Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-10-24

I
! and George NJ. Dallas as President and Vice
! President and 10 procure the remuneration OF
| Texas 10 the Union" &c You also add that vou
s.are instructed by large meeting OF the citizens
of Madison County 10 solicit my presence on the
occasion
Iou have mol, gentlemen, citizen among you,
who feels more intensely anxious upon the issues
involved in the pending presidential contest, than
DO.
Ever since have been made To understand the
provisions and principles OF our Constitution and
rs have grown up from infancy 10 the verge I
old age under lis influences, and Witnessed lis
happy effects as whole; alike adapted to the 20
| ycrninent OF seventeen millions al people and
twenly-sx sovereign States rs il was 10 three mil
lions OF ciiizcns and thirteen S!.;es, giving Pro-
lection 10 all and dispensing Blessings 10 millions,
| | have regarded its authors with feeling oi ven
Grafton. almost idolatrouS. am opposed ~ all
radical changes and Innovations upon this the
great work OF Washington and his associates
| We have grown under lis strength, and prosper
| Ell beyond any example in former governments,
BY the viviiying influences OF its principles. The
| machinery OF Government. and The harmony OF
! States, have been preserved in peace and in war.
| By its partitions Of power. and by the checks and
balances established in this our charter Of free
| dom 10 the citizen and the independence of the
States.
/
the Office OF Chief Magistrate, if he proclaimed
| himself the leader and champion OH party whose
aim and object il is 10 strike from the Consi,u-
( tiun one OF is checks which the wisdom OF q
| Washington, Franklin. a Madison, and ;heir
compccrs had placed in it, | would oppose his
| election.
A service OF ten years in the Congress oi the
! U. States and close observation uron lis legis-
lalion since retired from il in 1888, have salts
/ Sod u, ~ ,ha ,oh, II
property and the independence OF the States. arc
better secured By the existence Of the qualified
| Veto Power than they would BE- il lett at the
mercy of an unresirained majority Of ,ha, body
| Ii is The great conservative power OF the States
| and the People placed in the hands Ufthe Pre-
Sident OF the United STATES, 10 sc exercised bv
| him, the immediate representative oi The whole
people, for their good. Ii NAV lie abused for
time but the ballot box has been appointed 10
correct the abuse. Annihiaie this power, and the
Federal Government will, sooner or later. over
/ throw the independence OF The States, and, in the
| name of Liberty, lramp!e upon individual rights
| regard the effort now making 10 destroy this lea
iure of The Constitution. as bold stride 10 Con-
solidation. and the building up OF great ccn,ra!
| power in Congress which, in lime, is 10 know or
acknowledge no rule or lin, OF action but the
| will of parizan majority Of lis members
| You have, gentlemen, in your letter, been
pleased 10 allude 10 the remuneration Of Texas 10
| The United States. hope | may be excused for
obtrudng upon YOU some observations upon thai
| subject.
With YOU was and am for the ''rc-annexa-
ton of Texas, AT the earliest practicable period"
| have ever viewed Tie treats Of 1919, By which
thar territory was cc!ed To spain by the L. States,
as most unwisc; and there were those al the time
who spared no pains 10 impress upon the public
mind in the Southwest that il was brough, ahou,
o. the then Secretary of State, under the iniiu-
| ences of the same hostile feelings towards the
| South and the West. which had been attributed 10
| him in The negotiations al Client. Be this as il
NAV it was wrongful ccs>ion Of the territory
| and citizens ofihe United States in violation OF
! the Constitution and the solemn treaty stipula-
lion with France, by which that territory aud the
| people thereof, were 10 become part and parcel of
| The Federal Government Of the United States, up
on an equal footing with the citizens q. the other
| States OF the Con'ederacy.
