Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-06-25
ANNEXATION OF TEXAS.
Coz L.MpIA ,rnnn A nriI % 1911

q ENTLEMEN-Iour letter of the 30ih ult,
which you have done ne the honor to add
dress to me, reached my residence during
my absence fiom home and was not received
until Yesterday. Accompanying your letter,
yoe transmit TO me, as you state, "a copy of
the proceedings OF a very large mccting of
the citizens of Cincinnati. assembled on the
29th ult to express their settled opposition
TO th3 annexation of Texas to the l.. States"
You request from me an explicit express on
Of opinion upon this question of annexation.
Having at 10 time Entertained opinions upon
pubic subjects which | was unwtIliag to
avow, it gives me pleasure to comply with
the request. hive no hesitation in dcclG-
ring that arr in favor EFF the immediate re-
annexation of Texas to the territory and 90
vernment Of the United States. entertain
no doubts as to the power or expediency Of
the remuneration. The proof is clear and
satisfactory to my own mind, TINT Texas once
constituted part of the territory of the Uni
ted States, the title to which regard to have
been as indispW1ble as thlt to any portion
OF our territory. AT the time the negotiation
was opened with view to acquire the Flori-
das, and tie settlement of other questions.
aad pendRg that negotiation, the Spanish
Government Itself was satisfied of the valid
tip of our title, and was ready to recognize a
line far ives, of the Sabine as the true wes-
tern boundary of Louisiana, as defined by
the treaty of 1903 with France, under which
Louisiana was acquired. This negotiation.
which was at first opened at Madrid, was
broken off and transferred to Washington,
where it was resumed, and resulted in the
treaty with Florida, by which the Sabine was
fixed on as the western boundary of Louis
lana. From the ratification of the treaty of
1903 with France, until the treaty Of 1919,
with Spain, the territory now constituting the
Republic OF Texas, belonged to the United
States. In 1919 the Florida treaty was
concluded at Washington, by Mr. John q.
Ad1ns, (the Secretary of State.l on the |
part of the U. s, and Don Louis de Onis |
on the part Of Spain; aud by that treaty |
this territory lying West Of the Slbinc, and |
constituting Texas, was coded by the L. s. |
to Spain. The Rio del More or some
more Western boundary than the Sabine,
could have been obtained, had it been in
sisted on by the American Secretary of
State, and that without increasing the con.
sideration paid for the Floridas. In my |
judgment, the country West of the Sabine,
and now called Texas, was most unwiseIy
coded away. 1t is a part of the great val-
ley of the MISSES ppi, directly connected
by its uavigable waters with the Mississippi
river, and having once been part of cur
Union, it should never have been dlsmem-
bcrcd from it, The Government and peo-
pie of Texas, it is understood, not only give /
their consent, but are anxousIy DESTROYS to
be reunited to the United States. II the
application of Texas for Il reunion and adj
mission into our Confederacy shall be re-
ected by the United States, there is imm-
nent danger that she viii become a depend
encY, if not colony of Great Briiain-an
event which no American patriot, anxious
for the safety and prosperity of this country,
could permit 20 occur without the most
strenuous resistance. Let Texas be re-
and the authority and laws Of the
United States be established and maintained
within her limits, as also in the Oregon
Territory. and let the fixed policy OF our
Government be, not to permit q eat Brit
lin or any other foreign power to plant
colony or hold dominion over any portion of
The people or territory of either. These
ire my opinions; and without deeming it
necessary to extend this letter, by assigning
the many reasons which influence me IN
he conclusions to which come, | regret
C be- compelled to differ so widely from the
Fiewz expressed by yourselves, and the
meeting OF citizens of Cincinnati whom
you represent. Differing. however, with
you and with them as do, it was due to
rankness th t should he thus explicit IN
Inc declaration OF my opinions.
am, with great respect,
Your o5edenl servant,
JAS. X. POLK
To Messrs. 5 T. Chase, Thomas Helton,
&c. Committee, Cincinnati