Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-10-24

I
| try, violation of national honor or Of oul
.raaty stipuiatioas with Spain, with whom
| Mexico was at war Spain had then an army
well appointed in Mexico, proclaiming hel
purpose and object to recon1uer and resubiu-
gate her revolving province.
| DID Nj. Clay ask the consent of Spain be-
| FIRE he instr loted our Minister, Mr.. Poinsett,
| to negotiate treaty for the remuneration q
! 1exas2 Did he stop to enquire what his Bri-
] fannie Majesty's government would think OF
it! Did he first consult Congress, or 'sres-
! pacta5le PORTION Of the conEederacy,' before he
ordered his minister to negotiate the treaty,
and fix sum to be paid? Who charged him,
or Mr.. John Quincy Adams, with consplra-
cy against the Union, for this efTort to regain
| v.lat had beon, to say the least OF it, impru-
IDENTIFY ceded by the treaty Of 1919! No one.
Who charged their administration with de-
sign to involve the United States in a war
with Spain, by treating with Mexico, her re-
volted province? Where were the energies
of these doctors of international law? Where
their sansibllities for the national honor and
national faith, that the slumbers Of the RePub-
lie were net disturbed at this effort of Mr..
Clay to treat with Mexico for Texas, without
first Obtaining the consent Of Spaia2
The United States, in 1919, owned Texas,
and imprudently ceded it to old Spain. Tex
as. being conterminous with Mexico, became
part Of that Spanish province.
! Son after the dase Of this treaty, Mexico
declared her Independence against Spain. A
Bloody Struggle Of doubtful issue ensued. In
the year 1923 or 1924, the United States be-
came satisfied that Mexico was able to main
tain her independence of Spain, recognized her
among the family of nations and states, and
treated her as sovereign and free.
III 1925 and 1927, while Spain yet occupi-
ed, By large and powerful military force, {
portion of the territory Of Mexico, Mr.. Clay,
without consulting Congress, without consult
ing respectable portion Of the Confaderaay,"
without asking the consent of Spain, Or the
permission Of England, instructed Mr., Poin-
sett to make the treaty for Texls to the R0
del NJrte. 1t could not then be made. If Mr..
Clay had made the treaty as he then desired,
who of the West would have charged him
with the desire to dissolve the Union? Who
would So far have forgotten the respect due 10
the public funct;onary. as to call it Mr.. Clay s
''infamous treaty." Who would have opIo5-
ed this treaty. because Spain had not given
her cousen2 Who would have opposed it be-
cause, per possibility, negro slavery might be
tolerated within lis limits when it beca he a
state? Certainly not Mr. Adams. Who
would have declared that. if Texas were ac-
CURED, the Uaion wonld be dissolved! Ger
tainly not President Adams, who ordered the
treaty to be made. The country regretted it
that Mr.. Clay regretted it. Mr. Adams
regretted it more, because he wished thereby
to regain the ground he had LIST in the West
by the treaty Of 1919.
In 1929. General Jackson assumed the Gu-
ties of President Of the United States, and ap-
pointed Mr.. Van Buren, his Secretary of State.
Among the first Of his official acts, connected
with our foreign relations, was negotiation
with Mexico for the acquisition of Texas.
1t had been the good fortune of the u. States
to assign the defence Of New Orleans, and the
Southwest, during the late war, to that dis
i tingaished and fortunate captain. The diff
culties he encountered, his intimate knowledge
Of the topography of Louisiana and our South
western frontier, satisfied his clear Judgment
upon all matters connected with the military
defence Of The country, that New Orleans ant
the entire Southwestern frontier could not b.
well defended against powerful and invading
foe in after time, if Texas were not owned b,
the United States 1t was desire not onl
to regain that which had been lost, but wis
to PLACE his beloved country in such postian il
( relation to her territory, that in all time t.
come she could defy the general and his army
who might essay again to invade her soil, anf
offer to his soldiers the Beauty and Booty
of our cities as their reward, which prompte,
this early effort of General jackson to anne.
! Texas to the United States.
] Gentlemen, invite you to cast your ey
j upon the map of the United States Exam
inc our frontier from the Capes of Florida t
j the Sabine; thence along the line of ,erritor
to our possessions on the Pacific. Look at tn
} condition of the population Of the South an
South Western States. Count the numerou
) Indian tribes on this frontier, within and with
out our limits. Imagine Texas an ally Of OF
/ enemy, OF the dependent province of Mexico
. or, if you please, an indie pendent powe
unable to maintain her neutrality in a VIZ
) between the United States and Gree
Britain Extend your survey over the ma
of North America. See with what anx
~ and care the British Government has mar
tanned and extended her settl einents and mil
tary posts on the North. from the Atlantic
, the Pacific, and remember with what boldnes
; she denies our right to the Oregon Territor,
Look at her West Indiana POSSESSIONS l.
I, this. and tell me what would be OUT conditlo
in an Dther contest with that moltious and pow
: srfal nation. Do YOU think in such a conte
! England would regard the neutrality of Texa
Would she not possess herself Of her bays an
| waters. then sweep our commerce from tn
f Gulf Of Mexico, and by her gold, as In tim
: past, excite the 10000 savage warriors on OIL
, borders to blood and carnage2
r will not continue this inquiry. Your ow
good sense will convince you that the etfJrf
: heretofore made By Mr.. Clay snl Genera
Jackson, and that recently made by Pfesider
Tyler, to regain Texas, were prompted BY tn
highest considerations of patriotism, and d.
! sire to promote the national defence and seer
!, rity | omit to notice the benefits which woui
) have resulted to the agriculture, manufacture