pheric, or even common rail ways and magnetic We desired to give more attention at this time telegraphs, the earth itself would scarcely be too to the objection based upon Slavery and the Dissolarge for the domain of a Confederated Govern-lution of the Union; but must confine ourselves ment, like our own. What, if these United States to a few words.

should yet be the Liberal mistress of the world! Is this question of slavery likely ever to dissolve The harmony and peace of the Union have been rather promoted by the enlarging of our borders. Disaffection has never raised its gorgon front in any of the new States. Hand in hand, in Peace and in War, have they moved on with the old and with each other, beautifully, bravely and triumphantly.

across. It will slide on towards Texas; thence into Mexico, to be amalgamated there, if any where, with its free inhabitants. This, a sensible quaker merchant of New York plainly perceives and enforces in a letter to the Hon. R. I. Walker. * As the best and only means of gradually getting rid of slavery, Annexation commends itself to those who desire its abolition.

if it be lugged in, they who do it must bear the|This gradual disappearance of slavery is the only blame and the consequences. Not intimidated by possible way of getting rid of it. It will not plunge threats, not influenced by fear, even of Disunion, itself into the Gulf of Mexico; it can not jump which she sincerely deprecates and does nothing to promote, the South will adhere to her own rights and to the true interests of the whole country. We have thus considered very hastily, as we were compelled to do, most, if not all, the objections to the Annexation of Texas. It was deemed proper to endeavor to remove these, before entering upon the direct arguments in its favor. But in answering them, many of the advantages of Annexation have been necessarily adverted to and partially enforced. Every important measure must have some strong considerations in its favor; and surely if the objections to it can be effectually combatted, this of itself is enough to justify it. In the case before us, not only do the objections appear to be susceptible of refutation; but allowing them the full force which their supporters claim for them, the arguments on the other side greatly pre-pete with the Southern States. They will have, ponderate. The consideration of these, however, must be reserved for another occasion; and, unless rendered entirely useless by some unforeseen occurrence, will be entered into more at large, in our June number.

To the South, the Annexation of Texas would bring no benefits peculiar to it, farther than the increased protection of its frontier from the ravages of war. In another war, the South would probably be the greatest sufferer,—and would have to bear the brunt. But the North also, as a part of the Union, needs the same protection.

On the contrary, it is plain that Texas, being necessarily an agricultural country, would com

Slaves

indeed, to encounter this competition in any event. But Annexation will quicken it and bring it to bear sooner and more directly. Emigration, even from the fertile and sunny South, will flow into Texas, and Southern lands will inevitably fall. Our beautiful and blessed Union being preserved, will rise, which may partly compensate for the the good of the North is the good of the South; fall of lands, but not altogether; and then they and the reverse. The Annexation of Texas, then, will take their way to the better market of Texas, would extend the South Western boundary of the as we have before intimated. Still the Southern United States, according to the dictates of inter- States will go on filling up, the places of the slaves est and the arrangement of nature; leaving it here- sold or removed must be supplied from the more after to be completed by the acquisition of Cali-Northern Slave States, and thus the decrease alfornia and the interjacent country. Then, with a ready so considerable will be accelerated. Bet Naval Depot and National Armory on the Missis- the products and settlement of Texas can in no sippi, and Key West and the Tortugas well fortified, as suggested by our very gifted and estimable friend, Lieut. M. F. Maury, this Union would be more in the position that a great, Independent nation should occupy. These should be, whether Texas joins us or not.

Texas would afford a large additional market for the manufactures of the North. She has already opened wide her marts for their reception; and before she was thrown upon foreigners and strangers, consumed in one year (1840) over one million and two hundred thousand dollars' worth of our products,-nearly the whole from the North. Though this has been reduced more than one million of dollars, by her intercourse with other countries, it would all be restored and largely increased in an accelerated ratio, if she were adopted by us. A market would also be opened for slaves; and abhorrent as this may be to some pseudo-philanthropists, it will effectually promote their final emancipation. Already has slavery gradually receded towards the South. Every census has exhibited a great decrease in every old slave State.

* “ Maritime Interests of the South and West.” Southern Quarterly Review, October, 1843.

wise affect the Northern States disadvantageously. The more she produces, the greater her means of buying from the North; the sooner she is filled with an industrious population, the more consumers of Northern manufactures. But the South should, for the prospective advantage to herself and the Union, be willing to submit to the temporary depreciation of her lands and abstraction of her citizens. She has ever been self sacrificing for the general welfare.

This is the national view which we love to take

of this important and engaging subject. But if any will have us disunited, let us, for their benefit only, take a one sided glance.

