Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/443

 Development of the Free Soil Idea in the United States. 435

same time this government ceded to Spain that country between Louisiana and the Rio Grande, and in less than twenty-five years afterward was very desirous of getting it back again.

Prior to December 27th, 1845, Texas had twice sought to be an- nexed to the United States, and was finally received by Congress on that day, and ratified by that people on the 19th of February, 1846. Prior to that time it had proclaimed its independence, and had ob- tained some recognition. It was not subject to the restrictions con- tained in the compromise of 36° 30'. At this time General Taylor was at Corpus Christi, near the mouth of the Rio Grande, with a large part of the United States army for the protection of the Texas frontier, and annexation was immediately followed by the Mexican war, at the termination of which, and by the terms of the treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo, 1848, a vast area of territory both north and south of the line of 36° 30' was acquired.

The annexation of Texas, and the beginning of hostilities between the United States and Mexico, was followed by a message from Presi- dent Polk to Congress, asking that a sum of money be placed at his disposal for immediate use in effecting a treaty with the Mexican government, and a bill was soon introduced for that purpose, appro- priating $30,000 for immediate use, and placing $2,000,000 more at his disposal for the purchase of peace and the settlement of boundary lines. David Wilmot proposed a proviso to that section of the bill referring to the acquisition of territory, against slavery and involun- tary servitude in any of its parts, " except for crime, whereof the party shall first be duly convicted.** This proviso was substantially guarded in the terms of the ordinance of 1797 in the erection of the Northwest Territory, and is known in history as the Wilmot proviso. This proviso provoked an extended discussion both North and South, its advocates being called free-soilers and the opponents pro-slavery men. It was proposed by a Democrat and was supported by Demo- crats in the North. The bill and proviso both passed the House, and was sent to the Senate on the day provided by law for its adjourn- ment, August loth, 1846. The question was again raised in the bills introduced in 1848, providing for the organization of territorial governments for Oregon, California, and New Mexico, in which the principles of the Wilmot proviso figured largely. The bill for the organization of Oregon passed, and was approved by the President. The battle ground was transferred to the remaining bills, and finally to New Mexico. All public men took part in these discussions, pro and con, both within Congress and out of it, and the people became