, 1861-02-20
Mf. RutchclIcrsQ Letter
Who In Responsible 9---Lettor from a
Chicago Merchant.
CHICAGO, Feb. 1G, 1861.

Chicago MeTchuuts
CHICAGO, Feb. 1G, 1861.
Editors Chicsgo Tribune:
As many people suppose that the agitation
Of the slavery question was commenced by the
North-2nd MS Vim. IL Seward il getting to be
very good authority with that class Of persons,
I have copied from his life Of John Quincy
Adams (pages 272-SS 5 and 81 the following es-
tract, which would like TO zee published in
your paper. There was but little agitation OF
the slavery question after the admission Of
Missouri until 1852, which was then caused by
the foray upon Texas. How well The South
has kept 1t up ever since; how Northern Dam.
oc5ate, in consequence OF the action Of the
South, voted for the Wilmot Proyiso, and then
backed down-and have kept backing down
ever eince-is now q matter Of history. And
nov they are ready 10 back down again, and
to .aslonali=e s1are7y MERCHANT.
in omen rebellion ngaiust tbs government Of
Mexico. That Province had been settled
chiefly by cmigrants from the southern and
southwestern States. Many Of them Lad
taken their slaves with them. But the Mexi-
Gnu government, to their enduring honor le il
SHa4, 4GOs1N@CA t%ApEfB kHTpH3Hou% Git AGpA9tE.
The ostensible object Of the Texian insurrcc-
tlon was to resist certain schemes Of usurpa-
tion alleged ngainst Santa Anna, at that time
President Of Mexico. at tho present day,
however, after having witnessed the entire
procrcss and contamination OF the scheme. It
| is aSundantlr evident that from thc beginning
there ,cas deliberate and astt di1'sed plan 10 es
| ta1!ish &IarcTy in Icxas-dni,e1 that rrot7ncc 10
tic United Stdtes, and M,.s Immediately incrtdse
/ tle sa,v territory and Influence in the Union:
At the first blast Of the Texiaa lngles thou
sands Of volunteers from the slaseholdlng
States rushed to the standard Of "the Lone
F! Star" Agents were sent TO the United States
| to create an interest in behalf Of Tcxas-t4c
most lnlammatory appeals were made to the
| people of tao Uniou-dnd armed bodies Of liner
lean cizc,1s trt,c openly formed tn tic so'h and
Transported 1ctout conctalnlcnt to The seat o} the
iasu1Ttction. President jackson reminded the
| Inhabitants Of the United States Of their o5li-
cations to observe neutrality in the contest
| between Mexico and its rebellious province.
| At the came time Gen. Gaines, With i body Of
United States troops, Was ordered to take up
position within the borders of Texas. The
auo,eed object Of This movement was to project
| the people Of tue Southwestern frouticrs FROM
| the iucursion Of Indian tribes in the employ
ment Of Mexico. But the presence Of such 4
| body Of troops con}l not bat exert an lnllu-
cnce favorable to the measures and Objects OF
! Texas and besides It afterwards appeared tle
| Indians l1u no G1Sntstt3t1 10 GakC s{lc6 WILL
Mexico, or to make any aeprcdatious upon
the territories of the United States. 4 call
was made on Congress for au appropriation Of
a million of dollars to carry On these military
operations, the entire tendency Of which was
to encourage Texas In Its attempt to throw oil
the Mexican allegiance and re c>ta5ltM :lc1E9y.
The source from whence the authorities ut
Texas were confidently looking for assistance,
! aud Tho ul'erlor otjec. ut which they were
n!miog in their insurection-yiz: dnncrlt;os
to The United STATES and thus od'iH9 territory
and strength to tae institution Of s!ar:ty-are
clearly revealed In The following extracts frcln
letter addressed by Gen. Ilou.t Ton, comma 7d.
er Of tho TcSian forces TO Gen. Dunlap o1
Nashville Tenn =
Tho whole plan succeeded beyond the anti
c1pa.ions of It's most sapgnIne projectors.
Aided By men and means from the United
statcs, Texas established her Independence
organized agoycrnmcnt-ineorpo slavery
into its Constitution SO thoroughly as tu
guard against tho re1nosest attempt crcr te
remove it-dud By process unsurpassed IN tht
anna1sQ Of political intrigue in due time became
annexed to the North American union.
In this accession Of q territory from, which
several large States will eventually ba carried
out, the slave power Of the United States OBJ
taincd q very signal advantage, Of which Il
will not DO backward to avail itself In the
time of its need. A. faithful history Of this
entire movement Is yet to be written"