The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-06-11


officers in this sssemhlage. or eIsrwhrre.
who has not. according 30 The fnfm a
his ohligaiion. bound himself, ~ q so'-
lemn oath before his tiad. IN support tie
constitution. They hare taken their aaiI,s
nn the Ilniy Erangelisis ol Almighty God.
nr hy uPllfied hand. as The rase may Ne,
0r hy a solemn asserfra,ion. ss is the
practice IN some rases. But one and al
Of ihem-ihere is not a man who holds.
nor d there any man y ho ran hold, any
nffire il lie gifi Of The United States. or
IN this Stale. or in any other Stale. who
tlnes mol berome bonnd by The solemn oh
iigaiion OF an oath before God. that he viii
support the constitution of The United
States. Well, is he io iamper with that!
Is he io falier! Gentlemen. our political
duties are rs murh matters Of conscience
as any nihrr dniies-our sacred domestic
ties. onr most endearing several relations,
are M more The subject Tor conscientious
consideration and conscientious discharge.
Than the duties we enter into under the
constitution nf the United States. The
bnnds of political brotherhood are the
bonds which hold US together from Maine
10 Georgia.
Now, gentlemen. that is The main story
Of the constitution Of The United States
on The question Of slavery. Gentlemen
! contend. and have always coiended.
that, aiier the adoption Of the constitution.
any measure Of the government calculated
10 bring slave territory into the United
States was beyond The power Of the consii-
tuition. and against lis provision. That
is my opinion, and il always has been my
opinion. II was very consistent. or thought
10 be SO. for The same purpose. in JefIer-
sons lime. 10 attach Louisiana 10 the United
States. A treaty with France was made
for that purpose. Bat Jeferson's opinion
ai that moment was that an alteration of
the constitution was necessary 10 enable
il 10 he done. In considering what will
not now repeat. that opinion was abandon-
ed, and Louisiana was admitted by law,
without any provision or alteration in the
constitution. Al that time was too
. young 10 hold any ofIice or take any
share in the political affairs uf the
country. Louisiana was admitted as a
y slave State. and become eniiiled 10 her re-
] presentation in Congress on The principle
/ of mixed basis. Florida was afirrw ards
+ admitted. Then, too. was oui of Con-
e gress; had been in il once; bnl had
nothing 10 do with the Florida treaty or
y The admission of Florida. My opinion
e remains unchanged. that il vas mol in The
original scope or design 81 the constitution
e To admit new States out OF The foreign ter.
. rimry. and that. for one. never would
! consent. and no matter what may be said
D al The Syracuse convention, or any other
!: assemhlage of insane persons-l never
5 would consent that there should be one
] fool nf slave territory beyond what ihir-
: teen States had al the time of7ih fprma-
!, iion OF The Union. Never, never. The
!, man cant show his face 10 me and slv he
e can prove that ever departed iu m that
, doctrine. lie would sneak away, aud
. stink away, or hire mprcenary lleep,
5 that lie might say what a meIcenaiy
! aposlaie from liberty Dainel Webster has
i become. Laughter and cheers. lie
G knows himself 10 be ahypocric and f,lsi-
u fer. But. gentlemen, was in public life
: when the prnsposition 10 annex Texas
c 10 the United States was brought forward.
i. You know the revolution in Texas, which
i divided ihai country from Mexico, was in
!. the year 1885 or 1896. saw lhen-and
: ] don't knnw tla, il required any parli-
), cnlar foresight--lhal il would be The very
e next thing 10 bring Texas, which was de-
: signed TO be slaveholding Stale. into This
i Union. did not wait. sought an oc-
!. casion TO proclaim my utter aversion 10
G anv such measures, and determined 10
i. resist il will, all my strength 10 The last.
:. Now. gentlemen. il is not for your etli-
q ficalion, ! am sure, that now revive what
d have before spoken in The presence Of this
G assembly. was in This city in the year
II 1897 aud long before left New York
]. ION thar excursion. in the course of which
II | wen, to the South and returned here, my
i friends in New York were kind enough
i 10 offer me public dinner as a testimony
!. of their public regard for me. went out
g Of my way, on that OCCASION. for The pur-
0 pose of showing what anticipated in the
attempt TO annex Texas as slave terrific.
: ry, and said il should be opposed by me
!, 10 The last extremity. And in Niblo's Gar
!. den. in March. 1887. ! made speech.
e Well, there was The press all around me
G the whig press aud The democratic press.
n Some smoke commenda'oIy enough Of my
e speech. but all agreed thai | took pains
o TO step out Of my way 10 denounce in ad
:. vance the annexation of Texas as slave
q territory TO the United States. said on
!, that occasion: !" Gentlemen, We all see
/ that, by whomsoeyef possessed. Tex
e as is likely 10 be slaveholding coun.
!. try; and frankly avow myrntire unwil.
re lingness 10 do anything that shall ex,ent
e the slavery Of The African on this cont
i. neni. or add other slaveholding States Il
es the Union. When said that regarded
8 slavery as a great moral and political evil
g only used language that has been adopt
'e cd by dislingu h Il men, themselves cit.