Sprague's Journal of Maine History
No.  I
Vol.  VII
MAY JUNE JULY 1919
pages 22


A MAINE POLITICAL DOCUMENT IN 1845, WHEN THE SLAVERY QUESTION WAS WRECKING POLITICAL PARTIES
(Contributed by Newell White of Thorndike, Me.)

To the Democratic Republicans of Maine
House of Representatives, Washington, Jan. 27, 1845.

On the 25th instant, a joint resolution, consenting to the annexation
of the republic of Texas to our Union, passed the House of Representatives.
Against that resolution we deemed it our imperative duty to vote.  
We offer you very briefly the principal reasons which controlled our votes.  
We were all desirous and anxious to have Texas reannexed to the Union.  
The terms and conditions were what we could not assent to.  We believed, 
upon "just and honorable terms", that the territory should have been divided 
into equal, or nearly equal portions of free and slave territory--or at least 
that that question should remain open, the be settled hereafter; while, in fact, 
the terms were such as, in our opinion, to secure the institution of slavery 
in nearly all the territory.  With a fair division of the territory, or with 
the question of slavery as an open question, to be settled and determined by 
Congress, we should have cheerfully given our votes for said resolution.  
Such terms are fully believed to be just, fair, and honorable, and what 
the free States had a right to expect; but without which we felt compelled, 
though with reluctance, to vote against the measure.

ROBERT P. DUNLAP,
HANNIBAL HAMLIN,
JOSHUA HERRICK,
BENJAMIN WHITE.

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