Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-05-24

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ton r tenabe should have been urged and prevail
~" 80 NO purchased either LOUISIANA or the Flo.
| ridas 49,, oa ;,,,;,;o,
,h h,,.,r. Of political power IN our system too much
- fror If The W. 81 and South But the same course
IS ,e..onipu would strip us OF all our great domain on
10 pfc ocean-a country never TO he surrendered
IL ., American whaler visits lis waters, or ar
.na,o,o enicrant chooses to fish, hunt, plant OF
10 h.nLa Of the Columbia. II would also, from IKE
ab.o.,ons as to the balance of power IN the North
| , on future peace able annexation OF the Cana
a. 60 o,tenlly contemplated by our fathers from the
of the Rsvolu,ion and it would here
| ,c.h,v defeated the purchase of the Flordas by
NJ Monroe and of Louisiana, including IexsS, oy MIR
| Is.or md would MT only cast ccnsure on Them
md ,bs,r venerable coatuiors for thus defungng tho
| -. If power then, but would add reproach on
w..srs Adams and Clay, for attempting to regain
Tsr.s N 1926 and 1927, and on General Jackson and
NJ Van Buren for like attempt IN lo2o and what
M ,rors, By this course OF reasoning tor seeking as
| as dane IN 1885 by General Jackson and Mr. For
,h % obtain vast tract of additional country st Il
Gu, South and West from the forty second dsgrae
r I,;,,ds 10 the thirty seventh and stretching to-
,,d. rho setting that degree across the en-
10. continent But, in truth, the durable interests Of
az hoa Union are believed TO have been looked te
- ,ho.a occasions now; and the theoretical balance
ar n,we, if advertsd to at ALL endangsr the
nractca workings Of our SYSTEM which will slwnyi
ha m,s, attractive, strongest and most hourlshing
wbe,e frecst-unless liberty and progress are mere
ob,ntoms of tho mag natlon-and will always produce
Greatest harmony when least influenced by any section
| al ieaIousies or local preludices.
| q The annexation has been deprecated by some a.
hsIv 10 cause disunon, when tia legitimate object
10 secure the great interests and compromises OF the
ITn,on and when such must be it's consequences, ano
nerpe,use that Union, trust, forever, unless thwareo
by disregard Of plighted faith, and by ianaca VIOLA
lions Of those solemn compromises
| d. 1t is opposed by others, on account OF the oao
ness Of some of the reasons assigned for II as II
good measure ought 10 be rejected because any on
NAV please 10 urge some weak reasons Tor H. ny olh
ers because few of its advocates suspected OF be
;no interested in the question if that could impair
the usefulness Of the annexation itself, or was not oil
wavs an incident to almost every question OF grea
macnitude And by others STILL because the auspices
under which the measure is now proposed are dsllked
as if the necessity or value of gift or purchase de-
pended upon the character OF the agent employed.
