The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-12-04


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TUESDAY morning.
MR.. JEFFERSON AND ANNEXATION
We find that several of the Northern print.
opposed TO the annexation Of Texas have beer
busly engaged in hun ing up extracts from pri-
waite letters of Mr.. jefferson, written during the
year 1903, showing that he at one time doubted
the constitutionality of The annexation Of Louis
lana. Now, as Mr.. Jefferson is well known to
have heartily approved Of that measure, and to
have been the chief instrument in e6ecting it,
the most that can be done by citing his doubts
as to its consttu,ionality, is to oppose his abb
stract opinions 10 his acts and deeds, We know,
spesk more forcibly than words.
But Mr.. Jefrrson's abstract opinions have been
quoted for and against almost every measure OF
national policy, as scripture has been quoted in
defence of the most contradictory and exirava a.
CANT religious doctrines or theories Of morality
He was Of philosophic and speculative cas-, Of
mind, and Of frank aud commune alive tenn
per; and to his intimate friends his thought.
and feelings were revealed precisely as the,
were passing within him at the time. TIL,
modern qualities Of -committal, and unver
sal distrust were not then thought so necessary
to complete the character of finished Statesman
as at present Politicians were more generally
tercourse with each other was such as can hard
~ Oe couSsivsd a. ,i.~ P.~ss-. i~y.
To quote a casual opinion Of such man a.
Mr.. Jefferson, expressed in familiar and conf
Denial letters in Illustration OF his mature ant
deliberate principles, is quite as absurd as III,
trick Of the ancient pedsgosue, who carried
brick about with him as a sample Of a hous,
which he had for sale. Ii is like critcising !
finger, or toe, in a rough-hewn statue OF some
such sculptor as Michael Angelo, or one of hi.
unfinished drawings, dashed of in the vehe
mencs Of genius, in which every petty rule Of
art may seem to be neglected. in order the more
surely 10 produce the general effect. Such men
could never have been what they were, had
they adhered slayishly, instead of conforming
religiously, to laws Of which narrow mind, cum
ninely regard only the letter, as it may serve
their purpose, and neither able TO divine, nor
willing to obey, the spirit.
With these preliminary remarks, we shall ex-
hibii, for the benefit OF our readers. from whom
we do not wish 10 conceal any information bear
ing on the Texas question: the mares mes,
which ha. been found in the private correspon-
dcnce Of Mr.. Jefferson
In Mr. Jefer.ons letter to Mr.. Breckenridge. da
ted August II, 1903, speaking Of the treaty OF ces
sion, he says
"This treaty must Of course be laid before bo,h
Houses, because both have important functions 10
cro'se respecting IT, They, presume will see their
duty IN ratiying and paying for IT, as to secure
good which would otherwise probably be never again
IN their power. But suppose they must then an
peal to the nation for additional article 10 the con
sutution approving and confirming an act which IN,
nation had not previously authorized The consti
tuition has made no provision for our holding foreign
IerrorJ sun less Tor incorporating foreign nation.
into our Union. The Executive in Selling the fuu,.
tive occurrence which - much advances the good II
their country, have done act beyond the con.,,.
tutor"
In a letter 10 Levi Lincoln. dated A,,o,s, ao,,
1903, when spesking Of the ratification Of The trait
coo.,;,,, no ne less that IS said about any
desirable for Congress to do what Is necessary in a.
lence."-ADd in . letter to Wilson C. Nichols. IA,
ted September 2, 1893, he says Whatever Con-
grcss shall think neccsssryto do should be done with
a. little debate ~ possible and particularly as far
respects the constitutional difficulty. am aware II
the force of the observations you make ON the
given by the constitution TO Congress TO adm, nov
states into the Union, without restraining the subject
10 the territory then constituting the United State,
But when | consider that the limits of the limited
States are precisely fixed by the treaty of I7s3 that
the constitution expressly declares itself TO be made
Tor the United States, cannot help believing the IN
tenton was not to permit Congress To admit into the
Union now States which should be formed ol Of The
territory for which and under whose autborx ,lon.
they WEIR then acting do not believe il w mean,
that they might receive England, Ireland, Holland
kc. into H."
IL will be perceived, from these extracts thar
Mr.. Jeilerson's objection 10 the annexation of
Louisiana was purely Of technical nature
Not only did he believe the annexation of tina,
particular territory (Which, in fact comprised
what Is nov the State Of Texas) TO be a wise
and Judicious measure, calculated greatly ro all. /
vance The good of the country, but he wopld
have had an additional article introduced in,o,bc
Constitution making provision '.ror our hold;n,
foreign territory" lie believed, therefore ,b,,
such provision would be in perfect cooform;,v
with the spirit of the Constitution and Of ON,
Institutions, and highly desirable. The ,echn;
cal objection he was willing 10 sbaod IN !,
practice. showing how little value he placed upon q
I himself 'p''