MARCH 13, 1850.
The hallucination that seizes the South on the subject of slavery, is,
indeed, enough to excite our compassion; but an excuse of their conduct to
themselves on this ground, would, perhaps, enrage them more than any thing
else. I would be willing to offer them any pecuniary indemnity which they might
desire. Indeed, I had thought of bringing forward some such idea in my speech; but
I feared they would only scout it.
I do not think Mr. Webster can be honest in the views expressed in his
speech. I would struggle against a belief in his treachery to the last minute;
but this speech is in flagrant violation of all that he has ever said before.
You are in an error in supposing that the exclusion of slavery from the
Territories will affect the growth of cotton or rice unfavorably. Slaves are in
great demand now for the cotton and rice fields. No production of the
Territories would come in competition with their great staples. It is a fear of
losing the balance of power, as they call it; and no doubt, in some cases, a
fear that this is only a beginning of a war upon slavery in the States
themselves. On this latter point, they will not be pacified by any declarations
made by the North. Then, again, on this subject they are not a reasoning
people.
To recur to Mr. Webster again. He has said some things it was quite
unnecessary to say, and some things not true. Look at his interpretation of the
admission of Texas! The act was, as he has quoted in his speech, that four new
States—no more might be formed from Texas: those south of 36° 30′ might be
slave States, and those north must be free States. Now, he says we are bound to
admit four slave States. But we are bound to admit only four in the whole. Why,
then, admit all these four as slave States, and then others, that is, if we get
the consent of Texas, as free States? No: we are to admit but four in the
whole; and, as one or two of these are to be free, there must not be four
slave. He therefore not only proposes to execute that ungodly bargain, but to
give one or two slave States to the South as a gratuity.
So his offer to take the proceeds of the public lands to deport free
blacks is of the greatest service to slavery. It is just what the South wants,
to get rid of its free blacks. It would enhance the value and the security of
the slave property so called. Had he proposed to give the proceeds of the lands
to deport manumitted slaves, that would encourage manumission, and be of real
service to humanity. Indeed, the more I think of the speech, the worse I think
of it.
SOURCE: Mary Tyler Peabody Mann, Life of Horace Mann, p. 295-6