The dark and gloomy hour has arrived! The Constitution is annulled! Its fathers' hopes, intentions, counsels, prayers and pledges are all blighted, disregarded and broken! Two branches of the same family once united and happy, their fate ruled by the same stars, worshipping the same God, under the same vine and fig tree, can not any longer live peaceably together! They have burst

* See letter of Aaron Leggett. Richmond Enquirer, of March 22nd, 1814.

the bonds of kindred and of union and become as coffers of Boston and New York. Even glorious strangers in the land of their fathers!

We will not here attempt to draw any pictures of the scenes to be anticipated from the dire disruption. Let us, in charity and fond hope, suppose peace at least to prevail between them.

old Yorktown would be revived; and disunion thus give life to the spot that witnessed the consummation of our Independence. The stream of wealth, too, that now flows from New York down the Great Mississippi valley, would then seek the Ohio through The North has the Old World and will soon have the James River and Kanawha canal which would a good portion of the Southern States to compete be completed in "the twinkling of an eye," for with her manufactures. Her own territory will its reception. The great South Western trade, hardly, if it all, supply her necessities. She will that will be so greatly promoted by the Annexabe excluded from our markets; and from the affec- tion of Texas, will under the Union advance the tions of our people. If she should propose a treaty completion of this stupendous undertaking. New with us; the first requisite would be, "you must let Orleans is, in any event, destined to be one of the alone slaves and slavery among us, and surrender greatest emporiums of the world. The Missisevery offender against those laws which we have sippi may be confined within its banks; but a flood made respecting it." Without this, she could have of wealth will ere long pour in upon her, that will no communion with us. Then why not do these overflow her levées, inundate her wharves, fill her under the Union and the Constitution? There are storehouses, though constructed on a scale of unvery few, scarcely any foreign countries with which rivalled grandeur, to the highest apartments, and she could make advantageous commercial treaties. overspread the whole Gulf of Mexico. New OrOld countries are not agricultural, but manufactu- leans with all her treasures will be a Southern ring and they would be the rivals and not the al-City, supplying us and the world with the abunlies of the North. Thus secluded, the ingenuity dance of her stores. If Texas can then be had of her people might get them along, but their situation could not be envied.

Her profitable carrying trade would be destroyed. Having so few markets, not already overstocked with their own manufactures, she would soon have but little to carry of course, we would exclude her, and her crowded marine would be thrown without employment upon her hands. The Barques of the East would no longer plough the waters of the Sonth. But the iron of Virginia and Tennessee, the hemp of Kentucky and the pine of the old North State, with the exhaustless live-oak of Texas, wrought into stately ships by Southern skill and enterprise, would spread our abundant exports over the world, bringing us in return the riches and the products of every clime. Prosperous commerce would be carried on along our whole Atlantic coast and our Western Mediterranean would present a more thriving scene than was ever witnessed by Venice, throned on her hundred isles, in her proudest day.

In all this, too, England would be glad to unite with us, in order to give occupation to a part of her immense marine.

by us, we will have her; and will open, if possible, a way to the equally bounteous California, when the East, with her luxuries and her demands for many of our staples, will be brought almost into our laps. The South would then have her depots and arsenals on the Mississippi, and Key West and the Tortugas would be strongly fortified. War would affect her relations and interests as it does those of all nations. Slavery has never yet sapped the valor of a people, and the weakness of the South on account of its existence might be found not so great as has been imagined. More negroes would be found fighting by their masters' sides, or enduring merciless stripes rather than betray them, than would be arrayed on the side of their enemies. This has been and will be again, if another occasion should offer, which Heaven avert !

But we trust that the South will forever be a part of the Union and that Texas will be admitted to it, for the good of the whole. As the Honorable Senator Walker observes, Texas is but a part of the Mississippi valley, of which New York may be considered the head. The United States should possess the whole of this teeming region. Texas is quite essential for the protection and full enjoyment of that which we now possess.

The South, moreover, on account of her agrieultural products, could form commercial treaties with England, France and every country that has This immense and fertile valley is destined to more mouths than food to fill them, and more manu- be the spinal marrow of our confederacy and seems factures than she can consume at home. Should to be a perpetual bond of union between the slave they exclude us, as they certainly would not do, and non-slave States. We have sometimes been Virginia, whose facilities are as great as any in quite wrapt in visions, when contemplating its the world, could soon produce manufactures enough future prospects and productiveness. The inland for the whole South; and with, or without foreign sea, which geologists tell us once swept over its alliances, she would become a large manufacturing bosom, seems but a type of the flood of wealth State, and Richmond surpass Lowell itself. Nor- which it is destined to send forth to the South folk, Richmond, Charleston and Savannah would West. No limits can be set to the almost creative receive the commercial wealth that now fills the energies of its rich loam; and nature seems to

