The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-05-03
no THE HON. HENRY CLAY.

Sin: Your letter published in he Integencer OF
Saturday, has placed u.s. and many Of your warm
supporters also, who 10 common with ourselves, had
asserted that you still favorable TO the annexs
ton Of Texas, under The necessity of giving our Toa-
sons for this conviction and VIC did so upon the
authority Of your ow language, which appeared to
admit Of no other interpretation, we respectfully re-
quest of You such explanation shall render conss-
sent your apparently rreconcilable declarations
Of 1925 1897 and oflsi4. We proceed to state what
We conceive your views and language exhibited of
your purpose at the former periods and then refer to
your late letter.
We commence with the first declarations made by
you 10 the value and importance of Texas to this
country, and your determined opposition to its
sion.
In your speech the treaty eeding Texas to
Spain, after descan,ing upon lis value, you add in
these words:
at remains only to state that by the Span ish
treaty heretofore alluded to- our claim 10 Terra, ioas
given up 10 Spain by Mr. 4dans in violation Of the
dear rights f the country hut in perfect keeping with
the settled snmy that has heretofore constantly
exhibited 10 the South and West"
The 70 regoing is xplict declaration even
your eloquent tongue make, that the cession of
Texas ga riolaion of the dear rights of the
try and sacrifice" Of the cherished interests Of tho
South and West to a settled enmiiy to those portions
of the country. The only change necessary to make
perfect the truth of that statement to substitute for
the name Of John Quincy Adams, the names of Ru-
fus King, Tim. Pitkn, and the other Senators com
posing that unholy that reasonable caucus, which
having failed 10 exclude Missouri, sought, by this
mode, 10 ihhict vital wound upon the South and
West "by the violation Of the dearest rights Of
county The bolts Of your anathemas fell rather
upon Rufus King, the actual consprator agains, the
South and West, than upon Nj. Adams.
Upon the Alb March, 1925, Mr. Adams was inau-
guratsd President, and, in some ten or twelve days
succeeding, you fairly in charge of the Slate
Department. Now, sir, it is only simple Justice to
Mr. Adams aud yourself, to assume, that after the
charge against Mr.. Adams, above quoted, in your
speech, mutual respect and cordaly could only be
stored between you by such an explanation as should
relieve Mr. Adams from the imputations thrown by
you upon his motives. And that such was the case,
you, yourself very shortly after your ins,alment into
the office Of Secretary of State afford the best evil
dence; for early Goth March, 1926, by direction
OF bir. Adams, President Of the United States, YOU
address instructions to our Minister to Mexico, su-
'horizing and directing him to conclude treaty with
Mexico for Texas. These instructions in regard TO
The right Of Mexico to cede and of the United States
to receive Texas, without reference 10 any claim by
Spain, absolute and unqualified
Nor does there exist in the instructions by yourself
70 our Minister in SPAIN any trace Of evidence that
he was to inform the Court of Spain Of the cesson Of
Texas, which the United States then sought of Mex
ico nor can we anywhere find that even Mr.. Everett
himself was advised Of this attempt. SO little neces-
sary DO you and Mr.. Adams appear to have thought
the assent OF Spain requisite 10 this cession that no
only was this assent never asked but Spain was kept
in the most profound ignorance of this "sccret" at
tempt TO acquire Texas, in direct opposition to the
sovereignty which she cIaimed over Texas and Mex
leo nor was the Senate consulted" as to the pro-
Priety of the making such a treaty with Mexico,
while ye, at with Spain, and her independe nee
dis,sowed by that Government nor pas public opin-
10" IN any nay consulted on the contrary, far AZ
public opinion bad been manifested ii in favor Of
the treaty because in spite Of all your efforts to pre-
ven, it, ratification, it confirmed Thus, while
the People were in utter darkness as to th. matter
you, as Secretary Of State 10 Mr.. Adams, were
seeking to make treaty with Mexico in distinct vio-
hiicn Of the nights claimed by SPAN and by an act
DECLARED by her TO be nsgran, violation Of her cove
regniy and ofour treaty of amy with her. We subjon
extract Of your letter of Goth March, 1925 which
shows that whatever may have been the views OF Mr..
Adams at the period Of the cesson Of Texas, it was
wholly in accordance with your own in 1895, and
that IL was to be recovered hodes ofhe remons,ran
ess Of Spain, and the consequences Of her displea
sure. Is Mexico mole formidable than Spain or NAV
treaties Of smiy with Spain be disrel arded and those
with Mexico kept sacred Or was it a violation Of
Spsnih rights, and is it now violation Of Mexican
rights
"Mr. Clay TO Mr.. Poinssft-Ertrset
DEPARTMENT OF Srlre,
Washington, March 20, 1875.
Some difficulties may possibly hereafter sri.e be-
tween the two countries from the line thus agreed
upon, against which It would be desirable now to