The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-03-23


selves, when IL IL not aXaclly true. An indI-
Fidunl ia more apt ~ change. PERHAPS, thun
all thn world around him, liui, under tho
present .circuWHnncea, aud under llie re-
spouslbllily Whlcil know | incur by what
ani now stating here, feel az liberty 20 re-
cur % The Various expressions and Hlnle-
mgnlH, nude at various nmos, Of NY own o.
piuiunH aud resolutions respecting lio nd
iuiEninn ~ IeAHs, aud all tlat has followed.
Sir, ns carry Hs ir5u, or m thu ruriIrr purt -oi
lcJl % matter Of conversation and cores
pOndcncr between myself aud some private
friends was this PROJECT Of nnnoXing Texas
a. the United S,nleG mud M honorable gem
IleInnn will whom have had long nc,
quninluneo, friend Of mine, now perhaps la
lhiH cbumbor-l mean Gen. Hamilton of
SouIh CaroliuR-IwnH knowing 10 That cor
rospondunee. lhhd y0Icd for tic recogn.
lion ofl'eSan Independence, bocauso be-
hoycd i "ns an existing fact, surprising aud
Astounding ns u was, aud wished we'll TO
the new republics but | manifested from the
hrsli utter opposition 10 bringing her with
her territory, into the Union. had occasion
slr, IN 1887 lo meet friends in Now York on
some political occasion, aud | ihcu stated
my sentiments upon tho subject II wns lhc
first liino that | had occasion to advert TO III;
aud viii ask friend near mo 10 do mo The
favor to read an extract itom the speech, for
the Senate may lnd II rather tedious 81 listen
10 The whole of IT, II waa delivered IN NIblo's
Garden IN 1897.
Mr. Greene Then roHd the following extract
from the speech of tho honorable senator, TO
which lac referred;
"Gontlcnen, We all see ilint, 10y whomuo-
ever possessed, Texas l. likely 10 l,o a slave
holding country aud frankly hvow my Ell
liro unwillinguess 10 do anything which shall
extend the slavery oflhe African race on this
continent, or add other slayoholding States
10 the Union. la.
When | say that regard slavery in itself
n great moral, Socnl, aud poff,lcul evil
oUIy usC Ia0e 0IEr y'7'11r'i fI'..s 11cCT UUrr
by distinguished men, themselves citizens
OF slayphOlding States.
shuil do nothing thcrciore,lo favor OF on
courage lts further extension. We have
slavery alrcndy among vs.. Tho constitution
found u among NE u recognized IL, and gave
Il solemn guarantees
To the full extent Of these guarantees, we
are all bound TO honor, IN tas,'ee a'sd by the
constitution. All the ttipulations contained
IN the constitution IN favor Of the bluvchold-
ing States, which are already in ihc Union,
ought 10 ba fulfilled, aud so far ue depends
on me, shall bo ;ulGlicd Ia the fulnoss of their
spirit and TO the eXHclnoss of their letter.
-iuvcfy as u tStrtr-if- the States IA hey ond
Tho reach Of Congress II is concern Of the
states themselves. They have never uuh-
United II to Congress aud Congress has no
righuul power over IL.
shall concur, therefore, ia. no net, no
measure 40 fny"as q, 40 Indication OF put-
pose which shall interfere or threaten 10 IN
tcrfUfo with the exclusive authority Of the
several States over the suhlcct of slavery, as
Il exists wiltJn their respective limits. An
Lila apncers. 10 mo 20 bc matter OF plnin aud
imperative duty.
but when We come to speak Of admitting
new states, Tie subject assumes an entirely
different nspccL Our rights mud our dulies
are thcu both different
see, therefore, 40 political necessity for
The annexation ut Texas TO The Uuion--no ud-
vanIuges to be derived from IL; and obuc-
lions 10 II of strong, aud, in my Judgment,
of decisive character
Mr. Wehstor.--l have nothing, sir, TO add
TO, nor TO take back, from these scntiRonts
Ihnt, the Senate will perceive, was IN 1897.
lhc purpose OF Immediately nnncXing Tex
rs nt thnt time was abandoned or postponed
and II wus'not revived with amy vigor for
some years. In tue mean time IL had so
happened that | had become member of
the Executive Administration, ard was for u
short period in the Department of Slutc.-
The annexation Of Texas wns n subject of
conyersaton--Eot CUutdcuiiul--wiih the
President and heads ofDcparlmcnts, as well
us with other public men. No serious ut
tempt WAS theu made however, TO bring II n
bout. lcn the Department of State IN May,
lS13. -nnd Shortly Y-RT1IT tuurrrds
way connected with official information, thai
design bad been taken up of bringing in
TcNns, with her slave territory and porula-
uon, into the United States. ! wns here IN
Washington at the timo, aud persons are
now here who will remcTntTCf that We had
AN arranged meeting for conversation upon 1t.
went homo To Massachusetts aud proclaim
ed the oXlslence OF that purpose, but could
get no nudicucc, aud hut IililC auCnTi6n.-
Some did not believe ii, aud some were too
much engaged IN their own pursuits 10 give
It any heed. They had gone TO their firms,
or to their merchandise aud II wns impossible
10 arouse any sentiment in New England or
IN Massachusetts that shonld combine the
two great political parties against this annex
atiou; and. indeou,r there was no hone OF
bringing the Northern Democracy into that
view, for the leaning was all the other WAY.
But, sir, even with Wings, aud leading
Wings, mn ashamed to say, there was
great Indifference towiirds the admission of
Texas WtJti slave territory, imto This rUtOn.
IL won't on. wns then out of Congress. The
annexation resolutions passed the-l Isl of
March, lSi5. The Legislature OF Tcxns
complied with the conditions, aud accepted
the guarantees; for the phrascolugy oi the
language tho resolution is that Texas is
to come in "upon the conditions and under
the guarantees herein prescribed" happen
eel TO bc returned To the Senate in March,
1915, aud was hero in December, 1915,
when the ncceptanco 10y Texas of the coudi-
tions propuscd by Congress were laid before
us 10y the President, aud an uct for the con.
summation of the connection was laid before