, 1844-03-27

in their nature that, being seriously an
nouuced, they command the whole atten'
ton of all men Of common intelligence,
and disdaining association with the mere
party topics octhe day or Of The age. oc.
cupy at once exclusively the public mind.
OF this character, il question ever was,
10 TINT concerning the annexation Of Tex
as TO abe United States, now sprung upon
the country.
When, early in the present session Of
Congress, the subject was casually allu.
ded to by us, we were somewhat st,g.
geredl by the remark Of a contemporary
better Informed on The subject, il
seems, than We then wsre-ibn the pro-
ject was worthy Of moro serious consider.
alton than we were disposed to give TO
il. But, still incredulous, no longer ago
than the 26ih Of last month, though our
suspicious were not altogether laid, we
treated the report ola pending negotia-
tion Tor ssannexation,n received BY way
of Texas and New Orleans, as being
most probably 'the work Of wanton ms
chief or interested s~pecrladlon.D ML,is
dia We even Then dream that The ina,
ences 10 which we then alluded, as beif.
employed in agitating the question Of an.
nexatlon, had been seconded bv the Ex.
%ecutive power Of this Government, in the
manner and in the extent to which we
are forced, by information from different
quarters, reluctantly to believe.
Matters have proceeded SO far. how.
ever, that ii is proper that we should
state TO our readers what knowledge we
nave recently acquired on this subject.
from sources to be relied upon, and en-.
.deavor to open their eyes 10 the dark
clsud which overhangs the public peace
and the national welfare if not tbe exist.
ence of this Union.
1t is now some months aro-nrobablv
not long after the retirement ofMr. Web.
ster from the Department of S,ate-,ha,
an overture was made, by this Govern,
'nenf, through the Secretary ofstate. in.
g,f'ng from the Executive o fTexas (Gen,
I1ouston) a proposition for the annexation
OF Texas to Inc United States. This
overture was, at first, If we understand
rightly, rather coclIy received bv The
Ch'ei OF the young Republic. But since
the meeting of Congress, the Govern.
ment OF Texas having been again an.
Proached-we will not say impor,uned,
'hougn circumstances almost Justify the
use OF that phrase-by the Executive Of
the United States, Gen. Houston did a,
length consent 10 negotiate on the sub.
jsct. The terms Of an arrangement be.
tween the high contracting parties are
already arranged; and if moi already
uone. they are to be reduced forthwith &c
ihe form Of Treaty, through the agency
of a special Minister from Texas. (Mr
Henderson, who is already on his way Il
this city for the purpose, it, before This
paper goes 10 press, he have not already
arrived.
50 fur as the President of The United
States and the President Of Teras ART
concerned. the Treaty is ali but made.
This information has, we confess, fill.
Cd our minds with humiliation and apprc.
hension. Humiliation at the unauihor
Ized and almost clandestine manner il
which, after having heretofore solemn,
rejected, for unanswerable reasons, I
proposition for annexation, when cough
oy the Government Of Texas, our owl
Government has gone a wooing to that O
Texas and solicited it's favors; and appre.
hsnSion Of the consequences Of the con.
summation of the Treaty, which tht
President at least has been made to be
lleVe will be promptly ratified by a con
S,ilntlonal majority Of the Senate Of tn,
United States.
The sudden occurrence of this cues
lion, we have already intimoted, is on,
o. 'hose occasions Of engiossing interest
which. like that of = foreign invasion, O
n rebellion at home--a peslilence, or a,
acknowledgement 10 suspend for a tim,
NIL mere party differences and conten.
lions. tits a question of peace or war
Of self-preservation, Of national existence
In comparison with which the ordinar,
topics OF party controversy dwindle int,
absolute insigni6cance.
While speaking thus, we know an,
feet that we are expressing sentiment
not in accord with those of some of gu
political friends. We sincerely repre
il, on our account and on theirs. Blu
when, in III opinion, a great danger i'm
ponds, we must not be deferred by sucI
considerations from sounding The alarm
and calling upon public opinion to max,
itself heard at the Capitol in tones which
can neither be misunderstood nor disre
garded.
The annexation Of Texas 10 this Union
under present circumstances, is opposed
in our judgment, by a host Of considera
lions, Of which it will not be possible 70,
us today more than to en1merate IN,
chief. Before doing which, however
we wish 10 state that there is no one VIII,
more sincerely desires the welfare ant
prosperity Of the people who compose III,
population Of Texas than we do. w,