have given its great rivers their unceasing onward flow to bear more swiftly its teeming products to those waiting to receive them. Shall not Texas as a branch of this fruitful valley be allowed to enjoy and contribute to swell its streams of wealth? For natural advantages she can compare favorably with almost any country ;—in the variety and luxuriance of her products vieing with the tierra templada of Mexico, whose soil and climate rendered her almost a paradise three centuries ago; the descriptions of whose beauty and magnificence so graphically drawn by Prescott warm the imaginations of the least enthusiastic. Gold and silver, sugar and cotton, fruits and flowers, the vigor of the mountains, the luxuriance of the tropics, beauty and grandeur, all are hers. Her rivers, forests and plains are filled with their respective tenants, her fields return multifold into the bosom of the husbandman, and in many parts the air is so pure that it taints not the fresh spoil of the hunter.

Nor dreams alone: before that shrine,
Where God has set his signet-sign,
-The impress of a hand divine-
O there his soul,

Doth seek its goal,
Striving for aye that goal to win,
And drink its inspiration in.

And thus, and thus, the Poet sings;
Wedded unto his holy art;
And thus for aye he fondly clings,

With love's unfaltering heart!
Sorrow may try the gifted sore;
Neglect may pierce his bosom's core ;
Chill Penury, with open door
And horrid grin,

May bid him in,

And scorn and malice blast at will,-
The Poet is a Poet still.

EDITOR'S TABLE.

IPHIGENIA AT TAURIS.

We finish this month the translation of this beautiful

All these are tendered to us and the offer has been in part accepted. A treaty now awaits only the confirmation of the Senate. As its provisions have not transpired, we will not indulge in rumor. If we do not receive Texas, her "lone star" will be dimmed or extinguished by dependence on an overshadowing power. Like the star of old in the West it goes before our wise men" to show them where the young Republic is. If we are true to ourselves, it will be taken to our firmament and emblazoned on our flag, under whose protection and increased splendor our ships will bear our pro-matchless manner in which Iphigenia subdues the anger,

66

ducts and hers over every sea. April, 1844.

POESY.

The bright green Earth in beauteous guise,

Beautiful still, as in days of old;

How she wooeth the soul with her witching eyes,

And her robe of gems and gold!

That radiant robe, where the silver sheen,
Of the drops of dew, and the lake serene,
In glory vie, with the emerald green
Of the clustering vines,
Where the ivy twines,
And the insect skippeth in dulcet play,
And the wild bird trills its caroling lay.
O Earth! thou art the Poet's theme;
The brightness of the Beautiful!
More gorgeous than his pictur'd dream,
Of fairy-fancy full.

The sea-the sky-the bright array→→→
The radiant sun that sheds for aye

The splendor of his glorious ray;
The thousand things,

On happy wings,

The dying all-the breathing whole-
O twine they not the Poet's soul?

The purling play of murmuring streams-
The flowery mead-the winding dell-
The Beautiful! O there the dreams

Of Poets ever dwell!

production; one most worthy of the original; and take great pleasure in accrediting it to Judge Beverley Tucker, Professor of Law in William and Mary College, and our honored preceptor. Taste he has long possessed,—genius always; but he has only recently devoted his attention, a the intervals of very arduous duties, to the acquisition of the German. His example and success may well be a lesson and an encouragement to others. We particularly commend the whole of Iphigenia to our readers. Go back and read it, if any have omitted it, and dwell upon the

and sways the purposes of the King. Disclosing all, she trusts to the power of virtuous innocence and earnest eloquence and is victorious.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE.

We wished to give this month some account of the proceedings of this patriotic association, at its first general meeting in April last. Its noble aims demand the highest praise; its national character and prospective, nay in mediate, benefits entitle it to the fostering care of Government, and to the zealous cooperation of every one who cas appreciate the relation of Literature and Science to the honor and prosperity of the Country. Their last, first meeting was something more than a commencement ;—R was a decided achievement. More men of letters were there; more was done and said, and better, than might have been expected. Present enjoyment was found, when ali had been mere anticipation; and though Hope is still their proper feeling, it is stronger and blended well with exulta

tion.

We shall publish next month an article intended to te read before this "Institute," on the relation between the Caucasian master and the African slave, dedicated to the Hon. C. J. Ingersoll.

THE HOME LIBRARY-POETICAL SERIES. The Whitefooted Deer and other Poems; by Wm. Culle Bryant. New York. J. S. Platt, 1844.

The Home Library is a new enterprise in which authors are somewhat interested. It is intended that they shall proportionately partake in the pecu

We commend the Home Library, thus happily begun, to our reading and literary public. It is a series at once small in price and tasteful in execution. It deserves the patronage of all who would encourage the author, in some degree, with the printer.