Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-06-14
ANNEXATION.


and run away sub treasurers-with slavery, the ex-
tension ofthc Slave Trade, and the abandonment of
the great interest of Protection to the tender mer
cies Of the ultra slave power-with dark prospect
for war more disgraceful than even that with the
Scmnoles of Florida-und with the absolute GER
tainty, if they succeed, ofintcrminabc Indian wars
and u vast extension of our standing army and ma
Wy to protect an enlarged frontier lined by worlike
7nvages ready at any time to become the allies ell
Their of Mexico or England. We say The leaders
have taken the dose and now they are TO put in re-
QUESTION any quantity ofhumbug to seduce or drive
the rank and file of the party into servilo submis
sion. Indeed the game of humbuggery has already
been commenced, and we invite attention to few
specimens.
Htonbug No. /. Remuneration. Gov Polk
strikes the boldcst note in the scale of humbugge-
ry, in the little word re. lie goes for re annexa.
ton, aud thus carries the inference that he is only
for getting what once ours; and gathering
strength as he goes along, he finally comes to the
bold assertion that, until the treaty of 16l0 "the
territory now constituting the Republic of Texas,
belonged to the United States" Now this is sheer
huubuggery-a most foolish falsehool The ter
ritory which the U. S. exchanged for Florida in
1872 extended from the Sabine down the Gulf to
the river Neuces, or some claim to the mouth Of
the Rio del Nore, and from thence north to the
Red River, which was the northern boundary-em-
bracing about five degrees in longitude GA to 99)
and seven of latitude, (2G to 33,) or a territory
little larger than Mississippi and Alabama This,
and this only, was the territory once ours, and
dcd away by the treaty ofl8l9-this only can ever
be said to be re-annexed. And now what is "he
Republic of 7eraS" which Gov. Polk talks about
re-anncxing? Why, by an act of the Texan Con-
gross of 1885, the line is described so as to en-
brace most Of the territory from the Goth to the
l06th degree of longitude and from the Goth to the
42d degree of north acknowledging nearly FOUR
TIMES as large as the territory ceded by us in
1919, and including a river which runs 1000 miles,
and strip of territory 1900 miles long and 200
miles wide, which, as between the U. S. and Mex
leo, was always conceded as belonging to the lat
teri This wholesale robbery of Mexico-paral-
lecd, says Col. Benton, by nothing but the infa-
nous partition Of Poland-is what Gov Polk, and
the locofoco leaders, now try to cram down the re-
luctant threats of their followers, as RE-annexa-
ton! Truly it is humbug of the first water
and needs must be, to be scorned, MS it is, by that
prince of humbuggers, T. II. Benton. In reference
TO these and other facts, let add Col. Benton af
firms that the ratification of the treaty for
ton would be, of Itself,
/. War between the T. S. and Mexico.
2. That it would be unjust war.
3. That it would be war unconsttutonally made
ii c. by the President and Senate, not by Con
gress)
4. That 1t would be war upon weak and ground
less preteXt
| Hunbug No. 9. The next humbug is both pre-
posterous and cowardly: it is that England will
take Texas if we don't, though she says distinctly
she don't want her and having got possession thus
of our frontier, she has nothing to do but to march
her troops into territory, just easy one far
mer can pass on to the land of his neighbor In
deed now where is Canada? What is to pre-
vent England from assailing us even more easily
from Canada than through the interminable swamps
of Texas and Louisiana? Now we ask, will these
towards, who are meanly endeavorng to sneak
way from the British lion consent 10 anner Canada,
and IMMEDIATELY, too? Oh no no! no =
Neither does Gen. Jackson, nor Gen. Glass; nor Gov.
Polk, even hint that there is necessity of getting
Canada-doubly dangerous though it be and they
DON'T do it because Canada never would do to cut
up into slaue states. But again let us take Texas,
if you please-what is to prevent England from
buying Mexico if she wants it, and thus hankng
our frontier Just as closely as she now can in Tex
as Certainly nothing can prevent it, unless acc
annex Mexico, and so on and on and on, until eve
| ~ Oh bo &c nj
formed so vast as to be crushed into fragments by
its own weight. This bugbear about England is
but humbug-a very cowardly humbug, imply
ing that the American people, in 1914, with popu-
lution and wealth doubled are afraid of the enemy
they have whipped in the days of their infancy and
youth.
Hnlbug No 3. This has been manufactured
for Northern use, and it is that Texas will make
three free states and two slave states 1t is an as
sertion based upon suggestion of Mr.. Cay's,
(made in reference to the old Texas, we presume,
that owing to the nature of the soil, climate, and
productions ultimately" 4" in the end' this diys-
ion into free and slave states might be the result.
So it may, as Maryland, Delaware Virginia, Ken
lucky and Tennessee must ultimately" become
free states because slavery is now every moment
impoverishing Them But what will Texas inmedi-
aiely become? Why, three Jomths of it lie below
the Both degree of north latitude, below the range
of the present slave states, and according to the
existing rule would of course be made into
slave states. This portion occupies territory a
bout equal to Virginia, Kentucky Tennessee, North
and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Missis-
sppL and may be made into five states or dozen
Just as may be wanted while the territory north Of
the Both degree would make at most but states
Now to settle this huubug beyond all doubt, let us
only add that it is from Calhoun and Tyler ana Wal
ker,-the defenders of slavery in the abstract-and
their Northern and Western allies, that support to
this measure cornes, and that they urge topenly as
a means of strengthening siGrery South Carolina
sent minister plenpotentiary to the Locoioco Ma