The Arkansas banner., 1844-07-10
Tract No. Ill
 TEXAS


 Address of fbe Washington Democrafic .9ssoeatiof
 to the Democracy of ae UHited Siq}es.
 BROTHERS: Your principles are in dan ger. The truth Is with you; the people are with you, the hopes of mankind are with you; and yet you are in the most imminent danger of defeat. Your peril is not in tho strength of your adversary, the soundness 0 his principles, or the popularity of his mea. sures, but in the divisions of your own DO litical leaders.
 A new element has been introduced intC the contest for. the presidency, which, with out the utmost discretion and forbearance or the part of all true friends of their country and of sound principles, threatens, by it's eX elements, to divide and prostrate the party on whose union and success all that is pre- cious in republican government depends.
 Under these circumstances, it becomes every considerate democrat 10 lift his voice Tn favor of peace .'to pour oil on the trou- bled waters ;" 10 implore those who are rushing into fraternal strife, to stop and re- fleet; to check as far as may be, with hls voice and by his example, mutual crlmna- ton and recrimnations to recall the wan dering eye of the faithful democrat to the standard around which We have so often fought, and warm up his heart with love for those principles, which, under Jefferson and Jackson, entered into the battle cry, and were the echo of victory.
 The question upon which the democratic party is in danger of division, is the imme- diate annexation of Texas to the United States. The evils of this measure are doubt less exaggerated on the one side, and its be- neits magniGed on the other. It is the Pe- eular aptitude of the American people to mn into extremes in matters of opinion. Not unconscious ourselves of the in6nnity which misleads others, we shall endeavor to give you, without excitement of exaggeration, n brief sketch of the views we take of this im- portant question and it's connection with the presidential election, happy if perchance we can say aught to maintain harmony in the democratic party, and induce them, with uni ted front, 10 march on 10 victory
 We are not among those who have appre- hensions of danger from the extension of our territory, so long as our government is ad- mlnlstered according 10 the true,spint of the constitution. There are few great prfnci- pies Ill which all mankind, whatever may be the diversity of local circumstances and in stitutions, have an equal interest. One of them IS PEACE another is RECIPROCAL. FREE TRADE another THE INvIoLhBILtTY of CON TRACTS. The reign of peace extends itself over all States which gather under the shel- ter of our constitution between .thase States, trade is reciprocal and free; and n6ne of them are at liberty to pass any law i'm pairing the obligation of contracts. IL is on- ly these and similar general interests that our constitution embraees-interests equally im- pertant to the human family in the tempe rate zone or the frigid, at the equator and the poles,-leaying every thing local to be regu- lated by local legislation. Our constitution, administered ln it's purity, is like heavens canopy, a shield beneath which man alug 'eork oat kis olrA Happiness, gather the means of subsistence, surround himself with every comfort, improve his mind, correct his errors, reform his institutions, and advance his race to the highest degree of knowledge and vir- tue which a short life and finite mind will allow him to attain.
 Why should we be so narrow-minded and selfish as not to be willing to extend +his blessed shield over as large a portion of the human family as we can, without danger to ourselyesi We readily perceive why those who wish to build up arislocracies and sys- tens of nobility on this continent, the mem bers of which are to be fed, and clothed, and housed by taxing the industry of the laber- ing millions, should be opposed to an eXten- sion of territory. We well understand why such men prefer that Texas should remain separate republic on the South, and Canada become one on the N orth. Each, with the United States, must then have her separate army and navy; the number to be supported by the toll of the farmer and mechanic must be greatly increased; and ever and anon mans rulers and tormentors-wh know no glory but that of the battle field, and eonsi- der the mass of their race as created only to be worked and butchered to gratify tteir ap- petites and ambtion-Wil employ the peo- pie of the three countries in rayaging each others territories, and taking each others lives. in the train of numerous standing ar mics, and to glean up from the fields what the desolations of war have left must come and will come, grinding taxation, cornets and crowns If there be any among Us who would see their sons torn from them to kill their fellow men in Texas or Canada, and the fruits of their labor consumed in taxes 10 feed and clothe them in the operation, and pamper chiefs and lords-military and civil, in peace and war-rather than the people oi those countries should live with US in peace and brotherhood, such men should, under all circumstances, be opposed to the exten- sion of our territory. Who will say that g league among the nations which should se- cure the perpetual reign of tspeace on earth would not be blessing to etery nation i- Who will maintain, that, if 1t secure s'good will among men" by perfect freedom of in- tercourse, the blessing would not be greatly enhanced Such d league to the nations over which 1t extends it's protection, is opu constitution. It does not make diiIeren States one people, except so far as their in, terests are one. It gives peace jt gives re- clprocal free trade; and where are the State. whose interests are not one in those respects
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