Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-03-03
JliarrIIanruus.
The Debate on the Nebra "a
Dill.
MIR. SEWARD's SPEECH

at the close of the Revolution, re, e
southwark on the St. Mary's, !
westward on the Mississippi, andI {
sessed broad, unoccupied dom I
circumscribed by those rivers,
Allegheny Mountains, and the g a
Northern lakes. The Constiiul f,
anticipated the division Of this
main into States, TO be admitted a
members of The Union, but il ne
or provided for nor anticipated : !
enlargement of the national boun
rics. The people, engaged in 7,
ganizing their governments, imp, '
ing their social systems, and cs b
fishing relations Of commerce J,
friendship with other nations, rem n
cd many years content within I i
apparently ample limits. But il
already foreseen that The free q
CATION Of the Mississippi would
become an urgent public want.
France, although she has lost { n
ada in chivalrous battle on the hei. 1
of Abraham, in 1859, neverthel IS
still retained her anLient teri q
rIes on the western bank of the ;
sissippi. She had also, Just be r.
The breaking out of her own fea d
revolution, reacqui-ed by a Sc. e
treaty, the possessions on the Gul o
Mexico, which, in recent war, {,
been wrested from her by SPAR -
Her fist Consul, among those /
liant achievements which proved a
the first Statesman as well us the 5
Captain Of Europe, sagaciously |,
The whole of these possessions 10 ~
United States, for liberal sum, b,
thus replenished his treasury, II
he saved from his enemies, aud ir IS
ferred 10 friendly power, dis u
and vast regions, which, for wal O
adequate naval force, he was un. II
TO defend.
This purchase Of Louisiana { n
France by the United States, inv V
ed a grave dispute concerning ID
western limits Of the province u
this controversy, having renal e,
open until 1919, was then adjuste' b
a treaty by which they relinquii e,
Texas TO Spain, and accepted s
sion Of the carly discovered a,
lorg-inhabited provinces Of IS
Florida and West Florida. The q
niled States stipulated, in eacl q
these cases, TO admit the coun ie
thus annexed into the Federal Ur "
The acquisitions of Oregon. b
discovery and occupation, OF I ga
! by her voluntary annexation, an {
New Mexico and California, in, I'd
, ing what is now called Utah, b, Al
completed that rapid course of Ell
largement, at the close of which on
frontier has been fixed near the Il
ter of what was New Spain, on ia
Atlantic side of the continent, Ill
on the West, as on the East, onl a
ocean separates.us from the ma N
of the old world. Ii is not in IN
way now TO speculate on the quo. %
how long we are TO rest oil these ad
: vanced positions.
> Slavery, before the Revolution ca
listed IN all the thirteen Colonn a
il did also in all the other Euro "a
plantations in America. But il ma
been forced by British authority. lc
political and commercial ends, ii
American People, against their "
' sagacious instincts OF policy, an
their stronger feelings of justice an
humanity.
They had protested and re n
sirated against The system, earn Il
for forty years, and they ceas, I
protest ~nd r-ne"s,-ate ngaina, ~
ly when they finally committed re
entire cause of complaint loihe b
irament Of arms. An earnest II
of emancipation was abroad in n
Colonies at the close of the Re ii,
ton, and all of them, except PEI Al
South Carolina and Georgia, al ic
pated, desired, and designed the "a
" removal OF the system from ii
country. The suppression of Il
African Slave Trade, which was n
versally regarded as ancillary TO HI
great measure, was, not without Il
reluctance, postponed until 1907
While there was no national "
err, and no claim or desire for ma II
al power, anywhere, TO compel'iu 'c
hntary emancipation in the 81 t
where slavery existed, there wa
The saile time very general d.
and strong purpose 10 prevent
introduction into new communi
yet 10 be formed, and into new Sta
yet TO be established. Mr.. LETTERS
proposed, as early as 1854, 10 exclu
il from the national domain viii
should be constituted by cessio
from the States to the United State
He recommended and urged the me
sure as ancillary also TO The ultima
policy Of emancipation. There sect
to have been at first no very de-
jealousy between the two. classes
States and the policy Of admittil
new States was not disturbed
questions concerning slavery. VI