The Arkansas banner., 1844-07-31

just. by other powers. But that does not impair the full right to make a eession, though it may affect the expediency and duty of us to take it, if the liabilities are very onerous, or her belligerent dangers very imminent or uniustidabe
 We will look into that soon, after dispos- ing of the question of the right 10 cede the whole. The only other point in the objec- tions, have heard urged against that right, is the claim set mp by Mexico to rnle over Texas. But, however that claim may be ob- stinately persisted in, contend that, after all which has taken place, and now exists, 1t does not impair the right of other nations to take such cession, or of Texas to make it. Please to note the distinction.
 The incident that a war may be waged by any belligerent against any purchaser oi ter ritory from the other beiligerent, does not impair the right to sell; for the vender may have owned the territory for centuries, and been recognised by its antagonist, as well as the rest of the world. But 1t does notintu- enee the expediency ofbnying, and more eSPe- cially if the beliigerent conveys all his terri- tory, and unites his government with another; because, in that event, admit that the risk of such claims, and such hostilities as exist all the incumbrances are assumed. ct tlis is the whole, and is no impeachment of the independent and sovereign right to convey that right Texas has, if she possesses the usual attributes of nation.
 ssshe IS one, as before explained ina recent letter of mine on this subject, in such manner and form. no less than substance, as, ln my apprehension, justifes, other nations in treat inc her as a de jUre as well as de .facto government, and competent, under the prlnel- pies ofpopular liberty, and the soundest inter national law i'll both hemispheres, to cede her territory, or unite her government to another, without asking the consent, or giving just cause of war to any power.
 EtWhat are the comnon-sense tests on thls subiect3 Ifsi2e of territory, she is as big as France, and as large as any foul ot our own States If population, she has one ranging by different estimates, from twoto three hun- dred thousand people of all kinds. If reg ular constitution of government and code oi laws, she has both. II a uniform admlnis- traiion of justice and the rights of conscience secured to all, rather than the protection of the Catholic religion alone, as i'll Mexico. she enjoys them. She has troops and ships of war She has had her independence ac- knewledeed by the United States, by Great Britain, France, Holland, Belgium, and, in- deed, all the great powers of Christendom, not under the sway of the Holy Alliance ; and she has treaties of commerce and inter national agents with most of them.
 ssNo towns, castles, or counties, have there been held by her old enemy in doubtful or divided empire Her revolution Is not in embryo, but full grown; not going on by preparatory steps, but finished, stable. Not distracted by rival constitutions, rival chief tains, and rival armies, snch as long desolated many Spanish provinces, but domestic har- mony and peace reign throughout The pri- sons are not filled with political victims Order and law, and the..nghts of property are respected; and neither taste, nor education, nor sympathies of any kind, are lingering round their former Government, and smooth
 ing the way to the remotest thought at con- ciliaton But Texas has other qualities and characteristics as a nation, showing her com petent to enter into any contract or arrange ment with other nations, as fully as the oldest power of Europe. Besides having been for several years admitted, in all respects, into the great family of nations, she is liable for her own wrongs to them, and is held so, and not Mexico, as appears by the treaty of
 indemnity to us in 1898. She is authorized to seek redress for injuries 10 herself and not Mexico for her; and she has in this way, and by treaties binding her commerce, limits, soil, and jurisdiction, been much wider ac- knowledged, and longer in the independent Government of herself, than had Bonaparte in France when he sold Louisiana to us.- Such, l admit, was not the position of her affairs when annexation was proposed and declined in lS37; but the affairs have made great strides since and one unfortunate mis- take with some, in the consideration of this topic, appears 10 be in not reIlecting enough on the changes in her relations and national maturity and stability, made by the progress of time and events during the past seven years. IL is manifest that fl q people have by sound principles, q right to selt-goYernment, and, when oppressed, can, like the United States, properly revolt from England, or Mexico from Spain, or Texas from Mexico, and having declared their independence, do maintain il till they give, as in this case, all the usual indications among nations of manhood--dis- eretion, power, justice, and order, the ques- ton of theirde j0re sovereignty thus becomes asclearly settled in respect to all third per- sons as their de fact0 sovereignty The assent or. acknowledgment of their old mas ters does not constitute the right, but merely admits ii; as the minors or apprentices, claim ing to be adults and free, and acting as such, derive their rights from the facts of the case
 whether acknowledged or not by those to whom they were once in subjectioa. The world must otherwise become divided into mere holy alliances, with all their monopo- lning dogmas on the one hand, and on the other only such as they consider mere rehels, pirates, and banditti; breaking mp in this way all reform or progress, and yielding to the claim of the divine right of kings over all the human race, till voluntarily relineuished.- The war of opinion on this question was settled in favor of the people, after sixty years ot desolation and carnage on the plains of Holland. aaaiO at | pvinrf,r e.yo4oar, r,.I.