Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-03-29
VOL. xxx, NO. 3O.--wHOLE NO. 1854.

IRON Mexico and set forth, very fully, the advana-
ges which it was supposed would accrue to the u
nited States from such annexation.
On the 25th of August Mr.. Forsyth, the Secre-
tary of State answered this letter and the follow
ing is an extract from that answer;
question Of the annexation Of foreign independent
state to tho United States has before been presented to
hs Goyenmon Since tho adoption Of their Consultation, two
by the United States In acquiring them this Government was
Of G Of s SoSS and
the well being Of ALL imperatvcy urged upon
Louisiana and Florida As peace however, cherished
policy never to be departed from unless honor should be Perod
yenencos and pyaon and sought transfer of those regions
(by negotiations and not by conquest)
The issue of these negotiations conditional ce"on Of
these countries to the United States The circumstance how
and therefore dependent on the metropolitan Government rem
would be presented by the question Of the annexation Of Texas
The latter is State with an independent Government acknow
yond though 1 bordering on The r'g9p coded BY France - the
the United States contemplated the of such State,
nnd # so in what manner that object is to be effected are
ent, under existing circumstances, to agitate
$50 long Texas shall remain at war, while the United
exian Minister Penpotenary ccsaty involves the ques
seIupuous observed on their part long as it be
rights under The United States might justly suspectodo
ture Of General Hunt wore To- be even for ars
sideaton this would imply disposition part
variance With the spirit of the treaty, with poll
| cy and the obvious welfare of the United Stateso
From that time until quite recently, the subject
has been withdrawn from public attention. The
war between Mexico and Texas is not yet concu-
ded; although active hostilities have ceased, and
truce is understood to have been agreed upon In
the meantime Texas has maintained itself, as an
Independent sovereignty, and has extended its re-
latons with the nations OF the world. If in the
Judgment Of the Government of the United States
there were insuperable objections, to enter
tain any negotiations the subject of annexation
seven years ago. it seems to me that time and events
have served only to strengthen such objections
The Constitutional authority of Congress to ad-
nit States into the Unlon formed of territories
not belonging to any of the States the adoption
of the present form of Government, is an impor-
tant point in our inquiries.
. The Constitution of the United States provides
|, that
but States shall be formed erected within the ursdc
Of any other State nor any State be formed by the juno
of the Legislatures of the States concerned well of
1t would seem very reasonable to conine this
provision to States be formed out of territories
= already belonging to the United States, and in re-
r gard to which the old Congress, by accepting the
cession Of territory from individual States, and
agreeing to the proposed terms of cession had al
ready stipulated that they might be created and adj
:. mitted into the Union. Any other construction
n would be forced and unnatural; and it would i'm
q ply that the trainers of the Constitution and the
people were looking to the extension Of their terri
al tories, although those which they then held were
half wilderness, and the other half very thin
"&ly peopled 1t is not at all probable, from the hs-
tory of the States, from the circumstances in which
he they placed in 1885, from all that is to be
IL learned of mems opinions and expectations at that
day, that any idea was entertained by any body of
h bringing into the Union at any time, States, formed
" out of the territories of foreign powers. Indeed
he much jealousy was felt towards the new Govern
ne ment from fears Of its overbearing weight and
strength when proposed to be established over the
thirteen States. This jealousy it is easy to believe
would have been heated into more desicive and
an perhaps successful opposition, if it had been un
is derstood that projects of enlargement of beunda
an res or territorial aggrandizement had been among
ny the objects contemplated by its establishment Anc
t. it is one of the unaccountable eccentricities anC
apparent inconsistencies of opinion that those who
s a, hold the Constitution of the United States to be
compact betwe States should think nevertheless
ice that the Government created by that constitution
is at liberty to introduce new States, formed out
ns foreign territory, with without the consent @
Il those who dre regarded the original parties.
,od BY the Convention with France of the Both April
as 1903, Louisiana was coded to the United State.
zen with this condition:
The inhabitants Of the coded territory shall he incorporate
18th the Union of the United States end admitted
h sy%en Rs advantages and
lille of the United States and the they
eity property, the religion which they pioiess
ith 1t is now known to have been Mr.. Jefferson
Of opinion at the time, that amendment of the Con
stuton was necessary, in order to carry the stp
o. ulaton into eect and it is known also, that sue
ha, was the opinion ably and earnestly maintained
many distinguished persons in the Government
NOV The treaty however, was ratified. No amendmer
of the Constitution was proposed, and in 1912 Lou
not isana was admitted into the Union State, upo
emf the same footing as the original States. All tn
ne branches of the Government concurred in this
~, and the country acquesced in it. :.
In the year 1919, treaty was concluded wit
OK Spain for the cesson of Florida This treaty fol
a lowed the precedent of that with France, and cor
We tanned this stipulation:
cry "Tho of territories which Catholic MAZE
cedos the United States by this Treaty, shall be
with principles Federal Consultation and
%'sS e the ne S Of S 6a rights and mmun
,u Florida has not yet been admitted into the UnoI
tbs but the treaty ratified the cession accepted
al, sording to Its terms and the people, well tn
the public authorities, have acquiesced in the contrat
Cor twenty years. and given it the sanction of the
,on. appreciation.
!, in Louisiana and Florida, therefore, settled CT
'ieh SEES. The admission Of one, and the agreement
: Il admit the other, at the proper time facts
acts done, and such must have their full eec
A. But it does not follow that they are precedents f
and tho annexation of Texas Important differenc,
are pointed out between the cases, in Mr.. Forsyth
be,. letter; and others might be suggested But it
enough to say that what has been done on, ut hes
p az very questionable right, and in case OF sron
ana urgent necessity, Is no SUFFICIENT WdIIuHl iOI
half similar proceedinp in case in which no such m
eIy cessity exists and in which both the right and e.
de- pediency may be very properly considered, ON u
east original and independent grounds belonging
ON. them.
only am certainly of opinion with Mr.. Jefferson M
Ok AZ r., AZ. Il n Adams and other eu,i mont mo
men that the Constitution never contemplated the
mission of new States formed out Of the territori
!. tHS of foreign nations; and while admit that VIII
win has been done in regard to Louisiana and F'lor
With, us, now he copsidered M le0allv dona yat
aad ihu9' nv" =, ~ 'NS"i'y uoh., ~
il not admit tne propfety OF proceeding farteh al
IONS admitting, not Territory coded by foreign
Press ton, but foreign nation ITSELF with all its ohlg
tons and treaties its laws and its Institutions In
the number of States which compose this Union