The Arkansas banner., 1844-06-05
COL. poLk,sI.ErTER.

COLUMBIA, Telinessee, April 25, IS4t.
 GENTLEMEN: ' our letter of the Both ult., which you have done me the honor to ad- dress to me, reached my residence during my absence from home, and was not received until yesterday. Accompanying vout letter, you transmit to me, as you state, ia copy of the proceedings of a very large meeting ot the citizens of Cincinnati, assembled on the 29th inst, to express their settled opposition to the annexation of Texas to the United Saes.o on request from me an explicit expression ol opinion upon this question of annexation. Having at no time entertained opinions upon public subjects which was unwilling to avow, it gives me pleasure to comply with your request have no hesi tation in declaring that l am in favor of the immediate annexation of Texas to the terri tory and government of the United States. l entertain no doubts as to the power or ex- pediency of the remuneration. The proof is clear and satisfactory to my mind, that Texas once constituted a part of the terri
 tory of the United States. the title to which 1 regard 10 have been as indspulabe as that to any other portion oi our territory At the time the negotiation was opened with view to acquire the Flondas, and the settle ment of other questions, and pending that negotiation, the Spanish government itself was satisfied of the validity of our title, and was ready to recognise line far west of the Sabine, as the true western boundary of Lou isiana, as defined by .he treaty of 1903 with France, under which Louisiana was acquired This negotiation, which had been first opened at Madrid. was broken of and transferred to Washington, where it was resumed, and re- lied in the treaty of Florida, by which the Sabine was fixed on as the western boundary
 of Louisiana From the ratification of the treaty of 1903 with France, until the treaty
 of 1919 with Spain, the territory now con- s;itutng the republic of Texas belonged to the United States. In 1919, the Florida
 treaty was concluded at Washington, by Mir.
 John Quincy Adams, the Secretary of State,)
 on the part of the United State, and Don
 Louis de Onis on the part of Spain, and by that treaty this territory lying west of the Sabne and constituting Texas, was ceded by the United States to Spain. Tlfat the Rio del Norte or some more western boundary than the Sabine, could have been obtained | had 1t been insisted ons by the American Sec retary of State, and that without increasing
 the consideration paid for the Florldas. lu
 my judgment, the country west of the Sa- bine, and now called Texas, was most un-
 wisely ceded away It is part of the great
 valley of the Mississippi, directly connected
 by it's navigable waters with the Mississippi
 river, and having once been part of our
 Union, il should never haze been dismember-
 ed from it. The government and people of
 Texas, 1t IS understood, not only give their
 consent, but are anxiously desirous to be re- |. .I d., tho apniipa- lion of Texas for a reunion and admission , into our confederacy shall be reJectedby the United States, there is imminent danger that she will become dependency, If not a colony, of Great Brlan-an event which no
 American patriot anxious for the safety and prosperity of this country, could permit to oc- cur without the most strenuous resistance Let Texas be re-annexed, and the authority
 and laws of the United States be established and maintained within her limits, as also in
 tine Oregon Territory, and let the fixed policy
 of our government be, not to permit Great
 Britain or any other foreign power to plant
 a colony or hold dominion over any portion or territory of either. These are my opin- ions; and without deeming 1t necessary to
 extend this letter, by assigning the many rea- sons which influence me in the conclusions
 to which come, regret to be compelled to differ so widely from the views expressed by yourselves, and the meeting of citizens ot | Cincinnati whom you represent. Differing, however, with you and with them as do, it was due to frankness that should be thus | explicit in the declaration of my opinions. am, with great respect. your obedient
 servant,
 Q JAMES X. POLK
 To Messrs s. ?, CHASE, THOMAS HEAIos, &c,. , Committee Cincinnati