The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-04


any number of extra copies of The Message, to
be delivered al the earliest possible moment
Those who desire to be supplied by US, will
please leave their orders al the Office to morrow
TUESDAY morning.
Mr.. JEFFERSON AND ANNEXATION.
We find that several of the Northern prints
opposed to the annexation Of Texas have been
busily engaged in huu'i ing up extracts from pU-
vate letters of Mr. jefferson, written during the
year 1SO3 showing that he at one time doubted
the constitulionaity 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 eftctng it,
the most that can be done by citing his doubts
as to its conslitutionality, is to oppose his abb
stract opinions to his acts and deeds, we know,
speak more forcby than words.
But Mr. Jeffrrson'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 extrava-
giant religious doctrines or theories Of morality.
He was OF philosophic and speculative cast Of
mind, and of frank and communicative tenn
per; and to his intimate friends his thoughts
and feelings were revealed precisely as they
were passing within him al the time. The
modern qualities Of non committal, and univer-
sal distrust, were not then thought so necessary
to complete the character Of finished statesman
as at present. Politicians were more generally
men of enlarged and liberal views; and their in
tercourse with each other was such as can hard
ly be conceived al the present day.
To quote casual opinion Of such a man as
Mr. Jefferson, expressed in familiar and conf
dental letters, in illustration of his mature and
deliberate principles, is quite as absurd as the
trick Of the ancient pedagogue, who CARRIED a
brick about with him as a sample of house
which he had for sale. II is like criticising a
finger, or toe, in a rough-hewn statue Of some
such sculptor as Michael Angelo, or one of his
unfinished drawings, dashed of in the vehe-
mence of genius. in which every petty rule of
art may seem to be neglected, in order the more
surely TO produce the general effect. Such men
could never have been what they were, had
they adhered slavishy instead of conforming
religiously, TO laws Of which narrow minds cum
niogly regard only the letter, as it may serve
their purpose, and are neither able TO divine, nor
willing to obey, the spirit.
With these preliminary remarks, we shall ex-
hibit, for the benefit of our readers (from whom
we do not wish 10 conceal any information bear.
ing on the Texas question: the mares nest
which has been found 10 the private correspon-
dcnce Of Mr.. Jefferson
In Mr.. Jeferson's letter to Mr.. Breckenridge, da
ted August IL, 1903, speaking of the treaty of ces-
sion he snys-
This treaty must Of course be laid before both
Houses because both have important functions TO ex
crcise respecting it. They, presume, will see their
duty in rat'ying and paying for it, as to secure
good which would otherwi Use probably be never again
in their power. But suppose they must then ap-
peal to the nation for additional article TO the con-
sttution, approving and confirming an act which the
nation had not previously authorized. The consti
tuition has made no provision for holding foreign
Territory still less for Incorporating foreign nations
into our Union. The Executive in sezine the fugi-
tive occurrence which 81 much advances the good of
their country, have done an act beyond the con.t;-
tulion.r
In letter TO Levi Lincoln, dated August Goth.
1893, when speaking of the ratification of the tire
OF cession, he says" the less that said about sny
constitutional difficulty the better and that il will b.
desirable for Congress TO do what il necessary in al
ience."-ADd in letter to Wilson G. Nicholas. da.
ted September Z, 1913, he says" Whatev YER Con-
gress shall think nccessaryto should be done with
a, little debate ss possible, and particularly a. far as
respects the constitutional difficulty / am aware &C
the force OF thu. observations you make on the mower
gwen by the constitution to Congress TO admit new
States into the Union without restraining the suec
TO 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 ,ha,
the constitution expressly declare. itself to be made
for the United States cannot help believing the in
ent'on was not to permit Congress TO admit into the
Union new States, which should be formed out of the
territory for which and under whose authority alone
tney were then acting. ] do not believe il was meant
sna' tney might receive England, Ireland Holland
&c. into it," o'
IL VIII be perceived, from these extracts thar
Mr.. Jeflerson's objection to the annexation oil
LOUISIANA was purely of technical na,,r.
Not only did he believe the annexation of ,b,,
particular territory (Which, in fact, comn,;vsd
what is now the State of Texas) TO be ,;.
and Judicious measure, calculated greatly ,o adj /
vance the good Of The country, but he world
have bad an additional article introduced into the
Constitution making provision ''for Our holdng
foreign territory" He believed, therefore ,ba,
such provision would be 10 perfect conformity
with the spirit Of the Constitution and OF ON,
institutions, and highly desirable. The ,ecbn;.
cal objection he was willing 10 abandon. in
practice, showing how little value he placed unon
1 himself.