Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-05-16
COL. BENTON ON TEXAS.


oil the Texas Congress, in answer to their
communication to him expressing the wish OF
Texas to DC admitted into the American I'm
ION" conceived IN the fearless spirit natural
10 the man, and expressed in the strong, ner-
vous language, which is not less eminently a
characteristic of his productions. He COM
mences, by denouncing in the most unouali-
fled terms, the treaty of 1919. When tina,
treaty was consummated, and at time when
he was an obscure individual, practising his
profession at the bar of ST. Louis, he had taken
decided ground against it, IN the public prints,
and imprecated woe upon the head of the
Statesman who should undertake to surrender
the territory in question. "Mr. Adams (says
ne,) the negotiator and ostensible author of
.she Treaty, was the Statesman against whom
all my censure was directed, and ] was GER
lainiy sincere in my then belief of his great
culpability; but the declaration which he has
lately made on the floor of the House of Rep
resen'atlves. absolves him from all censure on
account of that treaty, and places the blame
on the majority Of Mr.. Monroe's Cabinet, by
whose votes he was governed, contrary to his
own opinions, in establishing the boundary
which so much condemned"
We particularly call the attention of those
who pretend to disbelieve Mr.. Adams state
ment, to this assertion of Col. Benton He,
at least, knowing MIR. Adams well, believes
every word of what he said He knew where
the blame ought TO fall What say the friends
OF Mr.. Calhoun to this?
After this preliminary statement, the writer
comes at once TO the pih of the matter In
1886 and in 1887, on two several occasions,
he opposed the annexation, in his place in the
Senate. But we will let him speak for him
self:
"rhus, while being incontesiably the first op-
ponent TO The loss of Texas and the frs, ad yocaie
for its recovery, have yet already twice found it
impossible TO support propositions for its admis-
sion into Union and that NAV do Justice TO |
my own condnct-may show that | am not blind |
zeaot, rushing headlong to favorite obiect-but
"a man OF head and thought, considering what he |
Ia about, and striking a balance between the good
and the evil of an important proposition that |
may do this, will here present an extract from |
my speech in the Senate of the United States, on |
Friday July LIST, 1886, on the resolution for the
acknowledgment of the independence of Texas,
and in which my policy, and that of the admins
tratlon, was faithfully sketched:
mir. Benton rose and said he should confine
himself strictly TO the proposition presented in
the resolution, and should not complicate the abb
stract question of recognition with specuaions
on the future fate Of Texas. Such specuations
''"'o iio Soou upon eItneT oil the COun-
tries lnteresed-upon Mexico, Texas, or the Uni
TED States. Texas has not asked for admission
into this Uuion. Her independence is still con-
tested by Mexico. Her boundaries, and other
important points in her political condition, are
not yet adjusted. To discuss the question of her
admission into this Union, under these circum-
stances, is to treat her with disrespect 10 embroil
ourselves with Mexico, to compromise the disin-
terestedness OF our motives in the eyes of Europe
ana 10 Start among ourselves prematurely and
without reason, question which, whenever it
comes, cannot be without its own intrinsic diff
cultIes and perplexities.''
lie afterwards enumerates the advantages of
trade, with Mexico, enjoyed by the United
States, which he feared would be entirely des-
troyed. In commenting on this extract from
his speech, he says:
'From this extract it will be seen that then
viewed the Texan question, under all its aspects,
and conslderedwhat was due to Mexico and the
United States, as well as what / wished i'm rela-
ton to Texas itself. My aim was to accomplish
eventual admission without breach with Mex
ico-wllhout compromising our national honor
with as little dissatisfaction as possible to any
part of our own Union-and without the loss of
the rich stream Of gold and silver which the Mex
lean mines were annually pouring into New Or
leans and the West This was NV wish and my
effort; and putting off the question of admission,
voted Tor recognition, but not without serious
msgivlngs that our known sympathy for the
Texan cause, and the promptness Of our acknow-
iedgment of Texan independence, (notwtb-
standing the of President Jackson and Pre-
sident an Buren, to observe the strictest neutral
iy, and to treat Mexico with all respectO MIGHT
have the effect of alternating Mexican feeling from
us, ard injurlng the valuable trade which we car
rled on with the Mexican people. Events have
shown that these misgivings. so strongly felt in
1886, were not without foundation. Every BODY
fIotN oxt n-la hoe
trade-that the stream of the precious metals now
flows to the mouth Of the Thames, which but
lately flowed from Tampico and Vera Cruz to the
mouth of the Mississippi, Every body knows
this, and the custom-house books prove it-those
books, which show us import of ten millions
and ihree-quarters Of specie from Mexico, at the
commencement of the Texan revolution and of
one million and quarter for the year ISl2-tbe
last year TO which the accounts have been made
ups
The following paragraph is worthy of a
most attentive Perusal
Such has been my conduct, and the reasons
Tor H. on the two occasions when the admission
Ioi leXas into our Union has been proposed, and
when have opposed both propositions Now
d third proposition for admission is made, and
under circumstances more formal and imposing
than heretoiore IT comes in the form Of a treaty
lald before the Senate and what ! shall do upon
this treaty does not become me TO saw, standino
as 40 In an official relation to the question, and
bound soon to act upon it. All that shall say
Is, mai wish the discussions on the question of
ralying this treaty to be public! that the nature
OF the question; the manner in which it has been
conducted heretofore; justice to the people JUS
tlce 10 individual Senators the absurdi;y OF a
secret discussion in the Senate and a public dis
cuSsion IN the newspapers; the indisputable fact
that Jobbers, Spectators, and inlriguers have
known all along what was concealed from the
people and their representatives ALL these cir
cumsances, and the prevention Of future false