Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-10-12
ANNEXATION OF TEXAS,

the Secretary Of State, to the overture made
by the Hon. Memucan Hunt, minister pleni.
potentiary from Texas, for the annexation of
that republic to the United States. The d.
plQmanc note Of Mr.. Hunt has not yet been
published, but its tenor may be inferred from
Mr.. Forsyth's answer.
To General MEMUcAN Husr, &c.
I The undersigned, Secretary of State of the
United States, has had the honor 10 receive
the note of his excellency General Hunt,
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipoten-
tlary OF Texas, dated the 4th instant, propos-
ing negotiation for the purpose Of ann exing
that country to the United States.
4 That communication has been laid before
the President, who has considered it with
just sensibiity. In giving to the undersigned
instructions to present, in reply, n prompt
and decisive indication of the course it has
been deemed necessary TO adopt, the Presi-
dent INDUCES the confident expectation that
no unfriendly spirit toward the government
or the people of Texas will or can be imputed
to the United States.
I Neither the duties nor the settled policy of
the United States permit them to enter into
an examination of the accuracy of the hstOri-
cal facts related by Gen. Hunt, nor to allow
them, if even admitted to be correct, to con-
troll the decision Of the question presented by
him. The United States were foremost in
acknowledging the independence of Mexico,
and have uniformly desired and endeavored
To cultivate relations Ct friendship with that
power. Having always, since the formation
Of their government, been exempt from civil
wars, they have learned the value of internal
quiet, and have consequently been anxious
yet passive spectators ofthe feuds with which
their neighbors have been afflicted. Al
though, in the controversy between Texas
and Mexico, circumstances have existed, and
events have occurred, peculiarly calculated
to enlist the sympathies Of our people, the
effort of the government has been to look
upon that dispute, also, with the same rigid
impartalty with which it has regarded all
other Mexican commotons.
/ In determining with respect to the indie
pendence Of other countries, the United
States have never taken the question of right
between the eontending parties into consd-
Grafton. They have deemed it dictate of
duty and policy to decide upon the question
as one of fact merely. This was the course
pursued with respect to Mexico herself IT,
was adhered to when analogous events rem
dered it proper to investigate the question of
Texan independence. That inquiry was
made with due circumspcction, and the result
was not arrived at until its probable conse-
quences had been accurately weighed. Thel
possibility of collision Of interests arising,
among other causes, from the alleged su-
perior aptitude Of the climate and soil of,
Texas for the growth Of some Of the staples
Of the United States, was not overlooked. A
sense of duty and reverence for consistency,
however, it was considered, left this govern
ment no alternative, and it therefore led the
way in recognising Texas. hope was Ger.
tainly entertained that this act, and the mo-
tives that conduced To it, even if no other
consideration were to have influence, would
point out to the government. of Texas the pro.
priety not only Of chcrishing intimate and
amicable relations with this country, hut of
abstaining from other connexions abroad
which might be detrimental to the United
States. Apart from this, however, it wast
presumed that government would enter upon
the execution Of the intentions intimatcd by
its envoy extraordinary, with respect to con-
nexions with foreign powers, with full un-
derstanding of the Just and liberal CONNER
cial stipulations existing between the United
States and other nations. A pervading prin-
ciple of those compacts is impartial treatment
SScoS'cs
the parties IN their respective territories-AsI
it was not to be believed that the commercial
allies of the United States would swerve from
their engagements, no apprehension was felt
that the interests of this country would suffer
fron the arrangements which Texas might
enter into with them.
The question ofthe annexation Of foreign
independent state to the United States has
never before been presented to this govern
ment- Since the adoption Of their constitu-
ton, two large additions have been made to
the domain originally claimed by the United
States. In acquiring them this government
was not actnated by mere thirst for sway
over a broader space. Paramount interests
of many members Of the confederacy, and
the permanent well being of all, imperatively
urged upon this government the necessity of
an extension of its jurisdiction over Louisiana
and Florida. As peace, however, was our
cherished policy, never to be departed from
unless honor should be perilled by adhering
to it, we patiently endured for a time serious
Inconvenience and privations, and sought q
transfer Of those regions by negotiations and
not by conquest.
\ The issue Of those negotiations was con-
ditionnl cession of these countries to the u
nted States. The circumstance, however,
of their being colonial possessions of France
and Spain, and therefore dependent on the
metropolitan governments, renders those
transactions materially different from that
which would be presented by the question Of
the annexation of Texas. The latter is a
state with an Independent government, &C.
knowledged as such by the United States,
and claiming territory beyond, though Dor.
dering on, the region ceded by France, in the
treaty of the 30th of April, 1903. Whether
the constitution Of the United States contem-
plated the annexation of such state, and if