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est, by the increased power thus to be obtained, have driven forward this measure with an earnestness, an impetus, and an energy,
which nothing but a superior earnestness, impetus and energy, in defence of her own rights, and the rights of humanity, can coun-
teract or restrain.

Massachusetts will take no ground on this matter which she is not able and willing to maintain. She has already declared,
through her Executive, that "as a State, she has ever maintained, and ever will maintain, the whole of the Constitution of the
United States." In this, while her constitutional obligations remain, she never will falter.

But when it is proposed to her people, to enter into relations with States or territories, to which the provisions of the Consti-
tution do not extend, and when she is asked by such extension to place every three of her own freemen on a political equality
with every five persons in Texas, who are bound down to everlasting servitude by a Constitution which "secures," as it is said,
"in the most nervous and clear language, the rights of the master to his slave," she has but one answer to make, and she makes
this answer calmly and deliberately, and firmly,- Massachusetts will never consent to enter into any such relations.

She will never consent, where she is not already bound, to place her own free sons on any other basis than perfect equality
with freemen ; and, last of all, and more than all, she will never, by any act or deed, give her consent to the further extension of
slavery to any portion of the world.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

IN THE YEAR ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE.

RESOLVES

CONCERNING THE ADMISSION OF TEXAS.

RESOLVED, That Massachusetts has never delegated the power to admit into the Union, states or territories without or
beyond the original territory of the states and territories belonging to the Union at the adoption of the Constitution of the United
States ; and that, in whatever manner the consent of Massachusetts may have been given or inferred to the admission of the states
already, by general consent, forming part of the Union, from such territory, the admission of such states, in the judgment of Mas-
sachusetts, forms no precedent for the admission of Texas, and can never be interpreted to rest on powers granted in the Constitution.

RESOLVED, That there has hitherto been no precedent of an admission of a foreign state or foreign territory into the Union,
by legislation. And, as the powers of legislation granted in the Constitution of the United States to Congress do not embrace a
case of the admission of a foreign state or foreign territory, by legislation, into the Union, such an act of admission would have no
binding force whatever on the people of Massachusetts.

RESOLVED, That the powers never having been granted by the people of Massachusetts, to admit into the Union states and
territories not within the same when the Constitution was adopted, remains with the people, and can only be exercised in such
way and manner as the people shall hereafter designate and appoint.

RESOLVED, That the people of Massachusetts will never consent to use the powers reserved to themselves, to admit Texas,
or any other state or territory now without the Union, on any other basis than the perfect equality of freemen ; and that, while
slavery or slave-representation forms any part of the claims or conditions of admission, Texas, with their consent, can never be
admitted.