Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-04-12

Western Georgia must pass to the Ocean. II also
secured to us sea coast, along which the vast pro.
duce OF The Mississippi must pass into the Atlantic
and 1t gave us the best harbor in the Gulf of For
ida In which to form naval station, for the protec
ton OF that commerce l. gave us the control of
a province through which, without such control an
enemy in time of war might have attacked our
Southern frontier, rendered weak by the sparseness
OF its population; and at all times it secured that
frontier against the inroads Of the Florida Indians
But do any of these exist for the introduce
ton of Texas into the Union? There is not riv-
er whose sources are within the borders of the u
nltsd States which flows to the Ocean through that
Territory. Our domestic or FOREIGN trade 10 the
Mississippi does not pass her maritime border nor
so Tar as we are informed, has she single rood
port Tor naval depot, even Tor the protection of
her own seacoast. Tho large debt of that province,
IN case OF incorporation, must become debt of the
United States and the money for its payment be
taken from the pockets of the American people,-a
debt much larger, we believe, than the amount paid
by us Tor both Louisiana and Florida together 1t
would, in addition, burden us with the enormous
expense in blood and treasure of defending an in
terror frontier of over thousand miles, against
the hostile incursions of several numerous tribes of
saVages, the most ferocous now known on this con-
tnent some OF which are remarkable for their
skill in horsemanship, and are on that frontier what
the Bedoun Arab is in Asia and Africa. If a hand
tul OF Indians in the narrow peninsula of Florida
cost US between thirty and forty millions to subdue
what must it cost the American people to subdue
those numerous bands of crafty and ferocious war
rors After fourteen years of constant war; at the
expense Of more than one thousand million of francs
and an hundred thousand lives of her bravest troops
France has not yet been able to conquer the Bedoun
Of Algiers, and yet it is urged upon US to annex
Territory to our Union with an enemy on its from
tier as well skilled in horsemanship more robust in
body, and as brave and crafty. The annexation
ha for fboa ,,,;t; e
have already more wild lands than are sufficient for
the maintenance Of ten times our present popula-
ton. The object then must be the extension of
our slave-holding States Against this we solemn
y protest. We do not intend to interfere with the
guarantee which the Constitution has given to the
citizens of the Southern States over this race of
human beings; but although we will, to the letter.
fulfil this part of the Federal compact, yet we are
not willing that any slave holding or other foreign
country shall be incorporated into the Union. We
know that In many quarters threats have been thrown
out Of dissolution of the Union if the annexation
Of Texas shall be refused. We have too high
respect for your honorable body to follow so evil an
example; and we shall not do it for another reason,
because the resolves Of brave people are shewn
BY actions, not by threats. May we be allowed to
ask, whether Mexico has consented to the annexa-
tlon! Ii not, will it not be violation of our good
faith to our second American sister, by any act of
ours to take possession of Texas without her con-
sovereignty and jurisdiction that Province and
no foreign Government has right, by treaty with
those she terms her rebel subjects, to wrest it from
her. We appfehend that no point of the law of
nations is more clearly defined than that of nom
interference on the part of foreign governments in
the internal connections of another nation. Such
interference has always been held as legitimate
SUBJECT OF war. We have with honest pride spread
abroad the idea that the example of our free nsti-
tutlons would amellorate the condition of the hui
man race Yet what do we witness? The warm
recommendation of many that this pattern Repub-
nc shall violate the rights of an adjacent sister,
The recognition of the independence of Texas by
US, does not lessen the rightfu claim of Mexico to
that Province. Should we, by any act of ours re-
cognlze the independence of Nova Scotia, it would
not lessen the rights of sovereignty of Great Brit
am over that portion of her dominions. Mexico
may be too weak TO declare war upon us in retaa-
ton Tor our interference, but does it become gen.
erous or magnanmous elder sister to perpetrate
toward her an act OF gross injustice, because she
Is not strong enough to punish us for the agrees
sion! Some display much sympathy toward the
adVenturers OF desperate fortune morals, who
have moved into Texas; but did the portion of the
popul9tlon which were Americans either ask the
American Government or the American people for
their consent to remove? They placed themselves
under foreign jurisdiction by their own voluntary
act and thus expatrlated themselves and the good
or the evil arising from this act must nure to them
selves, nor have they any right claim to expect
support or succor from the United States much
less to have the province of their adoption incorpo-
rated as member of the Federal Union.
AS the Oregon question has become a subject of
discussion, we must be allowed to remark that the
Federal Government has, by treaty and renew
al, twice publicly recognized some claim of Great
Britain to that territory After such recognition,
we believe, according to the usage of nations there
are but two ways of settling the conflicting claims;