Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-04-13
Vol. s..

Friday before the meeting Of CongressO
appeared an article reproaching this paper
land the Globe) in direct reference to the
rumored proposition for the annexation of
Texas, with excepting their Jour readers
in as profound ignorance Of the approach
ing agitation Of a most important national
measure, as they are [were] of the secret
movements and intrigues of the Cabinet at
st. Petersburg" a most unhappy illustra
ton notwithstanding at once confess
sion Of secret movements and intrigues for
the "annexation," and an assimilation of
the Executive authority in this Govern.
ment TO that of the absolute Emperor in
the Government of Russia. This, then,
was the first direct avowal of the measure
of annexation" being meditated by the
President and his Cabinet; and the use of
the term approaching agitation at once led
us, and the public generally, to suppose that
the recommendation of the measure was
forthcoming in the Presidents Message TO
Congress. We believe, for our part, that,
when that article was penned, the recon-
mendation, was, in one form or other, act.
ually in the Message, but was stricken out
of it on the Saturday following, either
upon reconsideration, or upon news re-
ceived in the intervening time from Texas
unfavorable to the immediate presentation
of it. We believe so, from the fact,
among other circumstances, that the Mes
sage contained q dissertation concerning
the relations between Texas and Mexico,
apparently without any object, and having
all the appearance of an deliberately
wrought pedestal to q dismounted statue
the statue in this case being, as we sup
pose, the "most important national measure"
referred to in the official gazette.
Be this as it may, whether because of
encouragement by the Government Of
Texas, or from whatever other cause, the
tone of the Message fell short of the prom
Use of the Madisonian, and, after an abor-
tive attempt of the friends of Texas"
through the means of certain Extra"
distributed from the office of the Govern
ment paper among members Of Congress,
to get up the question in Congress, the pro-
ject seemed to be at rest.
Some time thereafter, however, special
Messenger was, it appears, despatched
from the Department of State for Texas,
with some other proposition or suggestion
to the Government of Texas. He arrived
on his final visit (as we learn from the
Houston Telegraph at the seat of Govern
ment of Texas on the 18th of last month";
bearing dispatches relative TO the nego-
tiation now in progress respecting annexa-
ton" which dispatches were said to be
Favorable" This bearer of dispatches
(Mr. Tod) returned to this city washing
ton) about the 10th of this month, and is
supposed TO have brought the ultimatum Of
| n ~ tho nc of
the appointment of Mr.. Henderson TO be
an associate with Mr.. Van Zandt, for the
completion of the Treaty upon terms al
ready agreed upon.
We have been thus particular in sketch
ing for our readers the history of this
transaction from such materials as are
within our reach or knowledge, because it
may happen, in the course of events, that
no official account of it will be given, for
the present at least. General Houston, it
is supposed, withheld the proposition So
licited from him by this Government until
he received assurances, upon which he
placed reliance, that two.thrds of the Sen
ate of the United States were prepared to
consent to a treaty for the annexation of
Texas to the United States. 1t may be
that the Ministers of Texas to this Govern
ment are instructed to sign the Treaty only
upon this information being verified TO
them here; that, if convinced of the erro-
neousness of this information, they may
decline to sign the Treaty; and that, there
fore, the incidents of the negotiation and
the particulars Of the Treaty may remain
shrouded in the mystery which now wells
them.
But, without indulging in further specu-
lation or conjecture as TO the event of this
extraordinary negotiation, we invite the
attention of the reader to brief view OF
the circumstances under which it has been
originated and thus far prosecuted.
In what public necessity, let US first in.
quire, has this Negotiation had its originl
In the existing relations between the Uni
ted States and the rest of the world, what
was there to require of the President to
exercise the power-admitting for argu-
ment's sake his right to do so-of propos-
ing to Foreign State to be annexed to the
United States? We pass by for the pres
ent the question, what advantages, possibly
to enure to the United States from the
annexation, could compensa' for the evil
of weakening the physical strength of the
Union by extending its territory, and for
the expenditure necessary TO discharge al
, the debts and obligations of that Govern
: ment, to provide for its future government
and To- maintain the possession of it; be-
cause these are considerations which regarC
/, the expediency, and not the necessity o.
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