The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-07-14

! The FREE SOIL OLIVE BRANcH-The
Ohio State Journal in some able articles
under the above caption says the Wing
party stands uponthe same grounds now,
that it has occupied for years past. There
has been no change, no abandonment ofits
principles. Letus discuss this subject and
see II we cannot get at the truth.
In 1874, the question of the annexation
ofTexas to the Union was the great question
ofthat campaign. No other point received
so much attention at the north. AT the
commencement, the Wing party took decid-
ed grounds against 1t, and the Locofoco
party took just as firm grounds for it. At
the north, Wings opposed it, because it
would be sure to bring into the Union a vast
territory where slavery would be established,
the same as it existed in other States of the
Union. Texas, as an eutegral part of Mex
leo, had noslaves. Alaw Of that Republic
had abolished slavery in all their States
some time before the movement for Texan
independence. But the restless, uneasy
spirit Of the south, saw vast and fertile
territory lying contiguous to our own soil,
with distracted government and limited
resources to protect it, on the part of Mexi-
CO. Sam Houston, and other kindred
spirits from the slave-holdiDg States, resolv-
ed to secure it for the South. After hard
fight they expelled the Mexicans, established
slavery, and set up sort OF Republic OF
their own. This rickety machine was kept
up for some years, but the South wanted it
as part of this nation, and under John
TYLER, of Virginia, and John G. Calhoun, of
South Carolina, treaty for annexation was
proposed. When the existence of the ne
gotiation was known, it created vast ex-
citement all over the nation. The Loco
focos having the control of the most OF the
southern States, at once avowed themselves
very generally in favor of annexation
Meanwhile Presidential contest approach
ed. Martin Van Buren had been the favor
ite of his party, but he had written long
letter against this measures, and he was dis
carded, and James X. Polk, Of Tennessee,
was nominated for President in his stead.
He was avowedly an annexation man. The
Convention nominated him passed strong
annexation resolutions. and the "re.dnnera.
tion of Teras'' become one Of the loudest
battle cries of that party. The Wing par
ty nominated Mr.. Clay, and the party, both
north and south, took open, decided ground
against that measure.
The line of division was well Defined
The lone star was ran up on the liberty
poles Of the Locofocos, all over the North
They declared for annexation, slavery and
all. We opposed it, because we did not de-
sire to have the free north weighed down by
such a mass of new slave territory, and be-
cause the whole game of severing Texas
from Mexico was fraud gotup and pros
ecuted because she was weak, and because
the South wanted the land. The voice o {
history will mark the entire thing as vio-
lation Of hat good faith and fair dealing
that ought to distinguish the acts of one ma
ton with another. 1t was perfectly evi-
dent that annexation would throw fire.
brand into the nation. War, sooner or Ia
ter, with Mexico, was sure to follow. Ewing
and Corwin, and the Wing orators of that
campaign spoke words to the people that
have become veritable history since that
time. But the detection of the New York
Free Soilers defeated Mr.. Clay and elected
Mr.. Polk, and with it came annexation;
then, in due time, war, and the conquest oil
a vast additional territory. The evils OF
slavery were extensively discussed, and there
was no difference of opinion in the whig
party, that it was unwise and inexpedient to
bring such an additional amount of this dis
turbing element into the Union. There
was no constitutional question about slavery
involved in that case; it was simply ques-
tion of expediency, whether we should open
our doors, and Ietin so large strip Of slave
territory, or not. Wings took one side o.
itand Locofocos took the other. We were
beaten, and Texas admitted, slavery and all.
We should take the same side again, under
similar circumstances, and we doubt not
chat the vast majority of the wings would
act in the same way.
In due time war followed, and vast ex-
tent of country was, by treaty, taken from
Mexico, and added to the United States
Then arose the question, shall this territory
be free or slave territoryl 1t came into our
hands free and the people Of the north very
generally agreed in opinion that it must re-
main SO. We of Ohio have great faith in the
wisdom oftbe Ordinance of 's7, and we be-
htve then, and believe now, that Congress
had the power to extend such an ordinance
over this new Mexican land. There was
scarcelya difference of opinion among the
people asto the existence Of this POWERFUL
there was some difference as to the expedi'
ency of exercising it at that time.
, The Wing party held State Convention
in this city on the 10Th Of January, ls4S.-
This was before the treaty of Guadaloupt
Hidalgo had been formed, which closed the
, war with Mexico. Among others, the fol
lowing resolution was adopted, being tht
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