The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-05-10
WHO ARE TO BE BENEFITED,

Modern times have not given birth to more
magnificent scheme of aggrandizing and enrich
ing few individuals than that now on foot of an
nexing Texas to the United States. With por-
ton of the people the enlargement of the terri.
torial limits of their country is always favorle
idea it carries with it the notion of grandeur,
and those who favor it indulge the vague hope
that they are to be benefited thereby The Ro-
man people INDUCED the passion for acquisition
to such an extent that they seemed unwilling
there should be country in the world which was
not owned and governed by them. The great
mass of the people of that overgrown empire
were poor and down-trodden by the rich they
were ever ready to join the army for the purpose
of conquest, with the hope of thereby acquiring
land, and improving their pecuniary and social
condition. But did they ever, in any instance,
realize their hopesa Did conquest inure to their
benefit! Did they share in the distribution of
the countries conquered by their bravery and ac-
CURED by their blood! No. The conquered
provinces allotted to the generals, consus,
senators, and the arstocracy generally. Now,
who would be benefited by the annexation of
Texas to the United States! Will the poor
man who in case of war, would be called upon
to do the fghting and who, whether obliged to
Join the army or not, would be taxed to pay the
expenses Of the war! No, not at all. 1t is the
rich man, the speculator, who is to reap the
benefit, and he alone. 1t is they who own some
ten, fifteen, twenty, and perhaps fifty thousand
acres Of land in Texas-prlncpalities and duke
doms-worth comparatively nothing now, but
which would become immensely valuable were
it annexed to the United States. 1t is they who
have purchased for song, and now hold hun
dreds of thousands and millions of dollars of Texan
bonds and Texan scrip, who are to be benefited.
To them the scheme of annexation is the philoso-
rher's stone which is TO make them millonaires
if it succeed. Is it at all surprising, then, that
they should manifest SO much feeling and anxiety
in favor of this disturbing project!
Look at it in whatever light we will, it is pre-
scented to US as grand, magnificent, despe-
rate scheme of speculation and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Mr. Tyler sezes hold of it as the mighty spring
board from which he can vault into the Presi-
dental seat which, having tasted of power, he is
reluctant to leave. MIR. Calhoun grasps it for the
purpose of organizing great Southern party Of
which he is to become the leader, and which he
hopes will place him at the head of the nation.
Others join it with the same personally interest
ed and ambitious views, expecting to come in for
their share of the honors and emoluments of
Office, should their leader be placed in the posi-
ton which will give him the power of dispensing
them; while the land spectators on large
scale and the stockholders who hold scrip worth
nothing now, but which is to be turned to gold in
their hands by annexation, are actuatcd by the
same interested and unworthy motives. All
these, it seems to us, care not whether annexa-
ton is to involve the country in war, or infllct
dishonor upon us or not. Self-lnterest blinds
them to every thing save their own profit or ag-
grandizement. All the land Speculation can see
is, his princely domain, and his splendid baroni-
cal castle; all the scrip Spectator can see is,
his hundreds Of thousands or his millions of dol
lars, the interest of which is guaranteed by the
United States and all some others can see is
the differing robes and paraphernaIia Of office.
What are the mass of the people to gain We
ask for information, and pause for reply.