s. II is resisted by many for the reason that slavery
exists in Texas That Is an institution, to be sure,
which most people, born at the North, are, like myself
ayerse TO- But those who respect the Const tuition and
the Union remember, that It is an institution which
our parent country before the Revolution forced upon
both the North and South which, after being more
deeply interviewer through the social and Political sys-
TENS of the latter the rest of the States did not hest
tate to confederate with her in fighting the battles OF
Independence TO counsel with her heroes, pa
rots and statesmen, in forming the present Consttn-
on nor associate with them in carrying out ITS great
destinies; in guaranteeing their property AND
rights in common with the reV, then and during the
half century since, in peace and war, and IN veal OF
However deprecated by many Of US, we know that
none can legally abolish the institution but those who
possess il and that while this has already been done
since The Revolution by nearly halt OF the old States
il may continue, to be done by Texas herself, as well
as others later, when their sense oil duty and
safety NAV permit it, if left TRANQUILITY 10 the exercise
of their own rights What effect the annexation OF
Texas will really have this measure, seems 10 BE-
doubted by of its opponents, among whom the
most distinguished think 1t will add more free than
slave States But however that may be, the friends OF
annexation believe that while rejection OF II must
leave The institution Of slavery just 1t s without lnl
cation The acceptance OF it cannot add the whole
number of slaves in Texas and the L. States to-
eether; and, If dispensing that number over wider
space will gradually tend 10 make their freedom less
expensive and more easy in any State if
csntra,ing them further South than now, will render
voluntary emancipation Nor;hwa rdy still speed
Ter nd snier. Whether such considerations have pre-
pondera,ed before, in overcoming his objection with
many of our most emnen, friends OF liberty and PHI
lanthropy, | know not; but certain Vt is that II dad
not pre- vent Mr. Jefferson and his Northern Democrat
ic ireads from purchasing Louisiana including Texas
herself in 1903 Florida from being bought BY
Messrs Monroe and Adams in 1919; nor Texas again
from 5einc negotiated for by Messrs. Adams and Clay
in 1926 and 1877; and BY Gen. Jackson and Mr. Van
Buren, in the summer OF lS29-ihe decree Of Mexico
70. .bsshue slavery IN her possessions not being is
susd III S-pe nter Is, 1920 will only add, in
Dc. q tIoio ins.pp!=he that so faT from feeling
opcc,.- u. is.onson o. slavery by all legal, safe,
and c7-t.f,1Icns tle.rs. noae could rejoice more
hearth han a5se.i j; ihus ended, the world
over; az z.snr the whites, well as blacks; among
the d.:a,r &C The s,fs ard pcupers OF Europe, and
even the da.k H;ncoos we'll the sable sons o!
Africa; cnnhn'Dg my fympa'hes to color or name
bat to real suffering and degradation among The whole
human race, and their rslet, by introducing gradu
ally superior state OF Intelligence, religion, and rights
rather than By rash crusade against law and order,
and the public peace.
6 the annexation ID disapproved by others, because
considered unconstitutional Bu, as the provision for
introducing new States altered in its progress
through the Convention, as 10 lsavc the language
broad enough to nclade territory without well
within our original limits, and as the admission OF
Louisiana Arkansas, and Missouri, since into the u
nion though not embraced within old boundaries
besides the purchases Of Florida and Louisiana
rores have taken place. this question should be
earded officially settled in favor OF anne xa.on.
In reply to some objections which have been urged
against the admission OF tho whole territory of any
State rather than part, and of its sovereignty well
territory, the principles involved in the above dec
sons and the language of the Constitution and the pre-
cedents are all broad enough to include the whole
and they thus accord with what is the constant
Of other Confederaces both in Europe and South Anne
RIGA. Nor IS any ssnclion 10 such admission re
quired under our Constitution, and the principles Of
public law, except the of those ceded the
one hand and the other. that Of Congress, by pro-
per laws and Treaties And Il The people and the indie
pendent Republic Of Texas are, for this reason,
competsnt 10 pne with entirely, as they 10 cede
only part 81 heir territory, Then the absurdity would
seem u follow, that they can bs competent FOL
admission INTO the Union, though recognised by Mex
leo, and 20 shadow of war existing, ill they become
qualified by abandoning their Independence, repudiat
ing repnbl'canism, and serv'le dependency r.
conquest Of The monarchs of Spain Mexico, he sole
merely as portion to their territory to the Unitee
States
Lastly, this measure is opposed by some from feu
that such step will subject to war with Mexico
or other foreign power.
But the right of Texa. to cede, and The right of the
United Saies accept, her territory, and admit it into
the Union without producing any exposure to jus
war from any quarter is, in my opinion, clear.
In The purchase Of Louisiana, obtained within he
limits Texas. certainly obtained ''thc slund o
N. Orleans. according the opinions Of such urss
diplomatists Jefferson, Madison Livingston, Clay
and even Adams, in 1913; and, since developed u
Don Onis himself, if not Of The Spanish Government
But having coded away by treaty ratified in 1920
the revolution from that year until 1894 breaking out
and ripening all the Spanish provinces West Of us
each acted ard made Constitutions for itself like our
selves after l11 ss indie no Dde nj Stnes Texosend Co,