The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-08-10
SPEECH OF MIR. BUCHANAN,

or PENNSYLVANIA,
In Senate June g. 18TH Executive Session, in
favor OF the treay for the annexation Of Texas TO
the United States, (the injunction Of secrecy be-
Ing remosed)
(Continued.)
But il is contended with rernacity that We ought
to wait still longer, before receive Texas and
that we are bound to afford Mexico still longer te-
rod for her subJugaion. Let us examine this pro-
position for few minutes.
1t is said that war; bloody war, still RACES between
the two nations and that until this shall have ended
We ought not to admit Texas into the Union But
what is the fact The poelical fancy OF the senator
from Massachusetts has invested this war with ter
rors that might even alarm the brave. We have
heard the changes rung bv him upon the words
gogrante betlo, until we might almost be persuaded
10 believe, against own knowle that fragrant
war really rages between the two nations. When
asked To specify the battles which have illustrated
this war, he Is compelled TO be silent Now whether
actual war exists, is question of fact to be decided
by the existence OF actual hostties. The most
amusiog feature Of this protracted debate has been
ne earnestness with which II has been contended
the one side and the other that war does and that
war does not exist. Never before in the history Of
he human race, l undertake to say, was such
question doubtful throughout period of sew years
ms could surely never have been made question
al any period during years. revolutionary
war; 81 the seven years of Frederick the Great
II there be an existing war against Texas, and we
should adopt it, this will be the smallest war that has
ever been adopted by any nation. One thing is per-
iectiy certain that there never has been serious
attempt made to conquer Texas since the battle of
San Jacinlo What says Mr.. Webster upon this
subject Hear him, in opposition to the fancy sketch
oil the senator from his own State In his despatch
as Secretary OF State to our minister in Mexico of
the 9th July, 1912, he says
From the time of the battle Of San Jacinto. in
April, 1886, to the present moment Texas has ex-
he ms ay terna al 60 IF
dence as Maxico herself and with quite as much sta
bIlty OF government. Practically free and indie pen
dent, acknowledged as political sovereignty by the
principal powers OF the world, hostile foot finding
rest within her territory for s,r seren years. and
Mexico herself reranng for all that period from any
further attempt to reeslabsh her own authority over
The territory" "rhe battle Of San Jacinto, fought
on The 2lst April, %, achieved their independence
The 'oar 'cas from that time at end" "Snce 1887
The Onned States have regarded Texas as an indie
pend. mt sovereignty as much as Mexico" ''He (Mr
Bocanegra) speaks Of Texas still being an integral
part oil the Mexican repubic;" but he cannot but
Understand that the United States do not so regard
he constitution, public treaties, and the laws
obige the President to regard Texas as an indepen-
dent State, and Ito territory as part Of the territory
of.uexico."
No hostile foot has found rest upon the soil of
Texas between the battle of San Jacno on the 2lst
April, 1895, and The date Of Mr. Websters DESPATCH
on ths 9th July, 1912 A war 10 iesubjugae a re-
VOTED province suspended for more than six years;
and yet Mexico sil claiming that province and
threatening war against all who would interfere with
her claim! Such compound of impotence and
ous'er mas never been witnessed IN the conduct of
any nation.
Until the present moment, no attempt has been
made by Mexico 10 invade Texas with any view of
conquest In the month Of September, 1912, three
marauding expeditions suddenly crossed the Rio del
Norte into Texas, under the command of General
al hut bey Had uIfh c,p,t.t .afo ~.
approach OF mo Tex The chef, If the only
trophy Of these forays, the capture of court,
jury, lawyer, witnesses, and all, whom they found Ia
ses sion at San Antonio dc Bejar These they car
ried of into Mexico and although they were all
civilians, with true Mexican contempt for the law Of
natioDs, ti,oy coo6asd ekprsnn.rs in the
castle Of Perotc, were doomed to hard labor and
were, IN other respects, treated with wanton and
vndictiye cruelty.
hese three marauding expeditions, then, of eight
days duration, constitute the ire history of the
carried on by Mexico for the conquest of Texas
during longer period than the whole OF our Revo-
lutionsry war, and almost long as the siege Of
Troy. Now, admit, that We must lake Texas with
all her mperlectIons on her head and if this quasi
war with Mexico be the greatest of them, we shall
have much reason to rejoice. On this subject, all
that can be said with truth IS that Mexico and Tex
were once at war, and have not yet made peace 4;
though FIR m the weakness OF Mexico, or some other
caase, actual hostties have long since been sus-
tory ncursons Of General VOL, who fed with more
rapidly than he had ADVANCED.
The senator from Missouri in one of his resolu.
tons, admils that we may annex Texas without the
consent Of Mexico, when Mexico shall cease to
prosecute the war on scale commen,urae to the
conquest Of the county, II is not heref,re, in his
pnlon, a mere occasional predatory ipcurs on of
Mexico into Texas, which ought 10 prve her Of
the power of snnesng herself TO the United States
or prevent us from receiving her Can anything be
clearer than tins proposition IL il true IL
would then be in the power of Mexico al bough she
might have abandoned every hope of conquest 10
parayze both Texas and T. c United States and pre-
vent them from ever forming reunion. II any war
shout, be deemed sufbci mt to arrest anne alton il
mus, be an actual and not mere paper war; and
tins too, conducted upon a scale commensurate with
the subjugation Of the country
Tie senator from Missouri who is sincerely be-
lieye, anxious for the anne xaton of Texas in the
resolution to which have just referred, proposes TO
postpone this event until Mexico shall either con.
sent to the same, or acknowledge the mdep. ndence
oil Texas or cease TO prosecute the war against her
(the srmistice having expred) on a scale commens
rae 10 the conquest Of the county, The con-
sent Of Mexico his never shall obtain whilst
England can prevent IT. We are all aware of her
great influence with Mexico and we well know j,
will all be exerted to prevent Merco from consent
ing to the reunion Of Texas with the United States
The deep interest felt by England this question
appears from the late remarks of Lord Aberdeen
the Foreign Secretary in the House Of Lords Ii
was question new and unexsmpied (said his Lord
ship in the history OF public law, which demanded
and would receive the earliest and most serious at.
tcntion OF her Majesty's government" And pray.
Nr President, what rIgb, has England TO interfere
in this question II the people Of the United States
and Of Texas desire to be united the inter erence Of
England 10 prevent IT would be insult and an in
jury to both. Have not, independent nations.
right to conclude what treaties we please in rels
ttnp In pr pvp % wttb ppt II
England The United states must never yield the
smallest portion of just rights to that mperious
and arrogant power, which never fails to make one
estorted concession the foundation Of inc an
other. EngIand-whose constant policy in the East
has been to SOW tine seeds Of d'ssenson between ri
Wis, and then, under the pretext of cspousing the
just cause, TO take part with of the parties and
thus subjugste the whole country under her own do
minion-Is now startled al the very idea that the
United States should acqure Texas, even with the