acquired Texas. Texas, under the laws of Mexico, was then free. We
insisted that slavery should not be recognized there. You claimed that
it should--that slavery should go into all the common Territories of
the Union. You succeeded. You procured what you claim is a decision of
the court in your favor. But the people would not give the question
up. The issue was formed--Slavery or Freedom; and on that issue we
went into the late election. It was well understood in all its
bearings. It was discussed and argued upon both sides and all sides,
and the people determined the question against the South. In my
section of the country there was no change. In all the excitement of a
Presidential contest, I do not know of twenty votes that were changed.
The opinions of the people were formed before; now they have declared
them.

My first allegiance is to the principles of truth and justice.
Convince me that your propositions are right, that they are just and
true, and I will accept them. I will sustain them to the end. If they
are wrong--and I now believe them to be--I will never sustain them,
and I will show my faith in GOD by leaving the consequences with Him.

Any substantial change in the fundamental principles of government is
revolutionary. Yours may be a peaceable one, but it is still a
revolution. The seceded States are in armed revolution. You are in
direct alliance with them. You say the Government shall not retake the
forts, collect the revenue, and you ask us to aid you in preventing
the Government from doing its duty.

Permit this, and the judgment of the world will be that we have
submitted to the inauguration of your principles as the principles of
the Government. It would exhibit a weakness from which the country
could never hope to recover. These are reasons satisfactory enough to
me. I cannot vote for the first article.

Mr. WICKLIFFE:--Do you wish to get the seceded States back?

Mr. WILMOT:--Certainly I do.

Mr. WICKLIFFE:--How do you propose to do it?

Mr. WILMOT:--I cannot say that I have any special way. It is their
duty to return. There are better methods of coercing them than to
march our army on to their soil. Now I understand it is your purpose
to intrench slavery behind the Constitution.

Mr. RUFFIN:--Certainly. That is true--in a certain portion of the
Territories.

Mr. WILMOT:--I thought I was not mistaken. The Government has long
been administered in the interest of slavery. The fixed determ