The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-11-23
BRITISH OPERATIONS IN TEXAS.

We referred, in brief article, on Monday,
to the contents of some incomplete flies of Texas
papers which we have lately received. On re-
curing to them again we perceive strong lndI-
cations of The nature of the "other means" be
sides " urging the negotiations" alluded to by
Lord Aberdeen in Parliament, when questioned
as 10 the progress of the schemes of the British
Government for procuring the abolition Of sla-
very in Texas. The Texas papers opposed to
the administration of President Houston seem
wholly at loss TO divine the objects Of the Sc
cret negotiations on foot between the two Gov
ernments. Some of them openly charge the
Executive with reasonable designs; others re-
gard the project of abolition too rash to be
attempted, whatever the secret wishes OF the
administration may be. The Houston Tele
graph, we'll conducted paper, and the Oldest
we believe, in Texas, states that there is no
evidence to show that President Houston has in
any manner encouraged the British Government
to prosecute their schemes OF abolition, but
says-''the secrecy, however, that has been OBJ
served in these negotiations, renders every one
engaged in them liable to suspicion" Secrecy
or suspicious in ITSELF even under Republican
Government; but there is something suspicious
in the fact that, in a matter of so much interest
to the People, the administration studlousy
wthholds assurances which might tranquilize
the public mind without giving publicity 10 any
Of the details, or objects, of the negotiation
The Galveston Civilian, in an article of some
length setting forth the reasons of It's disbelief
in the alleged scheme Of abolition, says" when
Gen Henderson, as the representative OF Texas,
first presented to the Government of Great Brl-
tain our claims for recognition as an ndepen-
dent nation. he was assured that it was not the
policy of that Government to recognise any new
State in which the institution OF slavery was
tolerated ; and such was the decided manner IN
which the subject was pressed upon him, that
he came home, dspleased with the treatment
he had received" The question suggests itself
what occasioned the sudden departure from
settled policy, so decidedly expressed The
policy of Government like that of Great Bri-
tain is not so easily changed, though its opinions
NAV vary as to the means most likely to further
its policy and it is not a Government which
abandons its views whenever IT does not hap
pen to succeed in first attempt
That General Houston is so grossly venal or
treacherous as TO be willing to sell himself, or
his county, or that the People of Texas would
permit him 10 sell his country, for so much cash
in hand, paid by the British Government, we
are far from believing. But he has personal
views and interests which he might readily dis
guse TO his fellow countrymen, as well to HIM
self, under the veil Of patriotism. His own
consequence would increase, in proportion TO
the increased consequence and prosperity which
his present country might derive from an init
mate, though secret connection with so power
full a nation as Great Britain and be may think
that his personal consequence would be much
diminished by the annexation Of Texas 10 this
country. The Aattery and promises Of the Bri
fish Government, through their agents, may de-
lude him, and he has quite influence enough
with the People Of Texas to deude them, and
convince them that by yielding TO the views Of
Great Britain, their country would prosper more
rapidly than by maintaining rigid lndepend-
ence. or by annexation TO the United States.
But the real sentiments of President Houston
and those connected with him in the Admins
tration, as well as the progress of British inilu-
ence, are clearly seen in the character of the
editorial and other articles which appear in the
Administration presses. In the National Vim
dicator," new paper established at Washin
ton the present seat Of Government, as the or
gan Of the Administration, we find long arti-
Gle, the temper and design of which appears
even in the first sentence of it: "The Tele-
graph is not free from the miserable prejudice
usually the offspring of ignorance and the bias
Of early education-against every thing English,
which has so long characterized large portion
of the people, and been fosteJed by demagogues
and their presses in the United States" In
the course Of the article, which is labored at
tempt to prejudice the people of Texas against