Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-01-05
Presidents Messagc.--rcxas.

The following message was received from
the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
oy the hands of ANDREW JACKSON, Jr,
his Private Secretary:
10 the House Of Representatives. L. s.
During the last session Information was
given TO Congress, by the Executive, tina,
measures had been taken To ascertain ",he
political. military, and civil conditiun O,
iexas. now submit, for your considera
ion' extracts from the report of the agent
who had been appointed to collect il. r.Ia.
i've 10 The condition of that country.
no steps have been taken by the Execu,
i've towards the acknowl-dy ment oi the in
dependence of Texas; and The whole sinh
Jec' would have been left without further
remark, on the Information now given to
congress, were II no, that the two Houses,
NJ ,"e'r iast session, acting separately, pus-
seo resolutions "that the independence of
ieXas ought 10 he acknowledged by the u
ni'ed states, whenever satisfactory inforna.
lion should be received that il had in sue.
cessiui operation civil government, capable
OF performing the duties, and fulfilling the
OF, 00iigations OF an independent Power"
ms mark OF interest in the question of the
Independence oil Texas, and Indication of the
views Of Congress, mike il proper that I
should, somewhat in detail, present the con
celebrations that have governed the Execu.
I'VE IN continuing TO occupy the ground pre-
Tlousiy taken in the contest between Mexi
CO and Texas
HE acknowledgment Of new State as
independent, and entitled 10 a place in the
family OF nations, is at all times an act of
grea' de!icacy and responsibility hut more
especially so when such State has forcibly
separated itself from another, OF which il had
Hr mea an integral part, aud which still
Chains dominion over it, premature re-
cogni:ion, under these circumstances. if M,
looked upon as justfable cause ofwar. is AL
ways liable 10 he regarded as a proof of an
un'riendiy spirit to one of The cuniendinr
parties. All questions relative TO the gov.
e'"'hent OF foreign nations, whether nt the
old or the new world, have been treated nv
the United States as questions of facts only
ana our predecessors have cautiously all
s,a'nea from deciding upon them until the
c'earesl evidence was in their possession. TO
e"aS.e mem, not only 10 decide correctly, but
I'D shIeid their decisions from every unwor
thy imputa'ion. In all the contests thn,
nave arisen out of the Rcvuiu. iuns of France
oht OF the disputes relating To the crowns of
Ior'"sai anu Spain, out oi the revolutionary
movements IN those kingdoms, out of the Sc.
P"Ia'ioh OF me american possessions of both
rom inc European Governments, and out
oi 'he numerous and constantly occurring
struggles Tor dominion in Spanish America
80 wisely consistent with our Just princiul.s
mas oeen The action of our G ,vernment. thai
we nave, under the most critical circum.
sauces avoided all censure, and encountered
10 o'ner evil than that produced by lransi.
"n' estrangement of gnoG will in those against
whom we have been, ny force of evidence
compelled to decide.
IL has thns been mad. known TO the world
mar me u'iform policy and practice of the
ChHed STATES IS, TO avoid III interference in
dispTfes which merely relate To the internal
government OF other nations, and eventually
70 recognise the authority of the prevailing
party without reference 10 our particular in
ierests and views, or 10 the merits of The ori.
gihs' controversy. Public op,nion here is
80 hrmiy established and we'll understood in
'''oI OF this policy, that no serious disagree.
ment has ever arisen among ourselvas :, ~
iat'on TO it, although broug hit under review
In variety of forms, and al periods when the
nllhos OF Inc people were greatly excited by
'ne agitati"n oil topics purely domestic in their
character. Nor has any deliberate INQUIRY
ever been Instituted in Congress, or in any
Of our legislative bodies, IS TO whom helonG.
ca the power of originally recognising new
ctate-a power, the exercise Of which il
equivalent, under some circumstances 10 a
"po" vi WdT-a power NJ Is here ex.
pressIy delegated, and only granted in the
constitution, as it is necessarily involve ed in
some OF Inc great powers given io Congress
IN 'hnt gwen to the President and Senate To
form treaties with foreign pow ers, and to az
Phnt ambassadors and other public minis.
ters ana IG That conferred upon the Pr..i.
dent 10 receive ministers from (oreiyn ma
tions.
In The preamble 10 the resolution of The
tiouse OF Representatives, il is distinctly in
t'ma'ei that the expediency of recognising
The independence of Texss should be lei, ~
Inc decision OF Congress. In this view. ON
The ground Of expediency, am di.posed to
concur and do not, therefore, consider il
necessary to express any opinion as To the
s.rict constitutional right OF the Executive.
either apart from or in conjunction with tho
senate, over the subject. Il islo he presu>
mea ihat on no fulure occasion ~ i'll dispute
arise, as none has heretofore occurred be-
tween The Executive and Legislature, in the
exercise OF The power 81 recognition IL,
VIII always be considered consistent with
me spirit OF the Constitution, and mos. safe.
that II should be exercised w hen probably
ieadinS 10 war, with prev ions understand
ING WIN that body by whum war Can alone
be declared, and by whom al the provisions,
f'r sustaining lis perils must he furnished.
IFS submission TO Congress which represents
ID one ~ us branches The States of This Uuion
and in The other the People of the United
States, where there may he reasonable ground