The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-09-06
CLAY AND ANNEXATION.

lay before our readers MS thud. we snail give ms
| fourth as soon as received.
The coons look blank over this letter; they think
as the coon Journal at Columbus says: $50 far
as the people of this section of the Union were
ceved, thi, expression was in NO WAY NE
CESSARY." This 10 doubt, the Journal be-
lieves to be true, knowing that it has destroyed
their dsunion capital. A few days since and
Ewing was believing forth disunion with might
and maine Wonder what he thinks now! He
will no doubt fall back on his reserved rights-hs
here Mr.. Ewing had piles on piles ofhuman bones
bleaching on battle fields. Oh, what capital this
third letter has destroyed Poor wings we pity
you. The wings every where are coming out for
Polk and Dallas Wonder, after this letter, If Clay
wont decline and come out Tor Polk and Dallas too.
From the Ohio Statesman.
"PERSONALLY I COULD HAVE NO OBJ
LECTION TO THE ANNEXATION OF
TEXAS."-Hemy clay.
Look at Mr.. Cay's "latest" Ito use modest
word of the Journal,) notion on Texas. Did the
world ever witness such t,co fac'd, JANUS
FACED leader of a facticn' One day the dupes
of Mr.. Clay in this region are threatening DIS
SOLUTION OF THIS MIGHTY UNION if
Teras is annered--the next they are twisting their
faces in dozen shapes to follew their leader to
ANNEXATION! But few days ago the Jour-
na ofths city, threatened the safety of the Union,
if Texas was annexed. Now, they 60 Clay who
"SHOULD BE GLAD TO SEE" 1T ANNEX
ED!
Yes, "GLAD" is the word! Where is Tom
Ewing' Where is Tom Corwin' Where is Bella.
my StOrer and SENATOR EVANS of Maine, and
the rest Of the family' How about that Texas
debt of eighty millions, and all the other "raw
head and bloody bones" of the coon orators in
Ohio' Are they not in pretty, laughable, yea,
most contemplate positIon' Here is the letter
to John M Jackson and Thomas NJ Peters, of
Alabama. Read, its good for the eyes!
"Gj- lido not M'nk M,t the subject ofSLAVE-
RY should affect the question one .oay or the oth-
r''-s1 Blush ye silly coon orators, who make
slavery the GREAT THREAD of your haran.
CUES.
From the Tuscumbia North Alabamian of August
l6, and the Ohio State Journal of August 27,
1914.
ASHLAND, 2sth July, 1874.
Gcntltnlen Il have received your favor inform.
ing me 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 il is supposed that have
changed my opinion from what it was in 1919.
endeavored to express myself in that letter as ex.
plicitly as could, and do not think now that il
can be fairly misinterpreted.
In ISl9 when addressed the House of Rep
resentatives, the Executive had negotiated the
treaty with Spain, by which Texas was ceded to
that power, but Congress had not then given any
sanction to the cession believe now, as I
thought then, that the Treaty making power is not
competent, without the concurrence of Congress,
to cede away any Territory belonging to the Uni
ted States But Congress, by repeated acts, SUBJ
sequenty manifested its appreciation OF the treaty;
and these acts rendered il as valid and obligatory
upon the United States, as if Congress had given
thatp period Of 1919, Texas as claimed by US, was
unpeopled No hostile incursions had been made
into il by citizens Of the United States. In 1926
and 1927, there were but few inhabitants ofTexas,
consisting of some 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
part of it. II has been said that Mr.
Adams administration offered to negotiate with
Mexico for Texas, notwithstanding the existence
ofa war between Spain and Mexico, and that il
could not therefore have believed that the acquis-
ion of Texas, at that time, would have involved
he United States in war with Spain. Hence il is
lrgued that the ratification Of the late treaty could
lot have compromised our place
Mr. Adams thought it desirable to obtain Texas.
Two foreign powers claimed it Mexico was in
possession, and Spain was doing nothing to assert
md enforce her claim. Her representative had
wen gone so far as to stipulate, in convention, to
acknowledge the Independence of Mexico, al
hough that convention was not ratified by Spain.
MIR Adams had right to authorize the nego.
iation of treaty for the acquisition of Texas with
10Th or either Of the powers claiming it. II was
latural that he should begin with that power
which had the possession Of Texas. Spain had in
exposed no obstacle. She had made no declara.
ion that she would regard the acquisition Of Texas
IS an act Of war. In point of fact, no overture
vas formally made to MexIco to purchase Texas,
10 negotiation was opened, no treaty was con-
.luded.
If negotiation had commenced, orif treaty
lad been signed and Spain had protested. the pru-
lent and cautious policy which characterized Mr..
Adamss administration, would undoubtedly have
prompted him to quiet Spain, and accommodate the
natter, previous to the annexation of Texas to the
United Safes. and without plunging them in war
With Spain. How totally different are all the cir
under which, with Mr.. Adams author
ty, authorized the overture to Mexico, from those
III IL IL