The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-29
SOUND ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF
THE ANNEXATION OF TEXAS.

The New York Courier and Enquirer says
"Texas is necessary to the commerce of the
United States, because in twenty years she
may grow sufficient cotton TO cause our own
great staple to be excluded from European ports
unless we abandon our tariff. For the same
rexsuu, the possosoion of TEXAS is important
for the protection of the interests OF The cotton
-, and s-~ur. .h~ -'hola rn""'ry
is deeply interested in Te-obtainns what was
once ours, because no country can be perma
nently prosperous that has not foreign as well
as a home market for its produce,-without
which there can be no commerce, and COM
merce being absolutely necessary for the civil
zation, the happiness and the prosperity of a
grea, people.
While these are the prominent reasons with
us in favor of the annexation of Texas at the
proper time, there is one other of which we
have never lost sight, and which is very little
understood. As the friend of the SLAVE we de-
sire TO see Texas admitted into the Union /;
and never did MIR. CLAY place on record a
greater truth than when he wrote that the ques-
ton of annexation had nothing TO do with
slavery.
At present, as is well known, Slaves are in
troduced into Texas from the West India
Islands direct, in defiance of the law TO the con-
trary which is little needed. Ii follows, Of
course that the number of Slaves in North
America is annually increasing from importd-
fion, and that for every slave thus introduced
from the West Indies vacancy is produced in
those Islands which can only be supplied by the
Slave Trade from the coast of Africa Thus
Texas is at this moment indirectly one of the
largest supporters of that traffic in human flesh,
which even the Slave holders of the South con
denim with united voice.
Now it is well known that our laws make it
Piracy to introduce Slave from abroad and,
of course, from the moment that Texas be-
comes a part and parcel Of the United States,
she ceases 10 foster and encourage the Slave
Trade.
But this is not the only view of the subject.
If slavery must exist, and Slaves there must be,
there can be no doubt but the greater their va
lue and the more productive their labor, the
more klnulg tHty WIN NC u'"''u ny 'uOrs w
whom they belong. Put to friend of abolition
the question whether he would rather see one
hundred Slaves confined 10 farm Of fifty acres,
and crowded together in small uncomfortable
sheds, or cutivating several hundred acres with
extensive accommodations for sleeping and in
possession of increased comforts and he will
unhestatingly answer that he desires to see
them distributed over more acres and in the en-
ioyment of greater comforts than is possible
when confined to a small farm. This is ra-
tional and the same principle must test the
consequences of annexing more slave territory
TO the United States. If by annering Texas
we keep out Of the country single Slave from
the West Indies, and thus, 10 the same extent,
lessen the demand which sustains the Stare
trader, beyond all doubt we achieve great
good. The only question which then remains
in connection with this subject, is, whether the
increase of Slave territory viii be beneficial or
injurious to the Slave population OF the United
States2
IL is fact admitted on all hands BY those
who know sny thing on the subject Of Slavery,
that in whatever part Of our country the value
of the slave is greatest and his labor most pro-
duc,ve, there he is more kindly used, better
clothed and fed, and better cared for in the hour
of sickness, than where his labor is less pro-