Green Mountain Freeman

Pro-slavery Character of our Government.

A correspondent has called our attention to the correspondence of our Minister to Mexico, Mr. N. P. Trist, with Mr. Buchanan, Secretary State, relative to the acquisition of Mexican territory and the introduction of slavery therein, which shows the settled design of our Government touching that subject. This correspondence is published in Executive document no. 52, of last session, in connection with our treaty with Mexico and the accompanying documents.

MR. TRIST TO MR. BUCHANAN-EXTRACT.

Among the points which came under discussion was the exclusion of slavery from all territory which should pass from Mexico. In the course of their remarks on the subject I was told that if it were proposed to the people of the United States to part with a portion of her territory, in order that the inquisition should be therein established, the proposal could not excite stronger feelings of abhorrence than those awakened in Mexico by the prospect of the introduction of slavery in any territory parted with by her.

Our conversation on this topic was perfectly frank, and no less friendly; and for this reason the more effective upon their minds, inasmuch as I was enabled to say, with perfect security, that although their impressions respecting the practical fact of slavery, as it existed in the United States, were, I have no doubt, entirely erroneous; yet there was probably no difference between my individual views and sentiments on slavery, considered in itself, and those which they entertained. I concluded by assuring them that the bare mention of the subject in any treaty to which the United States were a party, was absolute impossibility; that no President of the United States would dare to present any such treaty to the Senate; and that if it were in their power to offer me the whole territory described in our project, increased tenfold in value, and, in addition to that, covered a foot thick all over with pure gold, upon the single condition that slavery should be excluded therefrom, I could not entertain the offer for a moment, nor think even of communicating it to Washington. 'The matter ended in their being fully satisfied that this topic was one not to be touched, and it was dropped, with good feelings on both sides.

To show that this question of slavery extension was considered of paramount consequence, Mr. Trist writes thus, immediately following the foregoing extract:

"In regard to all matters of subordinate consequence, I gave every proof which the nature of the subject permitted, of the strongest disposition on our part to spare their national pride and to save their pecuniary interests."