The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-11-25

boarding. search lor aud examination Of papers VI
vessel, on the high seas In time OF peace, has been
declared illegal by the highest judicial authority thai
ever presided over tho English Court Of Admiralty =
We trust thar, in the cad, the American Peo'
pie will not be found TO possess less degree Of
national spirit aud patriotism, though less promp'
and sensitive in its nature, Than was ascrbed
to them by the Duke of Wellington, We have
alluded now to these subjects of the Creole and
the Right of Search, TO show the obsiinacy with
which he British Government has chung to It's
purpose, and its perfect reckessness OF the feel
ings, interests, and even national rights Of our
p eople in the pursuit of that purpose, until, al
length, il is encouraged 10 make still holder
demonstration, and one TO which submission on
our part would not only be recreant and craven
abandonment of the stand taken in the face OF
the world by President Monroe, but would ex-
pose us TO the unmiligated scorn Of those VIII o,
like the Duke of Wellington, have witnessed a
fierce and ndomitable national spirit displayed
even under the debasng governments of Spain
and Portugal
Great Britain has at length driven US into a
corner and compelled us 10 make at least de-
fensive stand. We must adopt some precau-
tlonary measures, or else tamely submit TO have
our national independence outraged, or the
Union dissolved and he question is, what these
precautionary measures shall be?
We can imagine nothing shou Of the annex
alton of Texas which would edtciuay guard
us against The impending danger Great Bri-
tain has a right, under the law of nations, to
propose what terms Of treaty she pleases TO
Texas, and Texas has a right to accede to them,
provided they do not directly infringe upon our
rights With this proviso, any treaty which
she might make, however indirectly injurious to
US would give US no just ground Of war. Be-
sides, we wish, if possible to avoid being, even
in appearance only, the aggressor in a war.
1t may be urged that we, Also have a rig ht to
make treaty with Texas. But even admitting
that we could propose as favorable terms as
Great Britain, no treaty that we could make, in
conformity with our Constitution and the spirit
Of our institutions, would enable US TO acquire
such control over the destinies of Texas, as
would prevent the disability of their being
brought into conf ct with our own, through the
mdcHinatlohs Vi ioreiSh powers auu particularly
Of a power so determined on accomplishing its OBJ
ject as Great Britain. A treaty OF alliance, Of
fensve and defensive. however intimate and
strongly cemented, might prove but transitory
and illusve, besides being contrary TO the spirit
of our institutions; and so far as it respects
slavery, there would be the same opposition and
grounds Of objection by Abo,itionists TO any
such treaty as 10 annexation.
Annexation, therefore, is the only certain de-
fence and protection against the designs Of Great
Briain-designs manifested in 80 many ways,
by acts bctraying such apersevering and aggres-
sive spirit, and at length so recklessy avowed,
that to be any longer blind to them, or passive
under the attempts TO accomplish them would
render us the laughing stock of mankind. The
best defence which we have against them is one
in perfect conformity with our Constitution as
settled by repeated and irreversible precedents,
and to which Great Britain has precluded her
self from Directing as any violation OF the law
Of nations, or as an act Of hostility to Mexico,
by her own recognition of Texas