Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-07-30
EOR TIE E.NGUIRER.

propose Ia examine and refute the charges
and, ii>l, As TO the secret intrigue have before
me Letter dated March Sd, 1913, at Washington
and signed Ivy
JOHN q. ADAMS, SETH NJ. GATES.
NM. SLADE, WIN. B. CAuorS.
JosnrA r. CLIPPINGS, SHERLOCK ]. ASpRrws
NATHANIEL b. BORDEN, Tuos c. CmIrrrNDES,
john MATrocxs, cnrsTopHrR MORGAN,
JOSHUA NJ HowARp, VICTORY BIRpsEYE,
and HH.aND HAIL,
Members of the eth Congress, addressed "Te
Tie Free States u The Uaim, in which they say:
eve, the undersigned, in closing our duties To
our constituents and our country, as members
"ot The eth Congress, feel bound 10 call your
attention very briefly 10 the project, long enter
tanned by portion Of the people Of the United
States, still "peninaciously adhered 10, and
intended soon to be conslImmated, THE An
" NEXArIoN or TEXAS TO THE UNION In the
press Of business incident 10 the last DAYS OF a
session OF Congress- we have not time. did We
deem necessary, 10 enter upon detailed state
ment of the reasons which force upon our
minds the conviction, that this project IS bg M
means a6aadoncd-lhal large portion Of the
country, interested in the continuance Of domcs-
tic slavery and The slave trade in these United
States, have solemnly and unal;crably deter
mined that shat be sircd1n carricd iHto crccH-
ton, and that by this admission OF new slave
territory, and slave States TIE Rndrc 0Sreauancv
"ct ne Slarc-iold,ng yo,rer IN The Gorcramcnt
MGN nc secured aHd rireifcd bcypRR all 7cdeMp-
ton"
give the italics as | find them. II will he
seen, that the address assumes that there is con-
fiicl OF interest between the slayehoding and no-
! slaveholding States; that the ascendancy of the
savehold;ng States should be resisted by the pco-
pie of the free Saes and it will hereafter he seen
that they carry this principle 50 far as 10 assert,
that on this account the annexation Of Texas ".ct
| be idcnticai wiM diSwlaiioa"
Is it true that the interests of the slavcholdins
and Notwithstanding States are 50 much opposed.
Is ii ruc that The political prcpondcrance OF the
slaveholdinS States will be identical with diSso-
luton"l And, ifso, will not the political prepon-
derancc OF the non-slayeholding States be liss;a-
luton likewise? The population Of tho slave
holding STATES is lesSthan seven millions, oiwhom
hui two and half millions are slaves: the white
population in the non-slavehohing States is more
than len millions. The number ami population
are greater. and the political power now Is ana.
ever must remain with the non-slavcholdin@
States. There is no conceivable question, coming
within the jurisdiction Of Congress, on which the
saveholding States, assuch, can BE- expected ever
TO combine with each other 10 Cypress or :nJurc
the non-slavcholding States. A combination OF
the non-slaveholdng States, as Il political party,
! i'll opposition to n measure because II may IN
crease the political influence Of the >iaveholdinS
| States cannot he justified on The ground that me
latter, il they had Il political prepondcrancc in the
4. Union, would enact any law, or ador any mea-
| sure hostile 10 The interests of the former. 40
one can believe, that the slavcholding states VII!
