The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-29

encourage its further extension. We have slavery
already amongst US. The Constitution found 1t
amongstus. II recognised It, and gave it solemn
guarantees To the full extent Of these guarantees
all bound in honor, in justice, and by the
Constitution. All the stipuations contained in the
Constitution, in favor OF slaveholding States which
far depends on me. shall be fulfilled in the
funess OF their spirit and to the exactneSs OF their
letter. Slavery, as il exists in tho States, is be-
yond The reach OF Congress. II Is the concern OF
the States themselves. They have never submitted
il to Congress. and Congress has no right power
over it. shall concur therefore, in no act. no mea
sure, no menace, no indication of purpose, which
shall interfere, or threaten to interfere, with the
exclusive authority OF the several States over the
subject Of slavery, as 1t exists within their respec-
tive limits. All this appears TO me to be a matter
OF plain and imperative duty. But when we come
to speak of admitting new States, the subject as
and our duties then both different. The free
States and all the States, then at liberty to
cept or reject. When 1t is proposed to bring new
members into this political partnership, the old
members have right to say on what terms such
partners to come in, and what they to bring
along with them. In my opinion, the people OF the
United States will not consent to bring in new,
vastly extensive, and slaveholding country, large
enough for half dozen dozen States, into the
Union. In my opinion, they ought not to consent
toit"
Gentlemen, was mistaken; Congress did con-
sent to the bringing in of Texas. They did con-
sent, and l was false prophet. Your own State
consented, and the majority of the representatives
of New York consented. went into Congress be-
fore the final contamination OF the deed and there
fought, holding up both my hands, and proclaim
ing with a voice stronger than it now is, against
the whole oft. But you would have it 30, and you
did have it So Nay, gentlemen. will tell the
truth, whether it shames the dior not. Laugh.
ter. Persons who have aspired high a. lovers of
hberty-as eminent lovers Of the Wilmot proviso-
as eminent Free soil men, and who have mounted
over our heads and trodden us down as if we
fheu n re he m ON hat nyh
into this country. That ID the truth, the whole
TRUTH and nothing but the truth; and I declare it
before you, and in tho presence of my Cod that it
Look to the journals. Without the
sent of New York, Texas would not have come into
the Union, under either of the original resolutions
or afterwards. But New York voted for the mea-
sure. The two Senators from New York voted for
it and turned the question, and you may thank
them for the glory, the renown, and tho happiness
of having five or six slave States added to the
Union [Great sensation.l Do not blame me for
1t. Let them answer who did the deed, and who
now proclaiming liberty, and usingi it for hum
bug and trading purposes.
Gentlemen, who aided in bringing in Texas? It
was all fairly told to you. You had Moses and the
prophets tlaughter;l but If had risen from the
Dead such was your devotion to that policy, at that
time, that you would not have heard him, or lis
tened to him for n moment. Well, all that do
not complain of; but, with the blessing of God,
will not now, hereafter, before the country
the world, consent to be numbered among those
who.introduced new slave power into the Union i
did all In my power to prevent it. [Appause.]
And then, gentlemen, the Mexican war broke
out. This vast territory was acquired, and the
peace was made; and, much ms disliked the war,
disliked the peace more, because it brought in
these territories. That territory was unknown. i
did not know what it might be- The plan came
from the South. l know that certain southern
gentlemen wished the acquisition of California and
New Mexico and Utah, means of extending
slave authority and slave population. did not
fall into their idea much; but seeing quarrel, as
Union, voted against the peace with Mexico.
voted against the acquisition. wanted none of
her territory, California, New Mexico, nor Utah.
They were rather ultra American. They were far
from US, and saw that they might lead to poti-
cal disturbance, and voted against them all
against the treaty and against the peace, and am
glad Of it: Seeing that it would be an occasion of
dspute-that by the controversy the whole Union
would be agtated-M essrs. Berrien. Badger, and
other respectable and distinguished men of the
South voted against the acquisition and the treaty
which secured it; and if the men of the North had
voted the same way, VIC would have been spared
all the difficulties that had grown out Of it, Zap
plause.
Now, there is no sort of doubt, gentlemen, that
there were some persons in the South who sup
posed that California, if it came in ut all, would
come in al a slave State You know the extraor-
binary events that arose there You know that
California received rush from the northern peo-
pie, and that an African slave could more live
there than he could on the top of Mount Hecla. OF
necessity il became free State, and that doubt
was source of much disappointment to the South.
And then there were New Mexico and Utah !;
what was to be done with thems Why, gentle
men, from the best investigation have given
the subject, and the reflection ! have devoted
to it, was Of the opinion that the mountains
of New Mexico and Utah could no more
tain American slavery than the SHOWS of Canada.
it impossible. l thought SO then,
and think 90 now. Therefore, gentlemen, when
it was proposed in Congress to apply the Will
peared to me just absurd AZ to apply it
here in Western New York. saw that the snow
hills, the eternal mountains, and the climate of
those countries, would never support slavery. No
man could carry a slave there with any expecta-
ton of profit. Il could not be done; and as the
South thought that it irritating and disrespect
full, was not willing to do it; and therefore, saw
msso tor S s m%s aaS
who doubts it now2 The law admitting those Ter
ritories passed without any proviso. IL there
slave, or is it likely there will be one there? Why,
there is not in the United States stupid
not to see at this moment that such thing was
wholly unnecessary, and that it was only calcu
lated to irritate and offend. And am not one who
is disposed to create irritation, or give offence to
our brothers, or to break up fraternal friendship,
without The question was open whether
slavery should or should not go to New Mexico or
Utah. There is no slavery. There is not the
shining face Of an African there 1t is utterly i'm
practicable, and utterly ridiculous to suppose it.,
and no one who does not mean to agitate will
urge it,
Well. gentlemen, we have race of agitators all
over the country-some connected with the press;
some, l am sorry to say, connected with the
learned professions. They agitate-their livelihood
consists in agitating-their freehold, their copy
hold, their capital their all and in all, depends
the excitement of the public mind. Gentlemen,
| these things went on at the commencement of the
year 1850. There were two great questions before
| the public. There the question of the Texan
| boundary, and Of a government for Utah and New
Mexico, which consider as one question; and
there was the question of making provision for
the restoration of fugitive slaves. Gentlemen, on
| these subjects have something to say Texas,
| as you know, established her independence OF
Mexico by her revolution and the battle OF San
| Jacinto, which made her sovereign power.
have already stated to you what had antici-
patcd from the movement, that che would ask
| to come into the Union slave State We
admitted her in 1915, and we admitted her as a
slave State. We admitted her in IS45, and we ad
| mitted her with her own boundarles remember
that. She claimed by conquest q that territory
which was commonly called New Mexico, east OF
the Rio Grande She claimed also by these limits
hod Il .ba1