Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1844-05-14

n | S'uN' OSuoluSIauOHS, my most tdNOIdDl
anticipatiOns will be realized. sH
!. 1t has already been made NY duty /
t act officially on al least two several Occa
siOns, but in different forms, upon the sub
ect matter to which your questions hav,
reference. JfI ftf
Having charge OF the Department o
State in 1929, prepared, by the direc'
lions of the President, Instructions tC
our minister at Mexico, by which he was
directed to open, without delay, Megoli'
alton with lheMexican govemm ent forthe
purchase of the greater psrtof the Prov
ln7e Of Texas, and by which he was
likewise authorized 10 insert IN the treaty
a provision similar TO that in heLousi.
ana and Florida treaties, for the incOr.
poration Oft inhabitants Of Texas into
the Union as soon as it could be done
consistently with The principles Of the fed.
eral constitution. The reason in favor Of
this measure stated at large in that doc.
ument.
In taking this step, The administration
of President Jackson renewed (bul as
was supposed, under more favorable cir
cumstances) an attempt 10 accomplish The
same object which had been made by its
immediate predecessor. Instructions,
similar in their general object, had, in the
second year of the latter administration,
been sent from the Department of Stale
to the same American minister aIMexi.
co. am not aware that there were any
material differences between them, other
than that those oflS27proposed an acqui'
siIon Of territory as FAR as the Rio del
Norle--being, believe, The extreme
western boundary Of Texas-whilst the
cession asked for by President Jackson
extended only as far west as the centre o {
the Desert or Grand Prairie, which lies
east Of the river Nueces-and thai for the
former. the paymeRt of one million of
dollars was authorized, whilst, by The ad.
minlslration Of President Jackson, the
American minister was permitted to 60
as high as four, and, if indispensable,
tlvs millions. Both authorized agree
mants for smaller portions of territory,
and The payments were modified accOr-
dingly. In respect to the proposed stipu
latiOn for the ultimate Incorporation Ofthe
inhabitants into the Union, both inslruc-
lions were identical. ,
In August, 1887, proposition was re.
ceived at the Department of State, from
the Texean minister at Washington, pro-
posing a negotiation for the annexation
Of Texas 10 lhs U0itedStatss. This was
the first time the question of the arnexa-
ton ofa foreign independent State had
ever been presented TO this government
In deciding upon the disposition that ought |
10 be made of it, did not fad il Deces-
sary to consider The question OF consli-
tuticnal power,nor the manner in which
The object should be accomplished, il |
dee med expedient and proper. BOtn
these points were therefore, in terms,
passed over in the reply of the Secretary
of State TO the Texan minister. as sub.
jects the consideration of which had
not been entered upon BY the execu'
tive.
The first Of thsse-viz: constitutional |
power-is now presented by your inqu-
ries; moi however, in precisely the same
form. Then the application was for the
immediate admission Of Texas into the
Union as an independent Slate; your
question looks only to its annexation es
part Of the territory Of the Uuited States.
There is no express power given 10 any
department Of the government to purchase
territory except for the objects specified
in the constitution, viz: for arsehals, 81 c.,
but the power has, on several very i'm
pertant occasions, been regarded as en-.
braced in the Vrealy.making pOwer-and
territories have been SO annexed With a
view and under engagements for their
ultimate admission into the Union as
States. II there be nothing in the situa-
tion OF condition ofthe Territory ofTex>
as, which would render its admission
hereafter into the Union as new State
mproper,I cannot perceive any objection,
on constitutional grounds, 10 its annexa-
tion as a territory. In speaking of the
right to admit ne WStates,l music course,
be understood as referring TO the power Of
Congress. The executive and Senate
may, as have already observed, by the
exefcise Of the treaty'making power ,ac.
quire territory, but new Sta,es can ONLY
be admitted by Congress-and the sole
authority over the subject, which is given
TO il by The constitution, is contained in
the following provision, viz, ':new States
may be admitted by the Congress into
this Union."
The only restrictions imposed upon this
general power are, lst: That no. new
States shallbe formed or erected within
the jurisdiction Of any other State, nor,
2dIy, sAny Stats formed by the junction
Of two or more States, or paris Of States,
without the consent of the legislatures
concerned, as we'll as Of CongressN--r rc-
s,rictions which have no bearing ubonithe
pressnt,question. The IN atter, therefore.
stands as il would do If the constitution