The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-02
WASHINGTON, D. C..
MR.. WEBSTER AND NO MORE SLAVE
STATES.
L. co,oSe M the Tinted Cf0fes March IQA7

which it is connected. This purpose, under ex-
listing circumstances, must necessarily forego.
The true origin Of the war with Mexico, and the
motives and purposes for which 1t was original
" commenced, however ably discussed already,
are subjects not yet exhausted. / have been
particularly DESTROYS of examining them. | am
greatly deceived, Mr.. President if we shall not
ere long see facts coming to the light, and cir
cumstanees found coinciding and concurring,
which shall fix on the Executive Government a
more definite and distinct purpose, intended to
be effected with the cooperation of others, in
bringing on hostilities with Mexico, than has
as yet been clearly developed or fully under
stood.
At present | should hardly have risen but to
lay before the Senate the resolutions of the
House Of Representatives of Massachusetts,
adopted on Thursday last We have a great
deal of commentary and criticism on State reso
buttons brought here. Those of Michigan, par
ticrharly, have been very sharply and narrowly
looked into, 10. see whether they really mean
what they seem to mean. These resolutions OF
Massachusetts, ! hope are sufficiently distinct
and decided. They admit of neither doubt nor
cavil, even if doubt or cavS were permissible in
such case. What the Legislature of Massa-
chusetts thinks, it has said, and said plainly
and directly. Mr.. President, / have not, be
fore any tribunal, tried my ingenuity at what
the lawyers call a special demurrer for many
years; and never tried it here in the Senate.
In the business of legislation, and especially in
considering State resolutions and the proceed
ings of public assemblies, it is our duty, OF
course, 10 understand everything according to
The common meaning of the words used. OF
all occasions these are the last In which one
should stick in the bark, or seek for loop-holes,
or means of escape, or in the language of an
L., = - 4
hang on pins and particles" We must take
the substance fairly and it is, and not hest
tate about forms and phrases. When public
bodies address us, whether we comply with their
wishes or not, we are at least bound to under
stand them rs they mean 10 be understood; to
seek for no subter1uges, and to rely on no far
fetched and subtle difficulties or exceptions.
All such attempts viii be Justly regarded only
as 50 many cnntriyances, .Tesorted to to get rid
Of the responsibility of meeting the public voice
directly and manfully, and looking our constitu-
ents boldly in the face.
Sir, we are in the midst of war; not waged
at home in defence of our soil, but waged a
thousand miles off, and in the heart Of the ter
ritories of another Government. OF that war
no one yet sees the end, and no one counts the
cost. Ii is not denied that this war is now pros
ecuted for the acquisition of territory; at
least, if any deny IT, others admit it, and all
know IT to be true.
Under these circumstances, and plainly see
ing tins purpose to exist, seven or eight of the
free States, comprising some of the largest
have demonstrated against the prosecution of
the war for such purpose, in language suited
10 express their meaning. These remonstran-
ces come here with the distinct and precise OBJ
iect Of dissuading MS from the further proSecu
lion of the war for the acquisition Of territory
u n
tanned, and its future character fixed, they be-
seech us to give up an object so full Of danger
One and all, they protest against the extension
of slave territory; one and ALL they regard it rs
4he solemn duty of the Representatives Of the
free States TO take security az dfrdHce that no
more SLIre States shall he addcd Ia the TlliDn
They demand of us this pledge, this assurance,
before the purchase money is paid or the bar
gain concluded. And yet Mr.. President, in
genuIty has been taxed Ia its utmost; criticisms
both deep and shallow, and hypercriiicisms
quite incomprehcnsible, have all been resorted
TO, in the hope of showing that we do not un-
derstand the people; that their resolutions are
not what they seem to he; that they do not re-
quire any immediate movement or present OPP
position; thai they only look to some distant
future, some emergencies yet to arise; that
they only refer To a disposition in regard to ter
ritory, after 1t shall have been acquired and
settled and in one instance, | think it was
said that 1t did not appear that anything was
required of US for fifty years to come.
Mr.. President, ] understand all these things
very differently. Such is not the voice of the
free States, and of other States, as receive it.
Their trumpet gives forth no uncertain sound.
Its tones are clear and distinct | understand
that loud and imperative call is made upon us
TO act now; to take securities now; to make Il
certdH nor Usdt no more STARE Suites shall erer.
he added 10 this Union.
will read, sir, the Massachusetts resolutions:
- ReSotDed, unanimously, That the Legisla
ture of Massachusetts views the existence of
human Slavery within the limits of the United
States as great calanity--an immense moral
and political evil, which ought to be abolished
as soon rs that end can be properly and con
stitutiOnally attained-and that its extension
should be uniformly and earnestly opposed by
all good and patriotic men throughout the
Union.
Resolred, unanimously, That the people of
Massachusetts will strenously resist the annexa-
ton OF any new territory to this Union in which
the institution of Slavery is to be tolerated or
established; and the Legislature. in behalf Of
the people Of this Commonwealth. do hereby
solemnly protest against the acquisition of any
additional territory, without an e xpress provis-
ION by Congress that there shall be neither Sla-
very nor involuntary scrvitude in such territory,
otherwise than for the punishment of crime"
Sir, is there any possibility of misunderstood
ing this Is there any escape from the mean
ing Of this language? And yet they are hardly
more explicit than the resolutions of other Leg
isatures- Michigan, New York, Vermont, and
all the rest
The House of Representatives of Massachu-
settS is. believe, the most numerous legislative
Il
full; butamong those present there was an entire
unanimity. For the resolutions, there were two
hundred and thirty-two votes; against them.
none. Not one man stood up to Justify the war
upon such grounds rs those upon which it has
been. from day To day, defended here. Massa-
chusetts, without one dissenting voice-and !
thank her for it. aud am proud of her for it
has denounced tho whole object for which our
armies are now traversing the mountains of
Mexico. or about to plunge into the pcstilcuce
sf her coasts. The people of Massachusetts
are as unanimous Is the members If their go.
islaturc and 50 are her representatives here
have heard no man IN the State, in public or i'm
private life, express a different opinion II
anything IA certain it is that thcsenfiment of the
whole North is utterly opposed TO the acouisi-
ton Of tcSsiiory 10 be formed into new slave.
holding StaheSy and such admitted into the
Union.
But here, sir, / cannot but pause am ar
rested 10y occurrences of this night which con
fess fill me with alarm. They are ominous
pnrtentous. Votes which have been lust PASS
cd by maiorities here, cannot fail to arrest pub
lie attention. Every patriotic American, ever,
man who wishes to preserve the Constitution
ought TO ponder them well. ! heard, sir, tn,
honorable member from New York, Mr.. DIX.
and with a great part of his remarks | agreed
i thought they must lead to some useful result
* ..-has L., h oo,,,,o a., a. al II