MY DEAR SIR,—The
only question on which the sincere friends of freedom here have any doubt is
the Texas Boundary Bill. Most of us, I think, will go against this as it now
is; but suppose it could be amended so as to conform its northern line to that
of the Compromise Bill, and suppose also we could strike out the provision
which secures the right to Texas to bring forth four slave States, what would
then be your opinion about suffering it to pass, or helping to pass it? This
boundary properly settled, I think we could count upon all the rest as free
territory.
I see the
"New-Bedford Standard," a Democratic Free-soil paper, comes out for
the boundary as it is. So does the "Nantucket Inquirer." So, I am
told, does the "Ploughman," a neutral paper. Doubtless the Whig
papers will generally come out for it.
There is to be a
competition between the old Hunkers of both parties for Southern support. On
this Texan boundary question, I prophesy they will carry the country with them.
On the Territorial questions, country or no country, I will never go with them.
Either no Territorial governments, or governments with the Wilmot Proviso in
them.
Please give me, as
soon as you can, your opinion on the boundary matter, and I shall prepare
myself for doing what, under all the circumstances, seems to be best for the
cause.
Your last letter was
very gratifying. You seem to me to take the most just, practical, as well as
theoretical view of things.
SOURCE: Mary Tyler
Peabody Mann, Life of Horace Mann, p. 317
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