The North-Carolina standard., 1844-05-08


fsent hastily OF hnadvisedly to the views have
] here taken of the subject. go. '-
Having thus gisen you my views upenthe con
IstitHtional question, viii with the same frank
dness, answer The remaining portion of your In
Iquiries viz the e1pediency Of Immediately annex
hing Texas to the United STATES erso soon as her
lconsent to such aHnekatic may be4obtained
\ have already referred to anapPhoation for the
taccomplishtnent of the same objec that was made
1 to this government by Texas whilst was Presi-
fdent tEke history Of the Texan revolution, and
thet CONDITION of that republic as we'll as the
Iprobahle advantages TO result to both from the
proposed aAhexation, were placed befare us in an
/ Ieiab6rate and able communication. It team scarce.
Hyde necessaryto say thar the application ~as
gcensiderea with that attention and care which
were due to 80 graves pfaposhiou, and under the
full influence Of feesings Of sincere solicitude for
!. the prosperity and permanent welfare of young
and neighboring State, whose independence We
had been the first toaeknowledg dge-feelngs which
constitute, and sincerely hope e1erwiH constitute
the prevailing Sentiment of thspeople of the Uni.
ted States In coming to the decision which it Be-
foafne my duty to make, I was aided in addition
ito the other membersofmy csbinent by the ooupsel
and constitutional adRiceef two distinguished citi-
zens Of your own section of the Union, Of the
first order Of intellect great experience in public
faBairs, and whose devotion to their own, Is we'll
as every yether section of the Union, was above all
question: The resuk Of our united opinion was
1anBounced to he'Texn minister, (Gen. Hunt in
Ia commupication ffom Ehe 1ate Mr.. Forsyth, the
lsubsapee of which cannot. better express than
by Incorporating oae or two brief extracts from i
id this letter. Upon fhe general subject my own
views, as well a&those Of my cabinet were thus
stated:
| ESQ long as Texas shah remain at wal, while
The United States are at peace with her adversary,
tka he
ttiaFy necessarily. involves the question Of war
| with that adversary. The URhed States are
1 bound TO MEXICO by, treaty of amitY and COM
meree, which will be iscruPulously observed on
their part SO Tong as it Can Be reasonably hoped
that Mexico will perform her duties, and respect our
rights under it. The United States might justly
be saspeeted Of disregard of the frief1dly pur-
| poses of the compact, If the overture Of General
Hunt were to be even reserved f0r future consider
alton, as this would ipply a disposition on our
part 70 espouSe the quarrel OF Texas with Msxi-
CO. disposition wholly At variance with the spir-
it of the treaty, with the uniform policy and the
obvious welfare Of the United States
t'Fhe Inducements mentioned by General Hunt
for the United States 10 annex Texas to their terri
fFitofy are. dpiy appreciated but, powerful and
veighty as certainltthey are, they are light when
opposed in the scale of reason to treaty obligations
and respect for that integrity Of character by
guished themselves since the establishments of
Their right,to cfaim place in the great family
! of nations"
The intimatien m General Hunt2 letter that
Texas might be iMduced to extend cotfnefciaf
advantages TO ether nations to the prejudice Of
the Uhited Stases;; was thus f6t;ced:
'r1t is presumed, however. that the motives BY
which Texas has been governed. in making this
eyerureSwfll have equal force in impellng hfr to
IL
al commercial relations With the United States
Such disposition win be cheeEfully met, IN cor
responding spirit by this governments Ifthe an.
swer WHICH the undersigned has been directed To-
gfee TO the proposition of General Hunt should
unfortunately work such a change in the senti-.
ments of that government as to induce an attempt,
to exte nd commercial reatieRs elsewhere, upon
tefms preiudic TO the United States this govern
menr will be consoled by the rectirue Of its inten
ions, and certainty that, although the hazard of
transient losses may be ueurfed by rigid adher.
enee to JUST prirsiPles, no lasting prosperity can
be secured when they are disregalded."
That these views were not altogether sasfacto-
~ to General Hum nor probably to this govern
HIent, has Seen seem But< think + may safely
say that.seidom if ever, has the decsion by this
government Of a question of equal magnitude,
been more decidedly or more unanimously ap-
proved bs the people Of the United States The
communicated to Congress, and although Che pub
Fic mind was atthe time n a state Of the highest
excitement and the administration daily assaifedI
through every avenue by which it was deemedi
approachabfe, am yet 10 see the 6rst sentence of
Fcemplaih upon that point, in aHy quarter of the
Union: Even resolution offered in the Senate,
declaring annexation. Hwhehever it could be ef-l
ected consistently soitA NE public faith and treaty
ssipsE1tioAs Of the United St6tss desirable" was
oraeredto be laid upon the table; and similar,
disposition was made il the Hoise of the papers
upon tiie snbjsct which bad been referred to the
COMMITTEE ca Foreigh Relations, and-that CON.
nnittee discharged frpm further consideration Of
the matter, upon its own application Nor were
the friendly relations. then existing between that
republic. and the United Ssates-to its honor be It
said-in any percspdbse degree impaired by This
decision. -
StandI1g ia this POSITION before thescounefy, il
becomes my duty to CONSIDER whether either the
nature of the question: or the circumstances of
the case, have so far changed as to justify me in
now advising policy from which then, ia the
most solemn form, dissehteG
Ia giving to yous and through you t6 The pub.
hc the result of very CAREFUL and dfsp1ssiopate
skamiiatop Of this grave question:, should neit..
Ter do iustiee to- yourself to the patriode State
which yalg in coniunction with others are to rep
resent nshe eonrtnsioH to the people Of the Bni-
ted States norsto my own position If failed tol
itieh brief x ositian If ft1a crPnt,rafln