Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1844-04-12
TEI,lS-.a1slaer0tfO1a.

A letter from zen. JACKSON " tuo AAo". -.
Y. Brown, comes 10 US In the GLOBE. Inc
| letter was written year since, but It Will DC
read now with interest, as it discusses very
| imnortant question in very succinct and able
manner. On all question affecting the inter-
est and honor Of the country, bo.ll the feelings
and views of Gen. Jackson are such as cannot
fail TO be approved by the American people:
| -Slasher.
| HsRMITAGR, Feb. IL. l643.
| NV Dear Sir:-Yours of the 23d ult. has
been received, and with it the Madlsonlan,
containing Governor Gilmer's letter on the
| ted States.
| You are not mistaken in supposing that
have formed an opinion on this Interesting
subject. 1t occupied much of my attention
during my presidency, and am sure has lost
none Of its importance by what has since
| tracspired.
] Soon after my election in 1929, it was made
known to me by Mr.. Erwin, formerly our
minister, at the court Of Madrid, that whilst
at tina, court he had laid the foundation of a
treaty with Spain for the cession Of the Flori-
das, and the settlement of the boundary Of
Louisiana, fixing the western limit of the lat
ter at the Rio Grande,* agreeably to the UNI
| Outstanding of Flance-that he had written
home to our Government for powers to COM
pete and sign this negotiation; but that, instead
| of receiving such authority, the negotiation
| was taken out of his hands and transferred to
! Washington, and new treaty was there con-
! cIuded, by which the Sabine, and not the Rio
| Grande, was recognized and established as the
boundary of Louisiana.
Finding that these statements were true,
and that our government did really give up
that important territory, when twas at its OPP
ton to retain it, was filled with establishment.
| The right 10 the territory was obtained from
France: Spain stood ready to acknowledge
i, TO the Rio Grande; and ye. the authority
asked by our minister TO insert the true boun-
dairy was not only withheld, hut in lieu Of it.
limit was adopted which stripped US Of the
whole Of the vast country lying between the
| two rivers.
| On such subject, thought with the an
! cient Romans that il was right never to cede
any land or boundary Of the republic, but al
ways to add to i, by honorable treaty, thus ex-
tending the area ct freedom and it was in ac-
cordance with this feeling that gave our min
] lister 10 Mexico, instructions TO enier upon q
negotiation for The retrocession Of Texas tc The
| United oIdIes.
This negotiation failed, and shall ever re-
| grei II as misfortune TO both Mexico and the
United States. Mr.. Gilmer's letter presents
many OF the considerations which, in nv Judo.
'nent, rendered the step necessary to the peace
| ana harmony OF the two countries; but the
point III 1t at that time which most strongly
| impeled me to the course pursued, was The
| Injustice done TO US by The surrender of the
territory, when it was Obvious that il could
| have been retained without increasing the con.
sheraton afterwards given for the Floridas.-
could not but feel that the surrender of so
i'Vast ana important territory was attributable
10 an erroneous estimate of The tendency Of our
institutions, in which there was mingled some.
what OF jealousy Of the rising greatness of the
South and West.
But forbear to dwell on this par, of the
history OF this question. 1t is past, and can
not now be uDdone. We can now only look
to us: and If she doco, do not hesitate TO |
say that the welfare and happiness of our U. |
mon require that it should be accepted.
1t In military point Of view alone, the |
question be examined, it will be found TO be |
most important to the United States to be n |
possession of that territory.
Great Britain has already made treaties |
with Texas; and we know that far-seeing ma |
ton never omlts circumstance in her extern |
sive intercourse with the world, which can be |
turned 10 account lii incre asing her military re-
sources. May she not enter into an alliance |
with Texas; and, reserving Gas she doubtless
will, the northwestern boundary question, as
cause of war with US whenever she chooses |
to declare it. Let ms suppose that, as an al |
~ with Texas, we are 10 fight her! Prepar. |
atory to such movement, she sends her 90 |
600 or 10000 men to Texas; organizes them
on the Sabine, where her supplies and arms !
can be concentrated before we have even no. |
tice of her intentions; makes Judgement on |
the Mississippi; excites the negroes to insur- |
rec,ion: the lower country falls, and with it |
New Osleans; and serviIe war RACES through |
the whole South and West.
In the mean while, she is also moving an |
army along the upper western frontier from
Canada, which, in cooperation with the army
from Texas, spreads ruin and havoc from the |
Lakes TO the Gulf of Mexico.
Who can estimate the national loss we NAV |
sustain, before such movement could be re-
PEELED with such force as we could organize on |
short notice!
Remember that Texas borders upon us, on
our west, 10 40 deg. Of north latitude. and is
our southern boundary to the Pacific. Re.
member, ALSO, that if annexed to the United
States, our western boundary would be the
Rio Grande, which is, of itself, for,ifcation.
on account of its extensive, barren, and unin-
habiiable plains. With such barrier on our
west, we are invinci5e. The whole Europe
an world could not, in coordination against US,
make an impression on our Union-population
on the Pacific would rapidly increase and soon
be strong enough for the protection Of orr east
ern whalers, and, in the worst event, could al.
ways be sustained by timely aids from the in.
termediate country.
From the Rio Grande, over land, large ar
nv could not march, or be Supplied. unless