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OPINIONS OF AMERfCAN STATESMEN 57
oir Union, while Mexico is still waging war against with France, who had recently obtained it
that Province, with a view to re-establish her su- fiom Spa'n ; but the object of this acquisition,
premnacy over it, we shall, by the very act itself, certainly was not mere extension o'- lerritory.
make ourselves a party to the war. Nor can we Other great political interests were connected
take this step, without incurring this heavy re- with it. Spain while she possessed ouiiana,
sponsibilitv, until Mexico herself shall recognise the th t. h pahn. wmhle she posessea Iouisiana,
independence of her revolted Province.
independence "of her revoltedProvince. had held the moulhs of the great rivers which
We have no oificial information of the precise rise in the western states,, and fl.w into the
state of o.lr relations with Mexico. Enough is Gul' of Mexico. She had disputed our use of
known, however, to satisfy us that the conjuncture these rivers, already, and with a powerful
is eminently critical. Let us be scrupulously careful nation in possession of these outlets to the sea,
that we do nothing to countenance, and all we can to it is obvious that the commerce of all the west
prevent the calamity of a war. We are now engaged was in danger of perpetual vexation. The
sn a fearful and doubtful struggle to reform our command of these rivers to the sea, was
federal system of government, by throwing offh the greAt object aimed at in the accorruptions
under wvhich it is rapidly sinkitg.
In this state of things, a war with any country qtisition if Louisiana. But that acquisition
would be the greatest of calamities; for we could necessarily brought territory along witl it, and
scarcely hope to come out of it with anything bit three states now exist, fornmed out of that anthe
mere wreck of a free constitution, and the ex. cient province.
ternal forms of a free government." A similar policy, and a sim;lar necessity,
though perhaps not entirely so urgent, led to
It will here be seen, that Gov. M'Dtufrie is the acqui,ition of Florida.
more foresighted than the major part of his Now no such necessity, no such policy, resouthern
compatriots:-or, rather, he is not qNie s t h e annexation of Texas. The accession
quite so reckless of thle consequences of this qtiires the annexatio ry of Texas ne cessary ion
his of Texas to otir territory is not necessary to
vile crusade, as many of them are. -Bit his the full and complete enjoyment of all which
admonitions seemed to have little weight, in we already possess. Her case, therefore,
this case, with them. A committee of the stands entirely different from that of Louisiana
same Legislature that he thus addressed, of and Florida. There being then no necessity
which General Hamilton was chairman, made for extending the limits of the union, in th.t
an elaborate Report, differing with Ihim in the direction, we ought, I think, for nuimerous and
expediency ot countenancing the insurgents, powerful reasons, to be content withl our preand
strongly recommending encouragement sent boundaries.
from the United States. Some of the most Gentlemen, we all see, that by whomsoever
prominent public men, in that state, expressed possessed, Texas is likely to be a slaveholdine
their approbation of the monstrous scheme of cotntry; anI I frankly livow my entire unwillaggrhe
sentiment of the Hon. Jo.q Quxlc ingness, to do anv thing which shall extend the
A hems, one of the most able Hon. J dependent slavery of the African race on this continent,
esl, one of the most able and independenttuton Lawgivers of or ad other slaveholding states to the Union.
heg'slators and conot itution d L awgivers of When I say that I regard slavery in itself as a
this or any other nation, have been stated in great moral, socilitical eil I onl
the preceding pages.-Let us, however, hear great mouage which has ben adopled by donly
the .opinion of another celebrated American use I inguage which has been adopted by dis.
sthe spinipon of nothiser celebrate. d America tinguished men, themselves citizens of slave-'
statesma large, upon this subject holding states. I shall do nothing, therefore,
At a large pudlic meeting, in NewYork, the to favor or encourage its farther extension.
Hon. DANIEL WKBSTEa made the following We have slivery already among us. The
appropriate remarks: cotistituttion fuund it among us; it recognised
" But it cannot be disguised, gentlemen, that it, and gave it solemn guarantees. To the full
a desire, or an intention, is already manifested extent of these guar ntees we are all bound in
to annex Texas to the United States. On a honor, in justice, and by the constitution.- since the iulness of their spirit, and to the exactness
all mtist suppose, that on sucl a question, it of their letter. Slavery, as it exists in the
is impossible I should be without some opiiiion. states, is beyond the reach of Congress. It is
I say then, gentlemen. in all frainkness, that a concern of the states themselves; they have
I see objections, I think insulrmountable objec- never submitted it to Congress, and Congress
tions, to the aniexation of T'exas to the United has no rightful power over it. 1 shall concur,
States. When the constitution was formed therefore, in no act, no measure, no menace,
it is not probable that either its framrrs, or the no indication of purpose, which shall inteifere,
people, ever looked to the admiss:on of any or threaten to interfere, with the exclutsive austates
into the Union, except such as then thority of the several states over the subject
already existed, and such as should be formed of slavery, as it exists within their respective
out of territories then already belonging to the limits. All this appears to me to be matter of
Un:ted States. Fifteen years after the adoption plain and imperative duty,
of the constitution, however, the case of Loui- But when we come to speak of admitting
siana arose. Louisiana was obtained by treaty new sta'es, the subject assumes an entirely
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