hailed in common with every other Western
man, the early and promp; effort ot Mr.. Clay
when Secretary OF State, 10 regain Texas BY trea-
| II with Mexico, the then sovereign power over
! Texas. No man denounced this effort as disho-
norable TO the Administration OF Mr. Adams, as
dissraceful 10 the country. violation of Nation
al honor or of our treaty -tipula,ions with Spain
| with whom Mexico was ut war. Spain had then
an army well appointed in Mexico, proclaiming
her purpose and object 10 re-conquer and result
| iugatc her revolving province.
| Did Mr.. Clay ask the consent OF Spain,
before he instructed our minister, Mr.. Poinse,i,
to negotiate treaty for the remuneration OF
| Texas! No. Did he stop to enquire what his
| Britannia Majestv's Government would think OF
| it, No. DID he first consult Congress or re-
specialize portion of the Conicderacy," before he
| ordered his Minister 10 negotiate the treaty and
| fix the sum to be paid Who charged him or
Mr. Adams with a conspiracy against the Union,
| for this effort 10 regain what had been u say the
least OF it, imprudcny coded by the treaty Of
| 1919! No one Who charged their administra-
| lion with design 10 involve the United States in
war with Spain, by treating with Mexico, her re-
VOTED province? Where were the energies of
| these doctors OF international law? Where their
scnsibilics for the national honor and national
faith. that The slumberS of the Republic were not
disturbed at this effort Of Mr.. Clay 10 treat with
| Mexico for Texas, without first obtaining the
consent OF Spain? Permit me 10 state the case
in my own plain method OF dealing with facts
The tinted States. in 1919, owned Texas and
imprudenllr ceded ii io old Spain. Texas being
| co,erminous with Mexico, became part ot that
Spanish province.
| Soon after the date OF this treaty, Mexico de-
| clared her independence against Spain. a bloody
| Struggle OF doubtful issue cnsucd. In the year
1923. the United States became satisfied tia, Mex
Spain, and recognized her among the family Of
| nations and States anu treated with her - sove-
reign and free
| In 1927, while Spain yet occupied by large
| and powerful military force, portion of the ter
ri,oriv of Mexico, Mr.. Clay, without consulting
| Congress, without consulting respectable por-
ton of the Confederacy,' without asking the con-
sent of Spain or The permission OF England, in
s,ructed Mr. Ponseu to make the treaty Tor Texas
| 10 the Rio del Norlc.
| II could not then be made. Ii Mr.. Clay had
made the Treaty, as he then desired, who OF the
Yves, would have charged him with a desire TO
dissolve the Union Who would so far have
forgotten The respect due 10 the public, and The
public func,ionary as TO call il MIR. Claws sin
famous Treaty z" Who would have opposed
this Treaty. because Spain had not given her con-
sent? who would have opposed il, because, per
possibility negro slavery might DC tolerated
within its limits when it became State Ger
tajnly not Mr.. Adams! Who would have declared,
that if Texas were thus acquired, the Union
would be dissolved? Certainly no, President
Adams. who ordered The Treaty TO he made, The
country regretted the failnrc ofMr Clay 10 make
the Treaty. Mr. Clay regretted it Mr.. Adams
regretted il the more, because he wished thereby
TO regain the ground he had lost in the West BY
the Treaty of 1919.
In 1920 General Jackson assumed the duties
OF President of the United States ana appointed
Mr. Van Buren, his Secretary of State. Among
the frs, OF his official acts, connected with oar TO-
reign relations, was negotiation with Mexico,
for the acquisition of Texas
It had been the good fortune of the United
States 10 assign the defence of New Orleans, and
the South West, during the late war, 10 that dis
tingu.hcd and fortunate Captain The ditfl-.
cuities he encountered, his intimate knowledge OF
the topography of Louisiana, and ON. South
western frontier, satisfied his clear judgement,
upon all matters connected with the military
defence Of the country, that New orleans
and The entire South Western frontier could not
be we'll defended against powerful and invading
foe in after-cme, il Texas were not owned BY the
United States. l, was desire, no, only to regain