Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-09-06
LETTER FROM MR. CLAY ON ANNEXA-
ALTON
We find the following letter from Mr. Clay in
the North Albanian Of the 10th ult

We find the following letter from Mr. Clay in
the North Albanian of the 10th ult.
ASHLAND, 9th July, 1874.
Gentlemen:-l have received your favor inform
ing ne that my views, as disclosed in my letter
from Raleigh, on the question of the Annexation
of Texas, are misconceived if not misrepresented,
in your quarter; and that it is supposed that have
changed my opinion from what it was in 1919. |
endeavorcd to express mysclfin that letter ex-
plicitly as could, and do not think now that it
can be fairly mslnterpreted.
In 1919, when | addressed the House of Repre-
sentatves, the Executive had negotiated the treaty
with Spain, by which Texas was ceded to that pow-
or, but Congress had not then given any sanction
TO the cesson. believe now, and thought then,
that the Treaty making power is not competent,
without the concurrence of Congress- to ccde away
any Territory belonging to the United States But
Congress, by repeated acts, subsequently manifest
ed its appreciation of the Treaty, and these acts
rendered it as valid and obligatory upon the United
States as If Congress had given its assent prior to
the conclusion of the treaty. At that period of
1919, Texas, as claimed by u.s. was unpeopled No
hostile ncurslons and been made into it by ct-
zens of the United States. In 1926 and 1897 there
were but few inhabitants of Texas consisting of
colonists, planted there under the authority of
Mexico.
AT neither of the three periods above mentioned
had any State or section in this Union, manifested
any opposition to Texas composing part of it. 1t
has been said that Mr. Adams's administration offer
ed to negotiate with Mexico for Texas notwith-
standing the existence of war between Spain and
Mexico, and that it could not therefore have beev-
ed that the acquisition ofTexas at that time would
have involved the United States in war with SPAIN
Hence 1t lsargued that the ratification of the late
treaty could not have compromised our peace
Mr. Adams thought it desirable to obtain Texas
| Two foreign powers clnimed ii. Mexico was in
possession, and Spain was doing nothing TO assert
and enforce her claim. Her representative had c.
ven gone so far as TO stlpulae, in convention to
:. acknowledge the independence of Mexico, although
that convention was not ratified by Spain.
Mr. Adams had rlghtto authorize the negotia-
ton OF a treaty for the acquisition Of Texas with
both or either Of the powers claiming it, Ii was ma
tura that he should begin with that power which
had the possession of Texas. Spain had interposed
no obstacle She had made no declaration that she
would regard the acquisition of Texas an act of
/ war. In point Of fact overture was formally
made to Mexico TO purchase Texas no negotiation
was opened, no treaty was concluded If nego-
tiation had commenced If a treaty had been
signed and Spain had protested, the prudent and
cautious policy which characterised Mr. Adams's
administration, would undoubtedly have prompted
him to quiet Spain, and accommodate the matter
previous to the annexation of Texas TO the United
States, and without plunging them in war with
/ Spain. How totally different are all the circumstan-
ces under which, with Mr. Adams's authority, au-
thonzed the overture to Mexico, from those which
attended the recent treaty of Mr. Tyler.
i SO far from Mexico being silent, she repeatedly
and soemnly declared that she would consider an
nexation as war with her. Texas was no longer an
unnhabited country. 1t had been wrested from
the dominion of Mexico by citizens many of whom
went armed from the United States. The war be-
tween Mexico and Texas had not been terminated
by any treaty of peace. Mr. Tyler not only did not
consult Mexico, but he announced that her assent
TO the annexation altogether unnecessary AS
he proceeded to conclude a treaty, embracing a
large extent of Territory, and numerous popula.
ton, not comprehended in the Texas which the u
States ceded to Spain in 1919.
In the mean time, too powerful opposition had
arisen in the United States against the annexation