under the respon-
sibiity which | know incur by what ! am now
stating here feel at liberty TO recur to the
rious expressions and statements made at various
times of my own opinions and resolutions
spccting the admission of Texas and all that has
followed. Sir, as early rs 1896, or in the earlier
part of 1897, n matter Of conversation and cor
respondenoe- between myself and soues private
friends was this project Of annexing Texas TO the
United States; and an honorable gentleman with
whom have had lorg acquaintance a friend Of
mine, now perhaps in this Chamber mean
| General Hamilton Of South Carolina--was know
! ing to that correspondence. ! had voted for the
| recognition Of Texan independence, because be-
| lieved it was existing fact, surprising and AS
| tonishing as it was and wished well to the new
Republic but | manifested from the first utter
opposition TO bringing her with her territory into
the Union. | had OCCASION sir, in 1897, to meet
| friends in New York, on some political occasion,
and then stated my sentiments upon the subj ct
Ii was the first time that had occasion TO advert
to it and will ask friend near me to do rae the
favor to read an extract from the speech, for the
Senate may find it rather tedious to listen to the
whole of it. twas delivered in Niblo's Garden in
1897.
Mr.. GREENE then read the following extract
from the speech of the honorable Senator to which
he referred:
"6entlemen all that, by whomsoever possessed
Tsxas ia likely 10 be country and frankly
aVow my entire unwiDgness to do thing which shall
exerd the slavery Of the African this contr
| add other ssVeholding States TO the Union
"When say that regard slavery In itself as great
moral social and political evil, only use language which
has been adopted by distinguished mtn themselves citizens
| Of sayeholding Statea.
shall do nothing therefore TO encourage its
further extension We have slavery already among The
Constitution found among us IL recognised it, and gave
70 the full extent of these guarantees all bound
In honor justice and by the Constitution All the stipu
atons contained In the Constitution N favor Of the slave
holding States which already in the Union ought TO be
fulfilled and, depends shall be fulfilled in
in the uness Ct their spirit and TO the exacness Of their
letter. Slavery IT exists in the States Is beyond the
reach of Congress 1t Is If the States themselves
They have submitted IL to Congress- and Congress
| has No rightful power over it
d" shall concur theret in act no measure no me-
mace indica Of purpose which shall interfere
threaten interfere with the exclusive authority Of the
States the subject Of slavery
their respective limits All this appears to to be matter
! of plain and inperativ e dutv,
But when We come to ak admitting States, the
subject entirely dere' aspect Our rights and
duties then both different.
see therefore no political necessity for the annexation
Of Texas TO the UnOnno advantages TO be derived from IT.
and objections to IL Of strong, and In Judgment OF
| dseisve ohag aoter."
Mr.. WEBSTER / have nothing, sir, to add
to nor to take back from those sentiments. That
the Senate will perceive was in 1887. The pur-
pose of Immediately annexing Texas at that time
was abandoned or postponed and it was not re-
vived with any vigor for some years In the mean
time, it had so happened that had become a
member of the Executive Administration, and was
for short period in the Department of State. The
annexation of Texas had become a subject Of con-
versation-not confdential-with the President
and heads of Departments as well as with other
| nnhlic men No serious attemp t WAS then made