Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-06-22

Mr. Polk ON Annexation,
COLUMBIA, Tenn, April %, 1874 W.
GENrLEMEN---Your letter Of the ~.
ultimo, which you have done me The hon.
to address to me, reached my residence ~.
ring my absence from home, and WI. u.
received until yesterday. Accompanv;.s
your letter you transmit to me as YOU .i,ss'
ga copy Of the proceedings Of very -
meeting Of the citizens Of Cincinnati =:
sembled without distinction of party, on a.
18th instant, to express their settled a.
position to the annexation Of Texas to Il.
United States" You request from me a.
explicit preston Of opinion upon ~.
question Of annexation" Having 4 =
time entertained any opinions upon pnbln
sui iects which was unwilling to avow.
it gives me pleasure to comply with Won,
request. / have no hesitation in declarip,
that AN IN FAVOR OF THE iMMrnrAYs
kE-ANNExATlox or Texas to the terr;tor,
and government Of the United States.
entertain no doubt as to the power or IL
eypediency Of the remuneration. n
proof is clear and satisfactory to my mind
that Texas constituted part of the un;tei
States, the title to which regard to h.vs
been . indisputable as that to any oahr
portion Of our territory. AT the time IL
negotiation was opened with view % =.
gain the Floridas, and the settlement 4
other questions, and pending that neecsi,.
ton, the Spanish government itself wss -.
isfed Of the validity Of our title, ana 49,,
ready to recognize line far west Of u
Saline, IS the true western boundary y
Louisiana, and defined BY the treaty. Z
1903 with France, under which Lonisisan
was acqnired. This negotiation, whick
had been first opened at Madrid, was hr,.
ken off and transferred to WashinetsR
where It was resumed, and resulted ii w
treaty Of Florida, BY which the Sabine ~
fixed upon as the western boundary 4
Louisiana. From the ratification Of q
treaty e 1903 with France until the ttestt
Of 1919 with Spain, the territory now Con.
shutting the Republic Of TIE a., belonged.
to the United States. In 1919 the Foid1
treaty was concluded at Washington, "
Mr.. John Quincy Adams, (then Secretary
Of State, on the part of the United States
and Don Louis de Onis, on the part 4
Spain; and by that treaty this territory y.
ing west Of the Sabine. and constituting
Texas, was ceded by the United States 4
Spain. That the Rio del Norte or sons
more western boundary than the Sabine
could have. been obtained, had it been in,
sisted on by the American Secretary d
State, and that without increasing the con
sideration paid for the Floridas, | have Mt
a doubt. :. In my judgment The county
west Of the Sabine and now Texas, va
most unwisely ceded away. It is part q
the great valley Of the Mississippi, direct:
ly connected by its naviea able waters with
the Mississippi river, and having ones
been part Of our Union, it should never
have been dismembered from it. The rev.
eminent and people Of Texas, it is undss.
stood, not only give their consent but ri
sincerely DESTROYS to be Reunited to lie
United States. 1.-THE application Of TesM
for re-union into our confederacy shah
be rejected by the United States, there b
imminent danger that she will become
dependency, # rot a colony Of Great BrA-
ain-an event which no American par;d,
anxious for the safety and prosperity ofM
country, could permit to occur, wi.houttis
most strenuous resistance. Let Texas b
re-annexed, and the authority and laws Il
the United States be established and nsin-
tanned within her limits, as also in he Ore
gon territory, and let the fixed policy 4
our government be not to permit Cre&
Britain OF any other foreign power to plaa
a colony or hold dominion over any pcrtin
Of the people or territory Of either.
These are my opinions, and withsa
dee'ning it necessary to extend this letth
BY assigning many reasons which infueness
me in the conclusions to which Come !
regret TO be compelled to differ so wildly
from the views e pressed by yourselva
md the meeting Of the citizens Of Cinc<
nal whom you represent. Differing, het.
ever with you and with them Is ! d.
was due to frankness, that should bstl6
explicit in the declaration Of my opinis&
/ am with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES X. POLK
To S. p. CHASE and others.