The southern press., 1851-08-08
Speech ef Hen. Jencrssn Davis.
Continued, J


tory or Texas. The annexation Of Texas was
first produced before the people Of the United
States in the presidential canvass OF 1874. 1t
was then argued that by the annexation the
South would gain by this territory what she had
lost by the Missouri compromise. He WAS an
earnest advocate Of the annexation. With the
particulars of this annexation they were all ac-
quainted. The war with Mexico arose out Of a
disputed boundary. Mexico was whipped, and
the boundary of the Rio Grande was claimed,
but then strange to say, Texas was threatened
to be whipped if she claimed the very boundary
that had been fought for, and which had beea
declared to be hers 1t was stain upon the
credit Of the country's hi tory that would be
carried 10 posterity, and the threat against Texas
implied the worst of all crimes against nation,
viz that of waging war upon weak State for
the purpose of gaining plunder and robbing it
of its territory If the territory belonged to
Mexico, the Americans had no right to it, but If
Gas was the case) the territory belonged to Texas,
then what sin to threaten to whip Texas be-
cause she claimed it. For the deep feelings of
respect and yeneration for the dead Of Missis-
sippi, those who had fallen bathed in blood for
| their country's honor, he denounced such a
threat And when he heard it, he felt horror
at the imputa!ion cast upon those who slept in
their soldier-graves. He felt that they whose
patriotism and courage had never been doubted,
ought not to have their names blasted for having
taken part in war of piracy. Had such a
charge been sustained and allowed to pass over,
the history If the United States would have been
tainted with the charge that her people had
committed u foul wrong. Thus it would have
stood "the United States made war upon Mex
leo to claim, on behalf Of Texas, the territory
to the Rio Grande, and having gained victory
over Mexico, the United States refused to allow
Texas to claim the boundary that had been
fought for and obtainedr' As he had already
said, the dead Of Mississippi--those who fell in
the bloody battles and those who returned
home with the laurels of victory after their suf-
fering and fatigue in war, they compelled him
to assert that the United States, having gone to
war for Texas to recover boundary named,
could not, in honesty, honor, or justice then
proceed to dispute the title of Texas.
| The object was to make the territory free soil
The anti ti-saveholders saw that the northwest
portion of New Mexico probably would not form
a State in century, but they determined to fas-
ten upon it, and the caterers Of the North en-.
deavored to make it constitution by which il
might become non-slaveholding like California
The Southern money and Southern men were
employed in obtaining this vast territory, which
now was divided and turned over and said to
be subject to all conditions to make it free soil
with the future view of bringing in another non-
slaveholding State, and to still further cripple
the institution of slavery. 1t was no. for him
but for the people to decide what course should
be taken, but it was to him too clear that JUS
tice would not be meted out. The people OF
Mississippi would have to come to the calm
determination would they hold to their former
platform or would they retreat from the ground
they took. Surely, however, they did not blame
him for opposing Congress in giving title OF
free-soil to slaveholding territory, when that
very territory had been earned by joint efforts Of
the South and when the South had paid her pro-
portion of $lO,OOO,0OO for its purchase and, as
it would seem, to say the least, to give up a
good title for doubtful one.
The next bill that followed in congressional
order, was a measure in alpabe violation of the
, Constitution of the country. He held that the
bill for the prohibition of the slave trade in thu
, District of Columbia was to all intents and pur
poses violation of the letter of the Constitution
This Constitution was framed by men VIII,
well knew something of the effects of powe
used by government to conscate private prop
+, erty and feeling the evils that arose from sucl
powers they took good care to guard agains
them. They protected private property in th'
most careful manner, and prevented the oppor
tunity of converting private property to publ,
use, without making due compensation therefor
When the bill was first mooted there appeared
to be considerable uneasiness with regard to thu
kind of punishment to be inflicted upon tn,
master who should offer for sale in the District
a fine was at one time thought of, but subse
quently the criminal intent Of offering negro
for sale it was ordered should be punished by
conhscation of such property. This unjustifa
l. - o<.fx
, of the Constitution, made the step which was t,
lead to abolishment of the slave trade between
, the Statas il struck blow at the institution o
! slavery by fixing an odum upon it; and it wa
, intended to recognise principle of most dan
gerous character. BY this bill slavery in Rich
mond, in Savannah, in New Orleans and every
where in the South, WAS stamped as wron.
discountenaned by the government; and j
bore tokens that future interference might b,
made to control slavery at home, for if Con
gress claimed to interfere and prevent the sal,
of slaves in one place, it might also claim t.
put its foot upon slavery in another place. Blu
the same bill in another view of its provision
violated ornamental principle of the Constitu
ton.
The American policy was essentially free
trade poicy--the government adopted and re-
cognized the doctrine Of free trade. Each State
at one time could raise barriers in the shape oi
duties for transferred goods; but such barrier,
were found to be injurious, the government
swept them away, and free trade existed in
place (Cheers.) In the measure Of Congress
however, principle Of direct opposition to free
trade was recognized, and its nbsurdity was
shown by the decision of Judge Baldwin, who
was of opinion that the owner of slave had the
same right to take slave across non slave.
holding State, as he would have to take bale
of goods or any other property. But although
this decision gave the right to take a slave
across a free-soil district yet they could not re-
move negro across neutral ground-the com
mon territory for all--as government had said
"if you have the intent to sell your slave, at any
place or at any time after crossing the District
Of Columbia, your slave must be forfeited
Strange as it might seem, this was the provision
and he would AJAX were they contented with itl
What would they think Of slave of Maryland
sent to Mississippi, being followed, and afte
passing through the District of Columbia, wa,
! then seized, confscated and emancpated, be
: cause the owner wished to sell the slave in Mis-