Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-05-21
Washington, April Is, ls44. s

DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
Washington, April Is, l644.
The Undersigned, Secretary Of Stale OF
the United States, has laid be ore the Pre-
sident the note OF the right honorable Mr..
Pakenham, envoy extraordinary and min
lister plenipotentiary of Her Britannia Ma
jesiv, addressed to this department on the
, .th of February last, together with the
accompanying copy of despatch Of Her
Majesty's Principal Secretary OF State for
Foreign Affairs to MIR. Pakenham. In re-
PLY, the undersigned is directed by the
President to inform the right honorable Mr..
Pakenham, that while he regards with
pleasure the disavowal Of Lord Aberdeen
of any intention on the part OF Her MaIes-
TVS Government ''to resort to any meas
ures, either openly or secretly, which can
tend to disturb the internal tranquility OF
The sIavehoIding states, and thereby affect
the tranquility of this Union,7 he at the
same time regards with deep concern the
avowaI, for the first time made to this GO
vernment, "that Great Britain desires and
is constantly exerting herself to procure
the general abolition Of slavery throughout
the world
So long as Great Britain confined her
policy to the abolition of Slavery IN her
own possessions and colonies, no other
country had right to complain. 1t be-
Innged TO her exclusively to determine, ac-
cording to her own views of policy, whe
Their it should be done or not. But when
she goes beyond, and avows it as her set
tied policy, and the object Of her constant
excrtons, to abolish il throughout the
world, she makes it the duty Of all other
countries, whose safety or prosperity may
be endangered by her policy, to adopt such
measures as they may deem necessary for
their protection.
Il is with still deeper concern the Presi.
dent regards the avowal Of Lord Aber deen,
OF the desire Of Great Britain to see sla-
we're abolished IN Texas; and, as he infers,
is endeavoring, through her diplomacy, to
accomplish it, by making the abolition Of
slavery one Of the conditions on which
Mexico should acknowled- e her independ-
snce. 1t has confirmed his previous ina
pressons as to the policy Of Great Britain
IN reference 10 Texas, and made It his du-
~ 10 examine with much care and solicit
lude what would BE- its effects on the pros
perity and safety Of the United States,
should she succeed in her endeavors. The
nvestigation has resulted in the settled con-
viction that il would be difficult for Texas,
in her actual condition, to resist what she
desires, without supposing the influence and
exertion Of Great Britain would be extend
Ell beyond the limits assigned by Lord
Aberdeen, and that, if Texas could not re-
sist the contamination Of the object of her
desire, would endanger both the safety and
prosperity Of the Union. Under this con-
vction, 1t is felt to be the imperious duty
OF the federal government, the common re-
preventative and protector Of the states Of
the Union, to adopt, in seltdetence, the
most efectual measures to d feat il.
This is not the proper occasion to state
at large the grounds OF this conviction. 1t
is sufficient 10 say, that the contamination
of the avowrd object Of her wishes in ref
ercnce to Texas would lie followed by hos
tile feeling and relations between that
country and the United States, which could
not fail to place her under the influence
and control of Great Britain. That, from
the geographical position Of Texns, would
expose the weakest and most vulnerable
por,ion of our frontier to inroads. aud place
IN the power Of treat Britain the most eff
ticient means Of ellccring in the neighbor-
ing st1tes IN this Union what she avows
10 be her desire 10 do in all countries where
slavery exists. To hazard Consequences
which would be so dangerous TO the pros
peritv and safety Of this Union, without re-
sorting to the most effective measures to
prevent them, would be, on the part OF the
Federal Government, an abandonment of
the most solemn obligation imposed by the
guarantee which the States, in adopting the
Constitution entered into to protect each
other against whatever might endanger
their safety, whether from without or with
in. Acting in obedience to this obi legation,
on which our federal system of government
rests, the President directs me to inform
YOU that a treaty has been concluded be-
tween the United States and Texas, for the
annexation Of the latter to the former as
part OF its territory, which wilt be submit
ted without delay TO the Senate for its ap-
prevail. This step has been taken as the
most etfectual, &c not the only means OF
guarding against the Threatened danger,
and securing their permanent peace and
welfare.
1t is well known that Texas has long de-
sired to be annexed TO this Union; that her
people, at the time Of the adoption Of her
Constitution, expressed by an almost una
nimous vote, her desire to that effect; and
that she has never ceased to desire i as the
most certain means Of promoting her safe
~ and prosperity. The United States have
heretofore declined to meet her wishes, but
the time has arrived, when they can no
longer refuse, consistently with their own
security and peace. and the sacred obliga-
ten imposed by their constitutional compact
for mutual defence ami protection. Nor
are they any way responsible for the cir
cums'ances which have imposed this obi
CATION onAhem- They had no agency in
bringing about the state OF things which
has terminated in the separation Of Texas
from Mexico. Il was the Spanish Gov
eminent and Mexico herself which invited
and offered high Inducements 10 o,,r ,;ti.
zens 10 colonies Texas. That. from the