The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-10-28

intelligence and hrnness Of the Govern
meni, Was asserted on the IiooF of Con-
gress by Mr. Clay TO be foreign intcrier-
ence-ihe same cause which Is now bust
ly at wo k 10 prevent our re-acquisilion OF the
territory. The Russian Government inlerfered
ON behalf Of Spain aud exposiulated with our
Government, mildly in language, but with a
significant earneslncss and perliuaciiy and
Mr.. Adams, feeling perhaps pari lie alarm at
he idea OF being the means Of subjecting his
beloved county 10 The wrath of the Holy ALI
ance, of which Pru STA was the head, and Spain
the neIhcr member, ,emporzed and compromis-
ed as well as his agitaed nerves would permit.
The differ nee in the style Of the communities
lions which passed between our Government
and the Prussan Minister is thus characterized
by Mr.. Clay in his speech on the Treaty:
"If Count Nesserode had never written another
paragraph the cxtrac, from his despatch to Mr.. Po-
letica which has been transmitted to this House. will
demonstrate that he meritcd the confidence Of his
master II is quite refreshing to read such state pa
pcrs, after porusiog those Che was sorry to say it, he
wished there a veil broad and thick enough 10
conceal them iorever which this treaty had produced
on the part OF our Government T"
| A few years afterwards Mr.. Adams himself
became Presid,nt-Mr. Clay occupying under
him, and by gilt from him, the station which he
declared 50 publicly that Mr. Adams had dis
graced by his unmanly trucking 10 foreign pow
ers. Oae of the first impulses OF Mr.. Adams
was TO endeavor to rec,ify the mistake made
| on foot negotiation for the recovery of Texts.
| How far he was actuaied in this by wish 10
gain popularity in the Soulh-a quarter in which
he saw The clouds gathering that fnaly burst
upon him-is problem which every one may
solve f.r himself, not forgetting 10 consider
among The data the striking contrast furnished
by MIR. Adams's present feelings and opinions
respecting the annexation of Texas. There is
certainly to all app arance, glazing and ire
concilable inconsistency in his course, to which
Mr. Preston thus alluded in his speech in the
Senate April "a, 1888:
"Mr Adams was not content to rest our title upon
this imposing array OF positive testimony, but exam
ned and dssipated all the objections to it taken by
the Spanish Minister and by mastery refutation of
the Spanish pretensions, satisfied Gas it has since
been understood) the Spanish negotiator himself so
thoroughly that he would have been willing TO have
characterized the result Of the negotiation "a
treaty for the eTchange Of territories &C., between
Spain and America.
1t is stra, &c that measure which ha. been ar
gued for twelve years past, should now for the first
time, be met by tempest of opposition and il is
pery strange that he should be found riding upon and
directing the storm, who was the very first man to
propose the annexation Of Texas one of the very
earliest Of his administration after he was
made President. Yes Mr.. President, Mr.. John
Quincy Adams had hardly assembled the Presidential
chair before he assiduously addressed himself the
task Of repairing the injury inflicted upon the coun
try by the treaty Of 1919, in the making Of which it
has since been understood he the reluctant agent
As Secretary Of State, in 1919, he negotiated the
treaty of transfers; as President of the U. States, in
1924, he instituted negotiation for the anne xation
Through bis Secretary Of State, Mr.. Clay the Pre-.
sldent instructed Mr. Poinseit, then minister at Mex
leo, to open at once and vigorously urge a negotia
ton for the reacquisiton Of Texas and the re-esiab
shment Of the Southwest line Of the United States
at the Rio Grande del Norte. The Secretary urged
II upon the Envoy as matter of the deepest interest
TO the country and the highest policy Of the Govern
ment The advantages are deliberately and zealously
set FORTH and although the country that time la
bored under a large debt, the Envoy was authorized
to offer five millions for the acquisition"
IL Mr. Adams was sincere in this attempt, he
must have known that The result would be to add
so much save-holding territory, and a, many
,lave-holding States as could be carved out of
Texas, TO The Union. His present objection
therefore on the score OF the increase Of slavery
is newborn objection, TO which his eyes we've
not opened, until modification aud defeated am
bition had embittercd his feelings towards the
People of The South.
We have alluded TO one peculiar consideration
affecting the cons,itutionaliIy or legality Of the
cesson Of the t rntory in question TO Spain. 1t
has been well questioned whether our Govern
ment has right, under the Constitution, to cede
by treaty any portion Of our territory without the
consent Of Congress: but in addition TO this OBJ
lection, in the case of Texas, was an express
stipulation Of the Convent by which that
country was ceded TO us with the rest Of Lousi-
ana The Sd article of the Convention Of Paris
of 1903 says;
The inhabitants Of the ceded territory shall be
Incorporated into the Union Of the United States,
and admitted as soon possible, according TO the
principles Of the Federal Constitution, TO he enjoy
meni u all The rights advantages and mmunifes Of CHI
sens u The United STATES aud in the meantime they
shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoy
ment OF their liberty property and religion Which
they possess"
Now treaties are, by the Constitution, the
supreme law OF the land. 1t was therefore a
violation Of the Constitution, as well as Of
solemn treaty stipulation, TO place any of the
French inhabitants of Louisiana, or their pro-
perry, without the rale Of the protection Of the
Union. IL is i'm alerial how many, or how
lew such inhabitants were in occupation of the
territory coded; the principle would apply if
there was but solitary individual, unless his
assent had been formally procured. But in fact
there were many such in the territory west Of
the Sabine.