;tteinp, to enact laws authorizing The holc!ing ol
slaves in any of the States against the VIII oi
such State So far as il relates TO the question oil
slavery which is the question III issue, the non
slavcholdiBg States have nothing 10 apprehend-
81. CO
of the slaveholling Siatesl The most that can
follow is 10 project the rights Of property i'll the
saveholing States-to proven, improper inter
ference on the part of the abolitoriss in the other
! States. Therefore, that when Mr. Adams and
his associates object 10 increasing the influence OF
the holding States, they do SO, from no "l'-
prehension thai their peculiar interests or insilu-
! lions will thereby be endangered or injured; but
because they GcSire 10 secure ~ themselves " see
| tional prcponderaEcc in the Government, and are
usns the public sentiment %! The Northern Stale
on the subject Of slavery. Is meals Of or"ahiZ-
ny political parry, aud thus To- secure the roii-
! heal control of lllc Federal Government. That
| this is the real object, will he more manifest III
( the sequel The Address from which We quote,
! SAYS:
:"Thc open avowal Of the Texans themselves,
the frequent and anxious negotiations Of orr
own Government, the resolutions of the various
States OF he Union The numerous declarations
OF members of Congress, he tone ci the South
crn press. as we'll as The direc. application OF
the Texan Government, r!0.he imooSNts fer
ang man, horcrcr 1aH, II pstceirc hA ANXrXA
TloN and the formation vi several new slave
holding States, were originally the tcsign oiihc
slavehoiding States ana The Eyeca.iTe OF the
nation. The same references will show vcr,'
concllsivc:, that the Pariicg'GT o5jetiS OF this
new acquisition ofslave territory. were TIE per
Qt slavery and the nSp,.pI.
I ancy OF the slave power
/ The charge here is, that the particular object Of
the National Erccuflrc, who er.,eavorcd 10 &C
/; uuirc Texas hy anxious negotiation" was she
pefpeira,tGa ot darc,E aad Tic Continued GSccRa0a
. cy oftic stare po,rer." Mr. Adams is the rcpntci
author OF this ad,.icSs--lis name heads the list!
Ii is remarkable fact, that the charge here
made by Mr.. Adams is Z charge agains. himself
| He, il is;ruc gave Texas 10 spain without an eqni-
valea, but he was then Il Secretary of siae-a
+ Northern man, seeking then, - now, 10 rally The
free States against the slaveho!ding States as
means OF obtaining political power. Mir CLAWS
vote made him President: and he made MIR. Clay
Secretary Of State: and 10 sooner had Ae become
! President Than he began an anxious negotiation
to regain it, Is ttruc as his present address would
| imply, that being Secretary oi state and seeking
office, he gave Texas away without price. be-
cause he then desired TO give political plepon-
tlcTlllGc ~ t4t NOItI lIidl IS>ittIIt,
f! entered upon an anxious negotiation" 10 regain
it as means Of giving political prepondcrancc
to the South? And if this charge is not true, as
against him, with what face can he now make il
against those who negotiated the Texas Treaty I!
Mr. Adams has placed himself in "A category
where il is charity 10 believe that his reScnlmcniS
against tho South, acting on morbid love OF pow
or have induced him 10 take position in relation
to this question inconsislcn; with his own repu-
l IL.
try.
The address proceeds "Thc impoverished
condition of Texas, her inability 10 raise and
sustain troops 10 defend herself against invasion
i" for any length Of time, and her want Of char
acer and credit abroad, are urged as reasons
for immediate annexation; and the opinion has
been frequently expressed by those who feel a
deep interest in the subject, rHarIr WOULD TAKE
PLACE AT VERY EARLY DAY ~ THE NEXT SEES
SION or CONGRESS-"
Such is the declaration made By thirteen mem
bers of Congress, in published address, on the
third March, 1913; and yet it is urged against
the Treaty, that it was a secret negotiation. in
tended 10 ac on the Presidential Election and lis
purpose dissolve the Union.
| Here. il is admitted, that il was frequently said
by those who felt deep interest in the subject, th,
! j, would take place at an early day in Inc next
| (pasD session Of Congress Il was known, that
! Mr.. Calhoun, who made the Treaty, declared
| himself in favor of annexation, as far back rs
the time when our Government recognised the
! Independence of Tcxas-It was known, that the
basis of Treaty had been agreed upon that
| General Henderson was oil his way to Washing
ton for the purpose Of concluding ii, and Tie APP
pointmenl of Secretary Of State was given to, and
accepted by, Mr. Calhoun, that he might take
charge of the negotiation on our part What
was the unanimous ratification by the Senate,
and the unanimous approval of that appoint,
ment by the people, but an approval Of what had
been done by the President, ard especially Of the
Treaty for annexation
WHY, under these circumstances, was The trca-
IL rejected! This is an important enquiry: but
the answer is al hand.
Mr.. CLAW. in his letter, assigning his reasons
f,r tho treaty SAYS.