Speeches, Addresses, and Occasional Sermons, Volume 3 (of 3) — John Shaqi
Speeches, Addresses, and Occasional Sermons, Volume 3 (of 3)Parker, Theodore
Religion
Speeches, Addresses, and Occasional Sermons, Volume 3 (of 3)
Parker, Theodore
Sermons, American; Unitarianism
But I have not yet adduced all the testimony of Mr. Foote. Last year, on
the 23d of February, 1849, he declared: "No one acquainted with the vast
mineral resources of California and New Mexico, and who is aware of the
peculiar adaptedness of slave labor to the development of mineral
treasures, can doubt for a moment, that were slaves introduced into
California and New Mexico, being employed in the mining operations there
in progress, their labor would result in the acquisition of pecuniary
profits not heretofore realized by the most successful cotton or sugar
planter of this country?" Does not Mr. Webster know this? Perhaps he did
not hear Mr. Foote's speech last year; perhaps he has a short memory,
and has forgotten it. Then let us remind the nation of what its Senator
forgets. Not know this--forget it? Who will credit such a statement? Mr.
Webster is not an obscure clergyman, busy with far different things, but
the foremost politician of the United States.
But why do I mention the speeches of Mr. Foote, a year ago? Here is
something hardly dry from the printing-press. Here is an advertisement
from the "Mississippian" of March 7th, 1850, the very day of that
speech. The "Mississippian" is published at the city of Jackson, in
Mississippi.
"CALIFORNIA,
"THE SOUTHERN SLAVE COLONY.
"Citizens of the slave States, desirous of emigrating to
California with their slave property, are requested to send
their names, number of slaves, and period of contemplated
departure, to the address of 'SOUTHERN SLAVE COLONY,'
Jackson, Miss....
"It is the desire of the friends of this enterprise to
settle in the richest mining and agricultural portions of
California, and to have the uninterrupted enjoyment of slave
property. It is estimated that, by the first of May next,
the members of this Slave Colony will amount to about five
thousand, and the slaves to about ten thousand. The mode of
effecting organization, &c., will be privately transmitted
to actual members.
"Jackson (Miss.), Feb. 24, 1850. "dtf.
What does Mr. Webster say in view of all this? "If a proposition were
now here for a government for New Mexico, and it was moved to insert a
provision for the prohibition of slavery, I would not vote for it." Why
not vote for it? There is a specious pretence, which is publicly
proclaimed, but there is a real reason for it which is not mentioned!
In the face of all these facts, Mr. Webster says that these men would
wish "to protect the everlasting snows of Canada from the pest of
slavery by the same overspreading wing of an act of Congress." Exactly
so. If we ever annex Labrador--if we "re-annex" Greenland, and
Kamskatka, I would extend the Wilmot Proviso there, and exclude slavery
forever and forever.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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