the profligate
ambition of America. Texas was a portion of Mexico, and Mexico
abolished slavery; the Texians are bound (if they are _Texians_ and not
Americans) to adhere to what might be considered a treaty with the whole
Christian world; if not, they can make no demand upon its sympathy or
protection, and it should be a _sine qua non_ with England and all other
European powers previous to acknowledging or entering into commercial
relations with Texas, that she should adhere to the law which was passed
at the time that she was an integral portion of Mexico, and declare
herself to be a Free State--if she does not, unless the chains are
broken by the negro himself, the cause and hopes of _emancipation_ are
lost.

There certainly is one outlet for the slaves, which as they are removed
thither and farther to the west will eventually be offered:--that of
escaping to the Indian tribes which are spread over the western
frontier, and amalgamating with them; such indeed, I think, will some
future day be the result, whether they gain their liberty by desertion,
insurrection, or manumission.

Of insurrection there is at present but little fear. In the eastern
slave states, the negroes do not think of it, and if they did, the
difficulty of combination and of procuring arms is so great, that it
would be attended with very partial success. The intervention of a
foreign power might indeed bring it to pass, but it is to be hoped that
England, at all events, will never be the party to foment a servile war.
Let us not forget that for more than two centuries we have been
_particeps criminis_, and should have been in as great a difficulty as
the Americans now are, had we had the negro population on our own soil,
and not on distant islands which could be legislated for without
affecting the condition of the mother country. Nay, at this very
moment, by taking nearly the whole of the American cotton off their
hands in exchange for our manufactures, we are ourselves virtually
encouraging slavery by affording the Americans such a profitable mart
for their slave labour.

There is one point to which I have not yet adverted, which is, Whether
the question of emancipation is likely to produce a separation between
the Northern and Southern states? The only reply that can be given is,
that it entirely depends upon whether the abolition party can be held in
check by the federal government. That the federal government will do
its utmost the