Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-09-13
From lhe Norlh Alnhnmnn of Aha lGlh nd.

AsHLA.p, JuLY 81, 1871.
Genemtn-l have received your favor informing
me that nv views as disclosed by me IN my letter
from Raleigh on the question OF the Annexation OF
Texas, are msconcclved, if not mlsreprcscntci in
your quarter and that it is Supposed that | have
changed nv opinion from what it was IN 1919. | en-
dcavotcd to express myself in that letter explicitly
a could, and do not think now that IT can be fairly
misnterprctcd.
In lSl9, when addressed the House of Reprcscn-
tatives the Executive had negotiated the treaty with
Spain, by which Texas was ceded TO that power, bur
Congress hadn then given any sanction to the ces-
$40 l. believe now and thought them that the trea-
ty making power is not competent, without the CON
CurrCncc OF Congress, to cede away territory be-
longing 10 the United States. But Congress by re-
peacI acts sub equenily manifested its appreciation
of the treaty; and these acts rendered it valid and
obligatory upon the United States if Congress had
given It's ass mt pilor to the conclusion of the treaty
At that period of 1919, Texas, claimed by us,
unpeOplcd. No hostile ncursions had been made into
it by the cillZ. ms of the tncd States, In 1925 and
1927, there were but few inhabitants of Texas, con-
sisng Of some cooniss, planted there under the au-
thority of Mexico.
At neither oil the three periods above mentioned had
any state or section Of this Uulon manifested any OPP
position 10 VcX1s composing part OF 1t. 1t has been
sud that Mr.. Adams administration offered to ncgo-
tirte with Mexico for Tens notwithstanding the cx-
lsenrc ofn war between Spain and Mexico, and that
II could not therefore have believed that the acquisition
OF Texas At that time, would have involved the Uni
ted States war with SPAN. Hence it is argued
that the ratification of the late treaty could not have
compounded our peace.
Mr.. Adams Thought desirable to obtain Texas
Two foreign powers claimed 1t. MeXlco was in pos
| session, and Spain was doing nothing to assert and
enforce her claim. Her representatives, had even
! gone SO far as 10 st}uIa'e IN n convention, to ac-
knowledge the md'pcndrnre OF Ni'Xico although that
convention was no. ratified by Spajn.
MIR. Adams had n right to authorize the negotiation
ol treaty Tor the acquisition OF ltNas with boh Oh
eIihci OF NE powers caliuhg H. 1t was natural ha'
| he should begin with that power which had posses
Siph 3i t'NaS' :PlIh :i'u h'elposeI no "ns,ace.-
she had made no declaration that she would regard
the acquisition OF Texas as an act OF war IN point OF
net no Overture was iorHlaIiy made TO Mexico 10
pure asc IrNaS' no neg Uatnn was opened no urea
/ y va conciU'ta; II neg nI'uon .ai CotI"ehcei'
or U'AN hiH "telI s'9n'u' "il' Nitn nag Pi"'tat'
80" ~, F9I'n' ana cautious PoHey "3th charac'Sr-
yea ''T' H"aIitS ADMINISTRATOR "ou'd undoubtedly
nave itomP'eu MN 10 qUet SPAN ana accomh"ln''
me nl1'tf' previous 10 me annexation 9 icXas 10 tle
In,tel states, ana without plun1ng lhGm INTO war
WIN NPMA now Io'aly oIero,' arc an 'hGrrcu"'
stlncts undgr "hIrn' WIN Mr. Adams nnthorl'Y'
authorized IHe overture 10 ieXicn rom those when
a'IeHI'u me I.reht treaty oi nr' iyef!
:" la Hnll' h'N 60 oti"" sIt'i Shc 'op'h''dV hIlu
sorl'l''} u'r'e" u, 'l S''t W. Il" toI'SeI annex on
a. wa, M.,i "I, 'N'S "nS H. ig r an u,'...!.a.-
hu country. IL "'u uot" NItSl'u iI"'H 'ile DOMINION
81 Mexico Nv CIT zehS many oI Wh9m went armed
/ i'in ~ ,'e t,''" sues. ne war ne' "eeh M'A'co
ana leNas hn1 not ht'h rr"'i a'rd by any if,ay OF
peace MI lNlT NOT only dd not consult Mexico
ou' ne a'hl"'eu ii''i ier assent 10 'He alHeN',lph
was Altogether unnecessary. ana ne pro r.dtd TO
cohcn'e ,rehY' embracing large cSen' OF ''rrto-
IY az, i INJURIOUS P,pH"Iun, NOT cH''PIe".hued N
10 eA"7 MIC" Tue O''cu ''acS ecueu 10 spun III
l9.U
IN ,ne mem uh'' l"o' Po"g' II opposition h'u
arisen ~ N ,l' u's1 9loteI aeanS lle anneNi"'h "
itN'S 10 'l,'h H''eFai 'o'a'e5 M" uac 1I'.' !u'9
th'lI ''&7,a.'cr a@'lst IT. hla o'he,S II ~, Wl'.,
sec'llls Oh ''r ohloh were octVed 10 ne ADVERSE ~
IT, ms was 'He opp"sl9n 10 tne measure I" "Itn
N my h9't@h i''l'r' alluded, "hen sPuEr W d
ana 'e','',Aoe p'''l VI '.t c'"1 o'c'"
'g uu not FpIlF 10 persons o"l 10 s''''S Ut ste
+ Pn9',
oh'er sura CIRCUMSTANCES couu not o"' r'@"''
ino nnn'Nn'lon ol itSls' al ts ti,e' hs c"ilp,o.n
ny me h"h0F OF my country mVo'vIn@ II IN W'r u
wrh ,e sy'lh,nlgs ni an hi.slcIl,o.n WLa'I IT, u
against us ana ENGINEERING the integrity OF me oa
ION thought then, ana sul hreve' 'hat nallona