Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1858-10-29

any right or authority thus to take from tho
people of tho FREQ States the control Of
their own rights, their own honor, aud trans
fer thom TO the discretion and keeping of
Cuban Shareholders.
fou are reported as quoting from a
speech of Mr.. Adams upon the admission of
OF Arkansas as State, in which that dis
tinguished statesman said he did not re-
gard 1t as an objection TO be urged against
the admission Of that State that sho had
not formed an Anti-Slavery Constitution.
You must be aware that, in the purchase
Of Louisiana, President Jefferson did not
profess to act in pursuance Of, or under au.
thority of the Constitution; but, on the con-
trary, no expressly said that tho treaty
would be void unless the Constitution should
be so amended as to authorize il; and that
he and other statesmen regarded tho subse-
quent unanimous approval Of the treaty by
the several States, and by the people Of all
the States, rs equivalent ID such an amend
ment; that the treaty had, at the time Mr..
Adams spoke, for more than thirty ycars
been affirmed and sanctioned without a
dissenting voice; that, sixteen years previ-
ously, Congress had, with bis entire APPROX
al, prohibited slavery in that part Of the
Louisiana purchase lying north of 36o so
north latituec-just as Republicans will
abolish it in Cuba-but leaving Arkansas
with her slavery, to which no objection bad
been previously made. It was in view of
those circumstances, with desire to ratify
the past action Of Government, so long and
so universally approved, that Mr.. Adams
made the remark 10 which you refer. They
could in no respect apply to future annex
alton against the will of any State
or against tho will of any respectable
portion of our people. His views in regard
to the annexation of Texas in ls4s, while
that policy was cherished by the Executive
precisely as that of anneIing Cuba is now,
will give the views of our departed friond
upon case exactly parallel to that Of which
you spoke. At the close of the XXvIIth
Congress, Mr.. Adams and 10 other Mem
bcrs of Congress published mn address to the
people of the Free State. 1t was dictated
and signed by him.
The address, speaking of annexation of
Texas declares that "it is impossible for any
"man to doubt that the formation of sever
"al new sloUeholding States arc the real OBJ
"Jects of the Executive. The same infer
"ences (says the addross) will show that
"the particular objects of this new acouisi-
"tlon are the PKRPETUATIoN OF SLAVERY.
"fhe continued ascendancy ofhe Slavs Pop.
"er. We hold there is no political necessi-
"ty for it, no advantage to be derived from
ut, and there as no constitutional power IN
"dny department of Government to effect
ut. That no act of Congress nor treaty of
annexation can impose the least obligation
upon the several States of tie Union to
"su6z's't TO such unwarranta6ie act, or TO re- |
"ce've into their family or fraternity such
"s2legitimate progeny. Wo hesitate not to
SAY that annexation by any act or proceed
"ing of tho Federal Government, or any of
"its departments, would be identical acith
"disSolution."
Such were the opinions of Mr.. Adams
left on record over his own signature, and
feel authorized to say he cherished them
while he lived. 1t is true that the Free
States preferred submission. Thoy went
into new Union with Texas rather than
separate from the Slave States. They
Joined in the war, participated in the sacri-
tice OF eighty thousand human victims, aud
incurred debt Of two hundred million
dollars; and to this day the people of the
Free States are taxed millions of dollars an
nually to protect the people of Texas in
their Slavery, and maintain the ascendoncy
OF the Democratic party by aid of Texan
votes. may also add that the unmanly
surrender to that outrage struck tho Whig
party with moral and political death. And
speak tho solemn convictions of my own
mind when l say that like surrender by
the Republicans in regard to Cuba ought to
be attended with the like result.
But the doctrines avowed by Mr.. Adams
remained unchanged. l then subscribed 10
them. Isigned the address. It spoke the
sentiments of my heart. Those opinions
have been strengthened and intensified by
fifteen years of observation and experience.
Resistance to the extension and increase of
the slave power constitutes an essentiol olc-
ment in the Republican platform on which
that party had risen and extended until at
this time il wiclds the moral power of the
nation. The surrender of this doctrine
would be surrender, a disbandment Of tho
only party which promises peace or perma-
nence to our government; party whose tri-
umph Is as sure rs its adherence to tho
principles on which it was founded.
1t was with inexpressible pain that read
-he remarks on the subject which you are
.eported to have made. Your numerous
friends in this part of the State, I think,
mite with me in a cordial desire to see a
more full expression of the reasons on which
Iou found your opinions, communicated
through the public press, and TO attain this
'bject have addressed you with so much
rsnkness. With much respect, your friend,
]. r. GIDDINGS. T.
TIE D0viest0sDn Democrat Pa tbu.