Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-06-01
MR.. VAN BUREN, ON ANNEXATION.

L1NDENWALD, April ~, 1914.
My DEAR Sir: Your letter Of the 9Th Of
March last was duly received.
Acting as an unpledged delegate to the Bal
timore convention, you ask my opinion in re-
gard TO the consilutionality and expediency of
an immediate annexation Of Texas 10 the Uni.
ted States, or as soon as the assent of Texas
may be had to such an annexation. Upon the
receipt of your letter, caused you to be forth
with informed that your request SHOULD be
complied with in full season for the conven>
ton. This promise shall now perform
But, lest my motives in making public avow'
al Of my opinious, whilst a negotiation is sup
posed TO be pending, should be misconstrued, ]
shall send this 10 a friend who will delay its
delivery as long as that can be done consis-
,ently with faithful compliance with the res
qurements Of your letter, and the general OBJ.
jecls for which it was written.
You by no means overrate the Importance
Of the subject upon which you have been pleas.
ed TO address me. Ii is not only question Of
intense interest 10 every part of the country
but is unhappily also one in regard to which
we may not promite ourselves that unanimity
in opinions which is so important when great
national questions like this are 10 be decided.
That those which | am about 10 express will,
in at least one importan, particular, differ from
whose judgments and purity Of views hold
in high and hab:tual respect, can well i'm
agine; and il is quite evident, from the tenor
Of your letter, that they will not in all res
poets correspond with your own. If, howev-
err, such Of my fellow.citizens as are neither
influenced by prejudices, nor warped by self.
interest, concede to my opinions the merit oil
having been formed under views directed TO
the preservation and advancement OF the hon
or and best interests Of our common country
as whole, and expressed with sincerity
which has overlooked as far as our feeble ma
lures will permit us to do, all personal consid,
erations, my most favorable anticipations will
be realized.
Having thus given you my views upon the
constitutional question, ! will, with the same
frankness, answer the remaining portion o.
your inquiries, viz: the expediency Of imme'
diately annexing Texas 10 the United States
or so soon as her consent to such annexation
may be obtained.
have already referred to an application fol
the accomplishment of the same object tina
was made TO this government by Texas, whilst
| was president. The history of the TexiaT
revolution, and the then condition OF that re
public, as well as the probable advantages tt
result 10 both from the proposed annexation
were placed before US in an elaborate anC
able communication. Il can scarcely be ne
cessary 10 say that the application was consd
cred with that attention and care which were
due TO 50 grave proposition, and under thu
full influence of feelings OF sincere solcitud
for the prosperity and permanent welfare OF I
young and neighboring slate, whose indePen
dence we had been the first TO acknow ledge
feelings which constitute, and sincerely hope
ever will constitute, the prevailing sentimen
Of the people Of the United States. In com
ing 10 the decision which it became my duty
10 make, was aided, in addition to the othe
members of my cabinet, by the council ant
constitutional advice of two distinguished citi
zens of your own section Of the Union, Of III
first order of intellect, great experience in pub
lie affairs, and whose devotion to their own
as we'll as every other section Of the Union
was above all question. The result OF gu
united opinions was announced 10 the TeXal
minister, (gen. Hunt,) in communication Iron
the late Mr.. Forsyth, the substance OF whc
cannot better express than by Incorporating
one or two brief extracts from It in this lei
ter. Upon the general subject, my own views
as we'll as those Of my cabinet, were thus sta
ted:
$50 long as Texas shall remain at wal
while the United States are at peace with he
adversary the proposition of the TeXlan min
lister plenipotentiary necessarily involves IN
question OF war with that adversary. In
United States are bound to Mexico by treat
Of amity and commerce, which will be scrupr
lously observed on their part so long as II ca
be reasonably hoped that Mexico will perlor'
her duties and respect our rights under 1t =
The United States might justly be suspected
disregard Of the friendly purposes of II
compact, if the overture Of gen. Hunt were
be even reserved for future consideration,
this would imply disposition on our part
espouse the quarrel of Texas with Mexico
d sposi,;on wholly al variance with The sPlr
of the treaty, with the uniform policy and Il
obvious welfare of the United States.
"The inducements mentioned by genor;
Hunt for the United States 10 annex Texas
their territory, are duly appreciated; but po'
erful ard weighty as certainly they are, I'M
are light when opposed in the scale oil reas
to treaty obligations, and respect for that
tegrity of character by which The ehi'
States have sought TO distinguish thomselV
since the establishment Of their right TO ella
place in The great family of nations"
In giving to you, and through you TO t
public, the result Of a very careful ana d
passionate examination OF this grave ques'i
should neither do justice to yourself TO
patriotic state which you, in conjunction W
others, are to represent in the conventions
the people Of the United States nor TO my o
position, if failed TO accompany It WIN
brief eXposiion Of the grounds upon who