Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-06-01
From the Nasiwik Union.
cen. jackson and Annexation.

in which he brings this important question before
the country in its true light This letter comes
forth at the urgent request of General Jaokson's
numerous friends, who have addressed him of
late and expressed desire to know if his senti-
ruents have not changed in regard to annexation,
since SO much information has been brought to
bear upon this great measure by the letters of
Or Van Bren and other distinguished men OF
our country.
HERMrTAor, May 10, 1914
To the EsFtor Of the Union.
Sir II am induced to address You this letter
because l have, within few days past, received
Letters from many Of my friends, who have ex-
pressed desire to know whether my views in
relation to the policy of annexing Texas TO the
United States have been changed by the light
which the subject has received from the recent
letters of Mr., Van Buren, and other prominent
citizens and because it seems to be necessary
that should answer or be misunderstood
Having no connection with the question. ex
cept the interest which, in common with other
citizens, take in all that concerns my country.
what have heretofore said upon it was dictated
by no design to be prominent actor 1, was
certainly far from my expectation that there
should be an effort in any quarter TO make the
question mere party one. Hence when it
was brought to my notice some twenty months
ago, by the honorable Mr. Brown Of this State.
| answered his inquiries with proinptness and
trankness
had not forgotten the principles by which my
administration had been guided when attempting
10 obtain Texas by negotiation with Mexico nor
the care which was taken 10 convince Mexico af.
forwards that this government had no agency, di.
rectly or indirectly, in the steps resorted to by
the people of Texas to establish for themselves
independent government In the reference
which Mr.. Van Buren has made to my conduct
as President in these respects he has stated what
is entirely true and has delineatcd, with the a
hility and perspicuity which so eminently dis
tingnish him, the general principles which char.
acterise the course Of our government in its in.
tercouTse with foreign powers. But, just and
accurate he is and subscribing, most fully, ,.s
do. to all that he alleges as applicable TO the
question as it stood in my administration and as
it did under his own, think that the circumstan.
ces are 30 far altered as to give a aspect to
the whole question, and 10 authorize acorrespon-
ding change in the direction with which onr 90
vernment may now act upon
At the present period, it connot be doubted
that Texas is able to maintain her independence
Of Mexico, if each State is left 10 its own resour-
ces, uninfluenced and unaided by any foreign pow
er Eight years have elapsed since the memo
ba Of Jaci inf nd hoo haop
no serious attempt on the part of Mexico to oc-
eupy the country, and it is certain none can be
made with any prospect ofsaccess. In this state
Of affairs, acknowledged by ourselves and the
principal powers of the world as an independent
nation, and treated as such, Texas renews to us
the alpost unanimous wish Of her citizens 10 be
annexed 10 the United States telling US, substan.
TALLY, that if now repulsed, she must form such
alliance elsewhere will best enable her to i'm
prove her resources and repair the disasters which
she has suffered from protracted quasi war
She is sensible that her happiness will be best
secured by incorporation into our Union-that
the disposition and pursuits of her people, being
the disposition and pursuits of her people, being
homogeneous with those of the United States, car
receive no adequate protection from any Other
quarter. We admit the truth of these assertions
and feel that they constitute powerful motive
for action, independent of the consideration,
which are suggested by prudent regard for the
stability Of our own institutions
In reference to Mexico ! would use the fol
lowing language: We have carefully abstainec
from all interference with your relations to Tex
as except to acknowledge her independence, il
the same manner and npon the same principles
that we did your independence when you sepa
rated from Spain, We have, indeed, been NOR
scrupulous with you than with Spain, for, with
out consulting or respecting the feelings Of IN
open anegocation with you for the retrocessio
of Texas, and that, too, long before your indie
pendence was acknowledged by Spain. But III
time has now come when we feel that this del
cacy ought no longer TO restrain us from treat
with Texas, particularly as we know that ou
failure to do so will produce results that may cr
danger the safety of our own confcderacy
! cannot think there is discrepancy betwce
these views and those avowed by my administr
ton, when proper allowance is made for II
change of circumstances, that they conta
any well founded cause for complaint on the pa
ofMexico
It may now be stated as fact, on which y
may rely with the greatest confidence that
Texas be not speedily aduntted into our cont
deracy, she must and will be inevitably driv,