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PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
ditional dissolution of the Union. Although, no harm-positive harm; may come of Abolitionism for centuries; yet the constant agitation of the question, by the Fanatics of the North, must greatly estrange and embitter one portion of the Union against another; give rise to strong sectional jealousies, and tend to keep alive among the South- ern people much irritation, mingled with feelings of apprehension, both for the safety of the Union and of their own property. Under such a state of things, I do not conceive it would be to the interest of 'I'exas to enter a Union of quarrelling sovereignties, & filled with sectional wrangling. Until, the question of Slavery, or Anti-Slavery, is forever put to rest in this Union, let Texas with her slave prop- erty, stand aloof from it. Although your Republic has not the Geographical size of the United States, & can never equal it there- fore in population, while confined to her present limits: yet she possessses advantages which are highly favourable to the founda- tion of a Great, prosperous, and happy Nation of people - In the first place, the uniformity of climate and interest, that prevails in Texas - must be conducive to a more congenial Union of the people, than where the opposite state of things exist. - In the next place, there being but orie state, or commonwealth over which to legisla.tie, the laws must be more uniform, and satisfactory, than in a State, where there exist twenty six sovereign states, each claiming the right, to interpret the law for good, or evil. or coun- tervail its operation, by countervailing Legislation. - Thus, laws are made to operate unequally. - Some States, receive without scru- ple, large sums from the common treasury for purposes of internal improvements, other .again, which look upon such appropriations as unconstitutional, refuse all participation in their division. The regulation of a currency again, gives rise to ceasless disputa- tion, complaint, and murmering. Some claim the power for Congress to establish a National Bank, while [others constan)tly deny it, and contend the states respectively have the only constitutional right to establish Banks. This docrtine being in the ascendant, we have thf' remarkable phenomenon and what must appear to all foreigners, as an extraordinary marvel, of possessing as many, as, twenty six descrip- tions of currencies ; just as many currencies as we have states; and this, too, while we appear and even claim be so considered as One Nation. Having the identity abroad as one Nation. Yet when a citizen of this Nation, undertakes to travel from one. state to another he will find, a kind of money very current in one state. will not buy him, a meal of food, or pay for his lodging in the adjoining state. Here then is a source of great perplexity, inconvenience and artual loss that can be avoided in a Republic of a single Commonwealth. In a c~nfederation of sovereign states, the collection of Revenue, is as liable to be attended with inequality and even injustice, 11s it is in its disbursement. The great inequality & manifest injustice <•f the tariff laws, at cine time imposed in the U. States, is proof of this assertion.- This cannot take place, in a single Commonwealth, to the same extent, & especially where the climate & pnrsuits are so much alike over the whole. On suming up the advantages:, and disadvantages, growing out of a con:fideration of independant States, it is difficult to decide whirli
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