The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-24
THE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON, D. c, MARCH "a, 1859

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Southern America, large and rapidly-increas-
ing portion of the African race will disappear
from the limits of the Union. The process will
be gradual and progressive, without shock,
and without convulsion."
/ Further, he said:
H again then, the question is asked, is Sla-
very never to disappear from the Union? This
is startling and momentous question, but the
answer is easy and the proof is clear; it will
certainly disappear, if Texas is reannexed to
| the Union"
Now, beg to call the especial attention of
the Senator from Ohio, Mr.. PuGH, and the
| Senator from Louisiana, Mr.. BENJAMIN, to
these words of Mr.. Walker:
Thus, that same overriding Providence that
watched over the landing of the emigrants and
Pilgrims at jamestown and at Plymouth that
gave US the victory in our struggle for indie
pendence, that guided by his inspiration the
trainers of our wonderful Constitution, that
has thus far preserved this great Union from
| dangers so many and imminent, and is now
shielding it from Abolition, its most danger
'ous and internal foe, will open Texas as
safety-valve, into and through which Slavery
8 will slowly and gradually recede, and finally
disappear in the boundless regions of Mexico,
and Central and Southern America.
"Beyond the Del Norte, Slavery will not pass,
not only because it is forbidden by law, but
because the colored races there preponderate
in the ratio of ten to one over the whites and
holding, as they do, the Government and most
of the Offices, in their own possession, they
will never permit the enslavement of any por-
ton of the cOlored race, which makes and ex-
ecutes the laws of the country"
This was the language of Mr.. Walker, ad-
dressed to the people of the United States, and
scattered broadcast over the whole land, thick
fto foil <,c Al CO.. Al
fakes in winter. 1t went to every dwelling, it
reached every man. The argument here was in
every man mouth. 1t went home to the hearts
of the great American people. l accepted it
| for myself, / acted upon its reasonings. / be-
Geved in its truth believe it now, that the
Providence of Almighty God is leading this
thing in that very direction that this resstless
current in human affairs is flowing onward to
the tropics with this race resist it you cannot,
to defeat it is impossible. For one, would not
undertake to resist it. / would aid it onward
| and onward in its peaceful flow.
The honorable Senator from Ohio, Yesterday,
was pleased to say to me, that the proposition
which l had introduced could not be carried
out, and that even Commodore Paulding could
not aid me in carrying it into effect. Let me
call the attention of that honorable Senator to
| a few facts. Slavery once existed all over the
Central American States. 1t existed under the
Government of Spain, when in the zenith of its
power and glory. Slavery has had its day in
the tropics. There the colored race, by the
force of climate, and the laws which God the
Almighty has stamped upon the earth, and upon
his constitution, has enfranchised himself. The
white race became so enfeebled in the tropics,
by the operation of the same laws, that they
could no longer hold the wolf they had taken by
the ears. 1t became too strong for them it
resisted, and it obtained its freedom. Freedom
has been won in the Central American States
1t exists there to-day. You cannot overturn it,
IT you would. 1t Is not in your power to do it.
When General Walker, of whom we have
heard so much, was invited by the Government
of Nicaragua to come and take charge of its
affairs, he asked to come there not to estab-
| lish Slavery, but because he was known to be
Free-State man. He had labored in California
to make that free State, and to resist the in
PRODUCTION of Slavery there. Walker, as was
we'll known and understood by all his friends,
was opposed to the institution of Slavery. He
went to Nicaragua. He was placed, by the
almost unanimous voice of its people, at the
head of its affairs He ruled them at his pleas
ure but, in an evil hour, under the dictation of
fanatcism-for it is nothing but fanaticism that
would undertake to re-establish Slavery within
| the American tropics at this late day-at the
suggestion of emissaries from this country, in
| an evil hour, he revoked the decree abolishing
Slavery in Nicaragua and what was the conse-
quence? He lost in an hour his hold upon
that people. They rose en- naasse against him.
They surrounded him on every hand /; they
starved him out; they reduced him to a poor,
miserable remnant on the Lake of Nicaragua,
and from whence the Government of the United
States sent vessel to rescue him, as was said
by the Secretary of the Navy, as an act of hui
mainly to rescue him and his followers from an
outraged people.
Again he made the attempt to plant Slavery
in Nicaragua by force of arms. His design
was thwarted by the gallant Commodore Pauld-
ing, in the faithful execution of the orders of
the Government; and in doing which he did
accomplish that which the gentleman from
Ohio thinks him incapable of aiding.
The attempt was renewed; and as that vet
eran officer had been recalled for the too faith
full execution of his duty, the vessel which car
ried the expedition was suffered to escape from
our shores, but wrecked ON the island of
Roatan; and the men composing the expedi-
ton were returned to this country as objects of
charity by the Governor of that free-negro
colony.
l ask the Senator from Ohio if he cannot see
the hand of Providence in this transaction?
Mr.. PUGH. l should like to make sug-
gestion to the Senator. Do l understand him
to state, as fact, that African Slavery existed
in Central America and Mexico?
Mr.. DOOLITTLE. l did not say that AT.
rican Slavery was general all over the States
of Mexico and Central America; but l am in
formed that, In Honduras, in population of
less than five hundred thousand, there is one
hundred and forty thousand negroes, and that
Slavery existed in all those States principally
Slavery Of the Indian races. Negroes were
also introduced into all, though not to the same
extent that they were in the West Indies.
Mr.. PUGH. There are scarcely any negroes
there. recollect l travelled over a great part
of Mexico, and never saw but one negro in the
whole country, and he was runaway from the
State of Louisiana.
Mr.. DOOLITTLE. / wish now, Mr.. Presi-
dent, to read very few sentences more, and
shall relieve the patience of the Senate, Mr..
Norris of New Hampshire, Mr.. Dickinson of
New York, Mr. Dean of Ohio, General Ashley
of Arkansas, Mr.. Tibbatts of Kentucky and
very many other gentlemen, both from the
North and the South, took this same view;
but will call especial attention to the language
of the present Chief Magistrate, Mr.. Buchanan,
then Senator on this floor He said:
"After mature reflection, now believe that
the acquisition of Texas will be the means of
limiting, not enlarging, the dominion of Sla-
very. In the government of the world, Provi-
dence generally produces great changes by
gradual means. There is nothing rash in the
councils of the Almighty. May not, then, the
acquisition of Texas be the means of drawing