Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-04-30
TEXAS-TnE TWO LETTERS


10 immediate annexation Ir Clay letter r,,c r. GU
IN II e National INTEL gencsr Of Fncay and N, W.
Bur.n's in Saturday Globe.
The last IS an answer letter from Mr. U,,,,.,
Representative from Missiles pp IN The preseu, ~
gress, asking his opinion the que ston Of The Am
alton. As 1t occupies SIX and half columns Of ~
Globe We shall no; be atle 10 publish until ff,s.v
Mr.. Gays letter is shorter and now Law !, ba.
our readers.
In the meantime, We Lave bot a word or ts ,os,,
advance OF Mr.. Van Bureh's letter IL Is cerattl =,
able aud eloquent production, characterized t
splrit of greet irahkness and DECISION and ev,dr,,
written under deep impression of the Importance Il
the subject, nnd the duty which he owed 10 his ou
dignity and high character. He admits the constr,
tlonal power to be clear aud decided; bu, Is p,oa
grounds OF exped'Pncy, opposed al The present mon,,
TO annexation Whilst We admit. that he has done a..
pie justice 10 his own views and arguments VA.
bound 10 say, that our opinions upon this vita. and 90
crossing subject, are not at all shaken We ram,
snare III the prospective app'ehensIons he expfes,,s
the remote and contingent dangers 10 which h.
aludes, and on which his opposition 10 mainly .n
ported. As little can agree with NJ, ~,
Buren,, that the United States, by the Proposed 80
nexation, would subject themselves 10 The mpu,,n,
of any violation OF the principles OF international law
or be guilty Of any breach Of National faith We,
free TO say, that We entertain no such opinion Row
ever, as Mr.. Van Burrn places his objection u,or
grounds Of mere expcdiency, and that too, IN tie d.
sence of all official information the subject a. A.,
yet despair that when the hole body of eyidenc
both il regards the views Of Great Britain as well :,
those OF Mexico, shall be laid open for public .nspse
ton, he may yet be found advocate for the proposed
annexation. AT all events, The grounds which h.
seems disposed to carry out from hrs own adn,nsra
ton, have been materially changed that epoch ~
Mexico has made no serious attempt 10 renew her
attack upon Texas No such design appears 10 BE- en-
t.r,ained. She is independent fact, as she has beea
recognized by The L. States and Great Britain, 10,
nearly eight years She has right, therefore, to lake
her stand among the nations Of the Earth--,o max.
peace war-cnntract all ances--and TO unite hs de,
times with those OF the United States without our in
curing any imputation of dishcnor or reproach from
tie civilized nations OF the world We ought Of conr.,
TO make the proper representations 10 Mexico upon tie
ground we are pursuing; and 10 assure her. that II IS
from ambitious desire TO extend territory at he,
expense but from essential principle OF sefdeencs
and selt-prrserva,lon.
Mr. Van Buren, presents his views, indeed, with much
ingenuity, and great dignity and with due respec.
to the opinions Of the world And in It's closing re
Election we recognize The marks OF conscientious
mind and unamb tious spirit. So far from clior
eering for the elevated ohce which he onca filled end
which he seems so little ambitious, comparatyfly
speaking, 10 fill again, lie tells his friends that
"There may notwithstanding, be those on both SIDES
Of this great question, who are unwilling To confer their
sufrages who is not prepared TO give tbrm pf
clic lodges in regard to the course he would, If elected
pursue respect to the various aspects IN which tbs
matter may hereafter be presented Toall such have
only 10 sav-snd do 80 with the greatest sincerity
that have not the slightest disposition 10 question
their right regulate their conduct, and Will be the
last to PLAN OF lis exercise II there be any ore
who they beiiegr can be more safely nrusted with
their interest this any other OF the great questions
of public policy-whch likely 10 in the ADM
stration OF the Government, whose assurances
TO his future satisfactory 10 them, itey
will, without doubt, be well warranted IN giving ha
the preference and they may be assured that no
will more cheeriully acqnesce in decIsion made om
such motives, than myself. have expressed vi
Lngness to discharge, 10 the best Of my abilities, tie
res ponsible duties Of the high office question, shOud
the Democracy Of The United Stoes be able and 81
ling 10 re.eect me To The same. Bot ] can take no
steps to obtain by which my ability 10 discharge T.
duties impartally and useiully 10 every portion -four
common country would be impaired; can l. IN any
extremity be induced 10 cast shade over The motive;
of nv past life, by changes concehment OF mon.
maturey formed upon gres, national question, oTtie
unworthy purpose Of increasing my chances tor pot-
cal promoton So much for Nj; Van Buren, abe
letter and its distinguished Author!
