Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-08-22

our common security may demand. hey long
to see the American eagle wing his lofty flight
10 the banks of the Rio del Norre, bearing in
his beak the stars and stripes, with the lone
star of Texas blazoning beautifully In the am
pie folds Of our national flag.
:. Federalism is rampant mad at the very
idea OF result 50 philanthroplc and sublime
They say it is dangerous to extend our terrific
ry. For this reason, PROBABLY, the iederalists
were willing to surrender to England part of
Maine For this reason they are anxious TO
quit claim to the same power. cur title to The
oregon. For this reason they even prefer to
see British men of-war riding at anchor in the
beautiful harbors of Texas, and British arms
olistenino on her fertile plains, and British in
situations and laws governing her people. An
extension of territory, they seem to think, is
well adapted TO British institutions and the
genius of British Government. But it would
be the ruin of the Republic.
.. Is this 500 Are men incapable Of self gov
eminent who have been nurtured from infancy,
in the bosom of the Union. Does not the he
roism and chivalry which immortalized San
Jacinto. teach us that liberty is as dear to the
Texans as to u.s. Have they not evnced. by
the yalor of their arms and their successful
struggle against the whole power OF Mexico,
that the same blood courses in their veins, and
the same hearts animate their bosoms that con-
stituted the moral power with which the Hero
of New Orleans won the most brilliant triumph
that ever shed lustre upon the American
/ arnls2 Is it dangerous 10 extend our territory
and increase the number of States? Does ex-
perience prove this? When our National Con
stitnton was adopted we had but l3 States
and now we have twenty SIX, and to find the
territory from which they have in part been
formed, we have purchased Louisiana and the
F'loridas Should we be stronger without the
l3 new States than we are with them! Is
there even federalist that will avow such
! sentiment! are the new States less patriotic and
devoted to the Union than the old! Who will
name one that he would spare? Perhaps
federalism would give those that are unaltera-
bly, Democratic, to England But none bat
but men of that party would spare one of them
s'Have we now reached the precise number
which may be safely and prosperously formed
into contederacy2 Do not the federalists in
tend to allow any more States to be added to
the Union? Ii they do, they are not sincere
in the objection that the extension Of territory
is fraught with danger.
'.Why not. then, re-asimit Texas to the I'm
ion. Her position, soil, productions and peo-
pie are like our own, and ourselves. Our gov
eminent has been negotiating since 1925 to
secure her re annexation. When she was ce-
ded to Spain, when Henry Clay was an hon
est and eloquent advocate of Democratic prin-
ciples, before an overweening political ambition
had seduced him from his allegiance to politi-
cal virtue, and undermined his patriotism, he
described Texas as an object of more value to
the Union than the Floridas. During the ad-
ministration of John Quincy Adams and Gen
Jackson, our government eXerted itself dill
gently to secure remuneration. And vet it is
spoken fly the Federal press as if it were
new idea, a fresh project, new bomb, created
to blow up Mr. Van Buren, at the Baltimore
Convention, and the Wing party al the next
election.
''Clay seems to be afraid that the explosion
will drive federal voters from the ballot boxes.
Hence, in his letter of July list, he says ''that
he has personally no objection to the annexa-
ton of Texas" Is that tr'uc2 His party pro-
TESS to have great objections to it. Cannot he
comprehend the awful dangers which they see
and feel, or was that letter written for the Au-
gust elections, TO be held in North Carolina,
Kentucky, Alabama, Indiana, Illinois and
Missouri? Was it written to satisfy the peo-
pie Of those States, that he had personally no
objection to the measure, and that his election
should be no obstacle to the contamination of
their wishes? At the recent election in Lou
lsana. all the federal candidates were red hot
for annexing Texas. CLAY. himself has per
sonally no objection to it. The wing young
men at mass meeting held at National Hall.
few evenings since, resolved that it was a
measure conceived in sin and brought forth in
iniquity. But Clay says he has personally no
objection to it. The federalists urge the people
OF this State to oppose Polk, because he cordi-
ally approves the measure, and represent it as
derogatory to our National honor and as en-
larglng the boundaries of slavery. But Clay
says he has personally no objection to it. Gen.
jackson, standing on the verge of the grave.
has every pulsatlon yet beating in harmony
with the patriotic anxieties of his whole life.
IS decided, active and energetic advocate of
the measure. And yet Clay, with all his ha-
tired of this heroic old man, and his instructive
disposition to oppose whatever the SAGE ap-
proves, says he has personally no objection
to it.
cit is time for the leaders of the Federal
party to give orders ''to the right about Wheel"
and say they have personally no objections to
u, or that they have personally strong OBJ
jectIons to candidate for the Presidency.
who declares that he has none to such meas
ufe. Consistency, decency and manliness re-
qulre that they should do one Or the other.
there are many strong reasons why Texas
should be incorporated into the Union. The
Sabine IS an unnatural boundary, and instead
OF furnishing any security against an invading
force. presents facilities to hostile aggression
+ rom the Sabine to the Mississippi there is not
a single harbor in which man of war can ride !
at anchor. 1t yields the Arkansas and Red !
Rivers, and all their tributaries, to foreign
power. Shall ambitious England, in her
struggles for unlimited empire, be allowed to
acquire predominating influence over Texas?
Are there to be no free States west of the Sa-
bInel Cannot republican institutions exist
west OF that river? Is that to be the western
boundary of Freedom? Who takes sides with +
England on this question? Have the tories of
the revolution any descendants living here?-
4 50, they had better emigrate to Nova Scotia
1t Is part of human destiny that the star of
empire shall move westward. until European
tyranny shall have M foothold left on an inch |