Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-01-03


from the President of the United States, by
the hands of Andrew Jackson, Jr., his Pm.
vate Secretary:
To the House Of Representatives. U. s.:
During the last session information was
given to Congress, by the Executive. that
measures had been taken to ascertain "the
political, military, and civil CONDITION Of
Texas" | now submit, for your consdera.
ton, extracts, from the report Of the agent
who had been appointed to collect it, rea-
tive to the condition Of that country.
No steps have been taken by the Execu.
tive towards the acknowledgment of the M
dependence Of Texas; and the whole subject
would have been left without further remark,
on the information now given to Congress,
were It not that the two Houses, at their
last session, acting separately, passed reso-
lutions = that the inde ep endence Of Texas
ought to be acknowledged by the United :
Safes, whenever satisfactory information
should be received that it had in successful
operation civil governm mt, capable ofper-
forming the duties, and fulfilling the obiiga-
tons of an independent Power" This
mark of interest in the question of the inde-
pendence Of Texas, and indication OF the
views of Congress, make it proper that l
should, somewhat in detail, present the con-
sideratons that have governed the Execu-
tive in continuing to occupy the ground pre-
viously taken in the contest between Mexico
and Texas.
The acknowledgment of a new Safe as
Independent, and entitled to place in the
family of nations. is at all times an act OF
great delicacy and responsibility; but more
especially so when such State has forcibly
separated itself from ano:her, OF which 1t
had formed an integral part, and which still
claims dominion over it. Apremature re.
cognition, under these circumstances, II
not looked upon as ius;i6able cause of war,
is always liable to be regarded as proof OF
an unfriendy spirit to one of the contendmg
parties. All questions relative to the gov
ernment Of foreign nations, whether of the
old or the new world, have been treated by
the United States as questions of fact only,
and our predecessors have cautiously alb.
stained from deciding upon them until the
cearest evidence was in their possession, to
enable them, not only to decide correctly,
but to shield their decisions from every un-
worthy inputation. In all the contests that
have arisen out of the Revolutions of France,
out of the disputes relating to the crowns Of
Portugal and Spain,out Of the revolutionary
movements in those kingdoms, out ofthe sep
aration oftE:e American possessions of both
from the European Governments, and out
of the numerous and cons ntIy occurring
struggles for dominion in Spanish America
so wisely consistent with our just principles
has been the action Of our Government that
we have, under the mos: critical circums.al--
ccs, avoided all censure, and encountered no
other evil than that produced by a transient
arrangement Of good viii in those against
whom we have BEEN, by force Of evidence
compelled to decide.
1t has thus been made known to the world
that the uniform policy and practice of the
United Safes is. to avoid all interference in
disputes which merely relate to the Internal
government OF other nations, and eventually
TO recognise the authority Of the prevailing
party without reference TO our particular in.
tereSts and views, or TO the merits of the orr.
ginal controversy. Public opinion is So
firmly established and well understood in:
favor of this policy, that no serious disagree
ment has ever arisen among ourselves IN
relation TO it, although brought under review
in varie;y Of forms, and at periods when
heminds OF the people were greatly excited
by the agitation of topics purely domestic in
their character. Nor has any deliberate In
quiry ever been Instituted in Congress, or
in any Of our legislative bodies, as to whom
belonged the power Of originally recosnls.
ing a new S;ate-a power, the exercise OF
which is equivalent, under some circum.
stances, 10 declaration of war-a power
nowhere expressly delegated, and only
granted in the Constitution, as it is neces-
sarily involved in some of the grea. powers
given to Congress in that given to the Pres
ident and Senate to form treaties with foreign
powers, and to appoint ambassadors and
public ministers, and IN that Conferred upon
the President to receive ministers from for
eign nations.
In the preamble to the resolution Of the
House of Representatives, i, is distinctly in
tinated that the cxpedicncy Of recognising
the Independcncc of Texas should be left
to the decision of Congress. In this view,
on the ground of expediency, | am disposed
n CONCUR: and do moi, therefore, consider
i, necessary to express any opinion as to
the s:rct constitutional right ofthe Execu-
tive. either apart from or in conjunction with
the Senate, over the subject. Ii is to be pre-
sumed that on no future occasion will dis
pu.e arise, as none has heretofore occurred
between the Executive and Legislature, III
the exercise of the power Of recognition.
I, will always be considered consistent with