The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-05-10

character, who can for moment permit themselves
to believe him capable Of doing, countenancing, or
advising, single act which he believed, or had
even reason to apprehend, would violate the plight
ed faith of his country, or infringe upon duty which
it owes to the great family of nations To prevent
ourpeople from going to Texas, and embarking in
the war, was an mpossibility which neither he nor
any other chief magistrate could have accomplish
ed. If they went there without military organiza-
ton, or ornaments, and choose TO place themselves
beyond the protection of this government we had
no right to control their action; nor do other gov
ernments exercise any such right in similar cases.
For the suppression of military enterprises organ
lied and armed here against nation with which
we are at peace, the provisions of laws are am
ple But of the difficulties ofenforcing them with
a!fronter and sea-board like those which open our
communication with Texas, no sensible and well
informed mind can be ignorant
For the voluntary action of our government in
regard TO the subject of annexation, we can have
no such explanation to give. The acquisition of
so valuable territory by means which are of ques-
tionable propriety, would be departure from
those just principles upon which this government
has ever acted, and which have excited the adm-
ration and secured the respect of the dispassonate
and enlightened friends of freedom throughout the
world But l am very sure that we shall all, in
the end so act upon this subject to put it out of
the power of the natural enemies of republican
institutions to make any plausible charge of indel
| ity to our avowed principles in respect to it. No
one was more deeply sensible of the necessity of
the greatest prudence in this particular, or more
anxious to secure its observance than Gen. Jack.
son. AS late as December, ls36-only few
months before the recognition-he thus expresses
himself in special message to the Senate: "But
there circumstances in the relations of the two
countries which require us to act on this occasion,
with even more than our wonted caution. Texas
was once claimed as part of our property; and
there are those among our citizens who, always
reluctant to abandon that claim, cannot but regard
with solcitude the prospect of the reunion of the
territory to this country; large proportion of its
civilized inhabitants are emigraRts from the United
States, speak the same language with ourselves,
cherish the principles, political and religious,
and are bound to many of our citizens by Ties of
friendship and kindred blood: and more than all it
is known that the people Of that country have
institut ed the same form of government with our
own, and have, since the close of your last session,
openly resolved on the acknowledgment by us o. f
their independence to seek admission into the Un-
ion as one of the federal States. This last circum-
stance is matter ST peculiar delicacy, and forces
upon us considerations of the gravest character.
The title of Texas to the territory she claims, is
identified with her independence. She asks us to
acknowledge that title to the territory, with an
avowed design to treat Immediately of its transfer
to the United States 1t becomes US TO beware of
too early movements it might subject us ,howev-
er unustly, to the ,mputation of seeking to estab-
lish the claims OF our neighbors to territory, with
view to its subsequent acquisition by ourselves"
1t has been urged from quarter entitled 10 great
| respect, and reasoned too with no nconsiderable
degree of cogency, that the acquisition of Texas
now, in the made proposed, would be liable to no
greater objection than the accomplishment of the
same object would have been either in 1927 or 29,
when it was attempted by two successive admins
trations to purchase it from Mexico. If 1 were to
go into discussion of this question, and the facts
necessarily connected with it. should be writing
book, instead Of letter; nor is it necessary that
should. will therefore content myself with say
ing, that with every disposition to look at the sub
ject in all its bearings with an impartial eye, have
not been able to see the analogy which is claimed
| to exist between the two cases. But if it were
even admitted that the able men who were, at those
respective periods, at the head of the government,
under strong conviction of the importance of the
acquisition of Texas to the United States, so far
precpiated their measure for the accomplishment
of that object to have endangered the good faith
and pacific relations of the United States, (Which
do not admit,) we could still only felicitate our
selves their failure, but could not thereby us-
fly the present movement if it is not right in itself,
and capable of justification on other grounds.
by no means contend that formal recognition of
the independence OF Texas by Mexico is necessary
TO justify us in asserting to her annexation to the
United States. Time and circumstances may work
such change in the relations between those two
countries as to render an act of that character on
the part OF Mexico, unnecessary and unimportant
What mean to say is, that from all the iniorma-
ton have been able to acquire upon the subject,
no change has yet taken place in those relations
that would make the objections which have here
detailed, inapplicable
1t is said, also, that ii Texas is not acquired now,
the opportunity will be forever iost-that some 9TH
4 IL
rumors Of the day have gone so far as to say that
the Texan minister is already IN sructed in case of
failure here; to proceed forthwith to Europe with
full authority for the accomplishment of that object
We must not forget that besides great public con-
siderations. there are extensive private interests
involved in this matter; and we may therefore
well be distrustful of the thousand rumors which
are from day to day put aaoat upon this subject
What comparatively few individuals, acting un-
.b ;,A,an,a &c oarsonal ;ntarast not daoira