Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-01-09

ca Dl thls nation. w @ have dominion over
Texas. The act, being thus ratified. for one
submit to it. and 1 will exercise the same lib
erality in relation to that State as in reference
to any other part of the country may not
have liked the form of the bans they may
have been unlawful but, the matrimony be-
ing consummatcd. we must make the best of
IT, Texas now belongs TO our family, at all
events but the manner in which this has
been done-the means taken TO effect it--all
the instrumentalitics which were used. were
such as 10 make us consider that It may be
properly termed an aggression ! know il
has been sand that Congress admitted Texas
under the power conferred by the Constitution
to admit new States The language of that
clause Of the Constitutions however. and the
circumstances attending it. are conclusive that
1t is nothing more than power to admit states
which are within our jurisdiction. TO say
that power can be exercised to lcgislate for
a country not within our jurisdiction. in order
to bring il within our jurisdiction. is an abb
surdity--a paradox
We learned some other lessons from the
history of that transaction Il came then TO
be distinctly understood that the Democratic
party could succeed only by the general unit
ed eXertions of the South. The South claim
ed and insisted that it was important TO them
20 acquire or exercise power TO extend their
institution Of slavery into the Territories of
the United States, or 70 acquire other Terri
tories for its extension. in order that they
might make new slave States, using this insti-
tuition as AN instrument, as a source of politi-
cal power in the Senate. This was understood
20 be q sine qua non with them and he who
would be President could only be so by agree
ing to contribute to this purpose. The cleo
tion of Mr. Polk, and the terms upon which
it was accomplished. with the attendant cir
cumstances, fully disclosed and declared this
Political history since that time shows what
course has been taken
This leads me TO the next measure which
we regard as an aggressiou--the repeal of the
Missouri compromise How did that come
up, Il was connected with the same thing
designed for the same purpose. What was
it: The common expression of politicians is
that it was a bid for the Presidency When
that transaction took place there was on the
topis the old standing bid Of the venerable
Senator from Michigan--the bid of squatter
sovereignty. 1t was thought that would aid
the South in eifecting their purpose; but the
difficulty was, they had once tried him as
candidate on that basis, and he did not take
very well with the South They were not We
ry we'll satisfied Some other bid must be
gotten up. What was it, Under the admin
straton of this Mr.. President Pierce, it was
said, ." Mr. Clay and Mr.. Calhoun, and others
who were concerned in the making of the Mis-
souri, compromise are dead and gone, and
those who arc not in iact dead have departed
from political life. Now, can we not offer to
the southern people the repeal OF the Missou-
ri nmprnmlse line, thus opening up all the
frf, g II a.,
institution of slavery :" Mr. Pierce, in eff
feet, did make that bid by bringing to bear the
whole weight of his influence to procure the
repeal of the Missouri compromise line.
i There we're many who still stuck Il little in
conscience in relation to the contract and a.
greement about that line They did not like
to break it. There was among others, Mr.
Buchanan. He was then out of the country
but he learned, of course, that this bid, which
had been made, was actually passed The
President Of the United States. with the aid
of Senators here-I do not wish TO 90 into
particulars-had effected that. 1t was an
nounced, in substance in his official organ in
order to effect it, that TO those members of
Congress who should feel it their duty to vote
for that measure. and who thereby should lose
position at home he would see that they werc
provided for and taken care Of That was the
substance of the statement. / do not like to
call things by harsh and rude names but
ann really very much reminded of what the
boy, when his father whipped him for calling
him liar, told him when nc got through
Said he - Father the next time you lie, what
shall / say" Laughter What shall
call this 1t was nothing, in my estimation,
but taking the power of appointment put into
the hands of the President for the public SER
vice, and using it for his own political purpos-
es personally, and with this very means to re-
ward the men who misrepresent their constit-
uents do not say it was bribery
Tho repeal was effected, and the bid was
made. | do not wonder that it somewhat
startled other candidates for the Presidency,
unless some who participated in the act and
who might claim the virtue of it. But how
did Mr.. Buchanan act lnasmuch as these
southern people have been offered here all the
territory Of the United States to be opened to
Them he perhaps thought, ! must offer them
something What shall do? | will offer
them all the kingdoms of the earth. | will
offer them all the territory out of the United
States | will make my bid, and to begin
with take Cuba-buy it, if you can, peaoea-
bly,; but take it forcihly if you must! | bid
all the kingdoms of the earth, and all the rest
OF mankind outside of the United States -
We see what has boon the result of this first
opening of free Territories The South, with
the Democracy, had got that passed. They
had it already secured. Whatever advantage
they could get out Of it they had already Sc
cured Ofcourse President Pierce, and those
who made that bid, did not profit much by it.
The South could not get any more out Of
them. Their deed was done and who was
nominateds Mr.. Buchanan.
But, sir, return 70 the repeal Of the Missou-
ri compromise, its purpose and history. sim
ply say now, for do not wish to go over it
with more particuhrity,) that we view that
act as a breach Of pightod faith--not that
they had not the constitutional power to re-
peal it, but because they exercised that power.
am aware that the President cannot nee any
difference botwoon it and any other statute
he cannot sec why Cangress had not perfect
right TO repeal it because they mad the pow
or. | do not much wonder at that. | have
heard Of men in the community who never
had any moral standard of right or wrong, ex-
oept what the law defined. They knew that
what the law permitted they could do; end
that they could not do what the law forbade