MIR. Claws letter is an inferior production, d'suf.
guished by no ingenuity of argument-by no snes
manke views-by no force or beauty OF composoa
marked by no lofty sentiment, in regard TO the inter
ess of country, or to our relations with foreign
nations, and somewhat lnsidious IN ITS ausoGs 10 The
sectional feelings of the North Upon the consttu
throw an ar Of mystery and doubt the power Of
Annexation.
MIR. CIay's letter, which we lay before our readers
our preceding columns, s destined II call forth me-
discussion IN The public prints. Correspondent, A..
already promised T. mploy his scalpel lis dsssc
ton. Mr.. Clay ought to have exerted ell his inss
nuity 10 guard his own potlon-because OF all lIyn.
statesmen he stands most deeply committed IN beIai
q T-xcs. When it proessf dly ceded by The l0.
rda Treaty OF 1919, obj ced 10 IT upon strong
Sd pr, 1870, that the Treaty inoperanrt: thai
Texas had been and was portion Of our TERRITORY
that Territory c0ud MT be alteR0ted merely by !
Treaty and consequently that notwithstanding 'le
Treaty, Texas SIN omn. OF all mer brealt
ing. therefore, Mr. Clay i, surely the very st, w'o
ought TO object, when cas- ly and hono'by
her when she offers to throw herself again mo
our arms, to raise any objection TO the re-annexaoH
But what more: When he became Secretary oil State
under MIR. John Quincy Adams, he made two a.
tempts to recover the territory As Mr.. Walker
mastery letter sa,es-"On The Goth of March, i-&,
Mr. Clay, in conformity with his views, and
the cypress directions Of Mr.. .4dams President
directed letter to Mr. PoInsett, our Min ser al eI
leo, nstrucng him 10 ende TO procure from Mel
leo transfer 10 us of Texas The Del Norte. In tbs
letter, MIR. Clay says, the President wishes you to
effect that object Mr. Clay adds the line Of the
Sabine approaches our Western boundary nearer than
could be wished. Perhaps the Mexican Governmeh
may not be unwilling to establish the Rio Brassos De
Dios or the Rio Colorado, or the Snow Mountains, q
the Rio del Norte in lieu Of it, Mr. Clay urges also
the Importance Of having entirely within limits, FAe
Red and Arkansas rivers and their respective ribu,y
streams, On he 18th March, 1927, MIR Clay ag,r
ed The effr, to procure The of Texas 10
his letter Of instruction of that date, to Ministers:
Mexico, he says The President has thought the pre-
sent might be auspc'ous period for urging neg
tiaion at MEXICO, TO settle the boundary Of the t"o
republics If we could obtain such boundiry''
we desire the Government Of the United States met:
be disposed 10 pay reasonable pecuniary compensation
The boundary prefer is, that which beginning u
the mouth Of the Rio del Nore in the sea- shall ascei
that river TO The mouth Of the RIO Puero, thence g
cendng this river TO its source aud from IFS source "
4 line due North 10 strike the Arkansas thence ioo''
ing the Southern bank of the Arkansas its source
latitude 40 degrees North, and thence by ,ha paaf'
of latitude TO the South sea And he sdds the tra!
may provide for the incorporation of the inhabitants
into the Union
1t is utterly ridiculous fo- Mr. Clay, therefore, ''1
to object to the present negolation that !. was h,'
called for by the public sentiment because the same o'
jecton might have applied TO his negotiations 10
'25 and % Ii is idle for him n0w 10 say, hi' We
had ecdrd the country 10 SPAN in 1910, because
then contended, that we had no right 10 cede II "s
sdus nom that we "fairiy aensei our title ~ let-'