The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-02-18

SOCIAL AND TRADE INFLUENCE OF SLAVERY.
The products and consumption Of slavery
were very large element In our commerce.
The cotton product employed great ship
ping and required IL great return In European
and Northern goods and provisions. Northern
capital made and moved the crop. Tho COM
merclal and social relations between tho sec
tions were intimate. Trade, social intercourse,
wealth, fashion, politics, the church, Jehovah
and tho devil all were combined to secure and
propagate slavery
THE OPENING TERRITORIAL CONFLICT.
The first open conflict over the territorial
extension of slavery was raised upon the or
ganlZation of the territory of Arkansas. That
part OF the Louisiana territory lying north of
the State OF Louisiana had been organized as
the territory OF Missouri In 1879 hill was
brought in TO form the territory OF Arkansas.
south Of the line of 30 deg. 30 min, making
that the southern boundary of Missouri. An
attempt to exclude slavery from Arkansas
was deteated-ten Northern members voting
with the South. Then the Missouri bill was
brought in.
The conflict over the question of excluding
slavery from Missouri delayed her admission
| for two years. The influence OF President
Monroe and of ox-Presdents jefferson and
Madison was exercised against the exclusion
OF slavery from this which, by latitude, might
be called Northern State. and subject to the
| same reason that excluded slavery from Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois and tho rest OF the North.
west territory. The conflict was attended by
| Southern threats to dissolve the Union. The
| admission was at length carried by measure
called compromise, introduced by Henry
Clay.
BY this compromise Missouri was to be ad-
mitted as a slave State, but slavery was TO be
excluded from the territory west OF Missouri
| on the same parallel north OF the line OF 10
deg. 30 min. The usual contingent from the
new States, OF those whom John Randolph,
for their subserviency to slavery, called
Doughfaces voted to carry this bill TO extend
| yaFvi nj W
much feeling In the Northern people, who now
realized that the slave power-the name
| given to the political power OF the slave lords
| WAS paramount In the Nation, and that II
had entered upon u crusade OF propagandlsm
THE TEXAS CONSPIRACY.
The next territorial gain for slavery was by
the annexation OF Texas The natural desire
for expansion and empire would mako this
desirable. But Texas was stolen from Mexico,
and we were the instigator OF tho thief and
the receiver of the theft And II was openly
and avowedly to extend slavery into free ter
| rltory, TO preserve its political sympathy in
the Nation. Flllibusters from the Southwest
migrated TO Texas, encouraged by politicians.
A strange adventurer, Samuel Houston, who
had been naturalZed among tho Indians, and
made a Chief, and had returned to civiliza-
ton, went TO Texas In 1853 and became leader
In the conspiracy.
They formed State constitution that year,
for erection into State of the Republic OF
Mexico, and In 1895 proclaimed secession and
|
with five thousand troops. Houston retreated.
But while tho Mexican forces were crossing
the San Jaclnto River, Houston surprised and
routed the part which had crossed, and took
Santa Anna prisoner. He made a treaty with
Houston, agreeing to withdraw the rest Of his
army, and acknowledge the independence OF
Texas. Some savage massacres had been be-
fore this, and Santa Anna was probably under
fear for his life. This treaty, made by prls-
oner, could not bind Mexico and the war
nominally continued. But the fact Of indie
pendonce was gained by this easy victory over
a small detachment, and II was strengthened
by immigration from the United Statos.
THE ANNEXATION or TEXAS.
Our Government quickly recognized Texas
as an independent Nation. The Texas Min
lister In lS5T-Van Buren being President
made overtures for entry into the United
States, but as this would adopt war with
, Mexico II was declined. But active intrigue
/ went on in the South 10 promote annexation
This bold aggression OF the slave power. and
the piratical way OF II, aroused great opposi
tlon in the North. But this spread OF empire
had clements of popularity which weakened
, ! public men, and In the nature OF things II was
: not possible TO hold out against temptation.
. After the death OF President Harrison In
1884, actng-P President Tyler became an active
instrument in the annexation intrigue, which
was not carried out till after the next election
: OF Electors OF President before the nomi
, nations for that election, Henry Clay had
written q letter against annexation, rs bat
faith TO Mexico, and as impolltc because o
the great opposition TO 1t In this Nation. Afte
. he was nominated he wrote letter In favo
! OF annexation on fair terms. President Val
! Buren, was the leading candidate In the Demo
! cratic Convention, but no had written q lettel
against A. noxation, because OF which he wa
J prevented ~ a new rule, requiring vote o.
, two-thlrds 10 nominate, which was then ant
J there invented for this purpose, and James X
, , Polk. OF Tennessee, was nominated, who had
been jealous promoter OF annexation and oil
the slave power.
al hot, alda "a
, and Polk was elected. Before he was in
stalled the last session OF Congress in Tyler,
term took up the annexation project witt
determination. All motions TO exclude
: slavery from any part Of the territory wert
voted down. At length resolutions were
= adopted declaring the consent Of Congress
10 annexation, the conditions being thai
Texas was TO transmit TO the President evil
. denco OF her consent, and copy OF her Statt
! Constitution, and was to reta In all the Mexi
) can public lands and 10 be allowed 10 set of
: four other States, 10 be admitted when they
!, had the requisite population. The origina
J thirteen States had ceded all their lands, max
! ing one vast public domain, but Texas was tC
= keep the public lands that belonged TO Mexico
! These conditions were so extraordinary thai
stratagem was made 10 cloak them. Thli
! was In the form OF an alternative resolution
authorizing tho President TO open negou
atlons for annexation, the terms 70 DO sub
mltted 10 tho next Congress. They that wantet
: 10 be fooled, or that wanted cover, pretended
10 think that acting President Tyler would TAX,
this alternative, and leave the whole affair tC
the next Congress. But Texas was willing ant
waiting, and Tyler forestalled all by dispatch
! ing 4 messenger 10 got her consent according
! 10 the first terms. Thus he had the glory o
! ! fixing annexation before Polk came In.
But there was a meanor deception than this
: II was in the form OF a pretense of q concos
sion TO freedom, by a stipulation that In suci
, OF the Territory of Texas as lay north OF the
latitude OF thirty.slx degrees thirty minutes
7 the now Statos should be admitted with oi
without slavery as the inhabitants might de
!. sire. Texas never owned foot OF land nortl
, of that line. This was q trick 10 set up for hol
! a clam 10 Mexico, the meaning OF which will
! appear further along.
Thus was one State nj present and foui
stntos In the future gained 10 the slave power
: 20 keep lts proponderanco In the Senate. And
these were gained out OF her territory, FOL
, Illinois had abolished slavery some twenty
? FIVE years before. Said Henry A. Wise, aWhig
In arguing the necessity of this annexation, u
: secure slavery and all which II implied:
: True. " Iowa be added on the other side
|. Florida Will be added on the other. But there
, the equation would stop Let one more North
' ern State be added, and tho equilibrium u
gone-gone forever. The balance OF Interests
= is Rone-the safeguard of American property
$ of the American Constitutlon-of the Amer
: lean Union. vanished into thin air"
And moro OF the snme fearful sort. What Q
: remarkable Republic, which would be thrown
: into everlasting smash by the admission OF
. free State without slave State To balance u
, Yet he was sincere, and that idea was para
! mount In our politics. Nothing but slavery
was constitutional ia that good old time. FREQ
0 dom could not be made nstitutonal save By
prepondcrating balance OF slavery.
+ SLAVERY AND MANIFEST DESTINY.
D In those times u tOne was created In polltlci
; which scoiied ut tho idea that Nations shoult
v have n coneoiauca or be bound by morals