Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-04-10

may assume the debt of Texan indepen-
ceuce. II may 90 said, that We leave to
Texas her lands. from the proceeds Of
which she may pay her debts, and have
surplus. But this will depend upon the
boundaries which we may assign to Texas,
and which are to be the subject OF negosia.
ton with Mexico. IfTexas is to be re.
stricted within the narrow Limits which
some have assigned TO her. she viii. have
out small and insufficient domain left.
"Ths question of boundary is of itself
ono Of vital interest to Texas, and she will
not be satisfied with any boundary short
Of that of the Rio Grande.
"Thus much as to the objections which
Texas may urge to the terms of the Joint
Resolutions. Now, ss TO our own OBJ
jectious TO them,--and here | will under
take to say, that the terms Of these reso-
luiious, so Ear as the Union ia concerned
are impraclicsble and absurd, and utterly
inconsistent with the constitutional rights
and duties Of the General Government
We cannot give up to Texas the control
Of her public domain. Il would be as
great an anomaly as to give her the pow
er to declare war and involve the Union
ia it. Much Of that domain is in posses.
sion OF the native tribes. and, if we left
the management of the domain TO Texas,
we might become embfoiled in expensive
wars with those tribes. Treaties are al
so to be made with the Indians for the ex-
tinguishment Of their title, their removal,
&c. The expenses attending the man.
sgement of the land system have been
found 10 be very great and, taking the
whole period Of the duration of our Gov
erEment, have amounted to nearly as
much as the receipts from their sale.
"AgaiD, Texas pressed for money to
pay the interest of her debt, may be in.
duced, and would be 90 doubt, to under.
sell our Louisiana and Florida lands
The Government of the United States has
fixed upon one dollar and twenty-five
cents as the minimum price OF their lands,
and how would il do to allow Texas, as a
State, to undersell us?
This being the state Of the matter,
neither party will agree, finally and per-
manentiy, 10 the terms proposed. We
must take the control and possession of
The lands of Texas, and, as an equivalent
for them, and for the deprivation Of Tex
as from other sources of revenue, we
must pay her debts; or, what is the same
thing, if the word assumption is more obi.
GUS in our estimation than that of repudi-
alton, let US allow her fair and adequate
consideration for her lands.
"Such terms would satisfy the Texan
people, and would be approved by ours.
They can and must be carried into effec,
no matter upon what nominal terms Tex
as may be annexed.
"Should Texas agree to take the Joint
Resolutions, and trust, as she might i'm
plicity do, to future legislation to remedy
their defects, The work will be accom-
pIished.
"Bu, there is still another and almost
equally easy mode Of attaining the object:
Let the Texan Congress suggest the con-
ditions upon which she will except the
Joint Resolutions, as articles of arnexa-
ton, and let our Congress assent to those
conditions, and the work will Their be
complete.
ain no other way will annexation be
brought abou, for years. The proviso of
Mr.. Benton is too complicated, and will
subject the whole arrangement to tedious
delays, il no, to insuperabIe difficulties.
when Mr.. Calhoun's instructions
shall be made public, it will be found, |
presume, that he relies on some such mode
as have suggested. and not upon the ap
pointment OF Commissioners to treat with
Texas"
There is. II Texas will not kauckle to US, we
will 20 her. "Let the Texan Congress suggea
the conditions upon which she will accept the
Joint Resolutions as articles Of Annexation, and
let our Congress assent 10 those conditions. and
the work will be accomplished How truly be-
raj and condescending the Annexationists have be-
come-the pocket nerve is doubtless gerry aehy
just now.