Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Slavery volume 5 .djvu/288

276 VI. In 1845, Florida was admitted as a slave State, with a constitution providing that the "general assembly shall have no power to pass laws emancipating slaves," or to forbid emigrants to bring their slaves with them. Here, slavery was extended over territory acquired for that purpose from Spain in 1819-21; made perpetual therein. It went down to the Gulf of Mexico, reaching far in. That was the sixth step.

VII. In 1845, Texas was "reannexed" and admitted as a State. This was territory whence the Mexicans had banished slavery. Slavery was in the Constitution of Texas; was carried west of the territory purchased of France, and spread over 325,520 square miles. It was established in a territory forty-three times greater than Massachusetts, by and by to be carved into more slave States. This was the first time that America had ever established slavery in any land whence any government had positively driven it out. That was the seventh step.

VIII. In 1848, at the conclusion of the war for plundering Mexico, by conquest and treaty we acquired California, Utah, and New Mexico—a territory of more than 596,000 square miles. This was coveted as new ground for the extension of slavery. The Mexican war was begun and continued for slavery; the land was to be slave soil. This was the first time we had conquered new land in battle for the sake of putting slavery on it. That was the eighth step.

IX. In 1850, you remember the cry, "The Union is in danger!"—How lustily men roared, "The Union is in danger!"—How the politicians talked, and the ministers! The "pedlars of oratory" took the stump. You remember the "Boston eloquence" that screamed, and tottered and stood a tiptoe, and spread its fingers, and tore its hair, and invaded the very heavens with its scary speech;—"The Union is in danger—this hour!" The celebrated Compromise measures were passed. So far as it concerns this question, they consisted of the Fugitive Slave Bill—of which I do not think you wish me, at least, to speak again; of the establishment of a territorial government in