The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-10-30

n Ii
tory IN question was ce1' 4 ~ Spain; but how
itcame 70 pass ,ha', as head VI cabins, land
manag rs he negotiation sh6Qld 31 have had
SO lltAle influence with Mr.. MoaEoa land how
he, as a Northern man, should HAVE been op-s
POS e u the result of the nSgqE aaiqk, Which he
wasthe active instrument In BtidxiQg aboul,|
while Mi. Monroe, u Southern NnaT wa Nj obstl-l
uateb benz % concluding i'll ia which
The Interests Of his own sect t4ac contiry
Is well as those of the tiatioH lafge; were
wholly lost siSht 81, Ii II iay sff3fY Which Mr.,
Monroe no longenNves expl8invs N
The iaAn diaya1Tause 81 abafgajn - thrift
less and unw ise, aud % discrsditalle 70 the |
intelligence and sfrmness Of The Govern
'nent, WIN aSsaf{ed IN tic floor uf Con
gress BY Mr. Clay ~ be- foreign inElrifr-A
ence-t lfeA same cause Which Is now BUSH
y al wok TO prevent our re-acquisition of the
territory The Russian Government interfered
on behalf Of Spain and exposiulated with our
Government, mildly in language, but with al
significant carnestncss and perrnacity and.
Mr.. Adams, feeling perhaps Patri tic alarm al
The idea OF being the means Of subjecting his
ance, Of which Russia was the head, and Spain
the neither member temporlzed and comproms-
ed as well as his agitaied nerves would permit.
The differ nee in the style of the communca-
lions which passed between our Government
and the Russian Minister is thus characterized
by Mr.. Clay in his speech on the Trealy:
elf Count Nesselrode had never written another
tab 70 Mr.
letica, which has been transmitted to this House, will
demonstrate that he merited the confidence of his
master. 1t is quite refreshing to read such state pa
pers, after perusng those Che sorry TO say it, he
wished there veil broad and thick enough TO
conceal them orever which this treaty had produced
on the part of our Government"
A few years afterwards Mr.. Adams himself
became President-Mr. Clay occupying under
him, aud by gilt from him, the station which he
declared so publicly thai Mr.. Adams had dis
graced by his unmanly tracking TO foreign pow
ers. oae Of the first impulses of Mr.. Adams
was TO endeavor TO rectiy the mistake made
not by himselr-but by Mr. Monroe: and to set
on loot negotiation for the recovery Of Tex S.
How far he was actuated in this by wish TO
gain popularity in the South-a quarter 10 which
he saw the clouds gathering that finally burst
upon him-is problem which every one may
solve for himself, not forgetting TO consider
among the data the striking contrast furnished
by Mr.. Adamss present feelings and opinions
respecting The annexation Of Texas. There is
certainly to all app arance, glaring and ire
concllable inconsistency in his course, to which
Mr.. Preston thus allud, in his speech in the
Senate April "a, 1898:
"NIr Adams was not content to rest our title upon
this imposing array of positive testimony, but
ined and dssipaed all the objections to it taken by
the Spanish Minister, aud by mastery refutaon of
the Spanish preensions, satisfied Gas It has since
been understood) the Spanish negotator himself
thoroughly that ne would have been willing TO have
characterized the result Of the negotiation as "a
treaty for the exchange of territories &c, between
Spain and America.
II is sracge that measure which has been ar
gued for twelve years past, should now, for the first
! time be met by tempest of opposition; and il is
rery strange that he should be found riding upon and
directing the storm, who was the very first TO
propose the annexation of Texas, Of the very
earliest measures Of his administration after he
made President. Yes Mr.. President, Mr.. John
Quincy Adams had hardly assembled the Presidential
chair before he assiduousy addressed himself to the
task Of repairing the injury inflicted upon the
try By the treaty Of 1919, in the making of which
has since been understood he the reluctant agent
AS Secretary Of State, in 1919, he negotiated the
treaty Of transfer; President Of the U. States, in
1924 he instituted negotiation for the annexation.
Through his Secretary Of State, Mr. Clay, the Pre-
sdent instructed Mr. Poinsett, then minister at Mex
! leo TO open at once and vigorously urge negoa-
ton for the re-acquiston Of Texas, and the reetab
lshment Of the Southwest line of the United States
| at the Rio GRANGE del Norte. The Secretary urged
il 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 al that time la
bored under large debt, the Envoy was authorized
to offer FIVE millions lof the acquisition"
If Mr. Adams was sincere in this attempt be
must have known hat the result would be to add
so much save-bolding territory, and as many
,lave-hodng 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 and defeated am
billion had embittercd his feelings towards the
People oflhe South.
We have alluded to one peculiar consideration
affecting the consdIutionalily or legality Of the
cession Of the rritory in question TO Spain. It
has been well questioned whether our Govern
mcnt has right, underline Constitution, to cede
by treaty any portion Of our territory without the
consent Of Congress: but in addition 10 this OBJ
lection, in the case Of Texas, was an express
stipulation of the Convention by which that
county was ceded TO us with the rest Of Louisi
ana. The Sd article ofthe Convention ofParis
Of 1903 says:
60 The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be
incorporated into the Union Of the United States,
and admitted possible, according to the
principles Of the Federal Constitution, 10 the enjoy
ment Of all The rights, adUaniages snd nniiies Of citi
gems Of The United STATES and in the meantime they
shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoy
ment Of their liberty, property and religion which
they possess"