Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-02-20
CONGRESS.
Mr.. Benton's new bill for Texas
Annexation.


BILL which appears TO avoid all objections whatever
We copy from the Globe the new bill of BIr. Benton,
together With his remarks its introduction. They
win be read with interest and pleasure, manestng
as they d. the profound Knowledge and craftsmanship
of their author. If we are not greatly mistaken,
those who have so hastily condemned the course of
Mr. Benton on this measure, will find in the end, that
as in all the important questions which have agitated
the public mind for twenty-five years, RIGHT.
1t now seems to be conceded poin. that no other
Texas proposition as yet made, pass the Senate
this session except it be Mr.. Behtons. Read his
remarks:
! Mr. BENTON remarked that the Committee on
Foreign Reatons having reported yesterday upon the
subject of annexation, which brought back all the
propositions before the Senate, he asked that the bill
submitted by him short time back be taken up for
the purpose of enabling him 10 withdraw it from the
Senate, aad to submit another in its place
| The bill accordingly taken up, when Mr..
Denton, on leave, withdrew 1t, end submitted the
following in lieu thereof, viz:
"A BILL to PrOeide for the annCIdton Of qerGs to the
United States.
Be enacted the Senate and House Of Representatives,
Of the Uitee States of 7meriea Congress assembled,
That State To be formed ol the present republic Of
Texas, with suitable and boundaries, and with
Representatives in Congress until the next nPPoronment
Of representation, shall be admitted into the Union by
virtue Of tins act, equal footing with the existing
States the terms and conditions OF surh nj
mission of The remaining Texan territory TO the United
States shall be agreed by the Of Texas
and the United States.
SIC 9 find be it further enacted That the sum of one
hsndrrd thousand dollars be, and the hereby,
appropriated To deIray the expenses of missions and
negotiations agree upon the of said admission
and cesson, either by treaty, to be submitted TO the
Senate by articles be submitted The Houses
Of Congress, as the President may direct.
The bill having been read
Mr.. Benton said he would avail himself of the
indulgence Of the Senate TO state the which
induced him to offer it. 1t copy, he said, sub
siantally, of the bill which he had previously offered
with the omission of all the terms and conditions
which the bill contained. lie had been induced to
omit all these conditions because of the difficulty Of
agreeing upon them, and because it was now clear
that whatever bill was passed upon the subject of
Texas, the execution of il must devolve upon the
President who had Just been elected by the people
with view to this object He had confidence in
Mr. Polk and was willing to trust the question of terms
and conditions to bis untrammeed discretion, certain
that he would do the best he could for the of
the object, tile harmony of the Union and the peace
and honor of the country He had. therefore, with
drawn all the terms and conditions which his previous
bill contained and only retained its cardinal features
namely the admission of Texan State by law, the |
cession of the remaining Texan territory to the
United States, and the adjustment OF the terms and
conditions of this admission and cesSion by ENJOYS, |
or commissioners, subject to the continuation OF the
two governments. This seemed to him to be the
natural, practicable way of proceeding, and was GER
tainy the respectful TO Texas
The Joint Resolution sent up from the House of
Representatives was nothing but proposal, and a
proposal clogged with conditions, and limited to
time. If it passed both Houses of our Congress, 1t
might be rejected by Texas and then the process of
making proposals would have to commence again. |
Legislative propositions, interchanged by two Legisa
tive bodies, sitting in two different countries, at the
distance of near two thousand miles apart was SLOW
way of coming to conclusions and, unless more
practicable method adopted, the annexation of
Texas might be looked upon event deferred for
years. Commissioners, ENJOYS, to discuss PROPOSE
tions face to face, with right to give well as TO
take-with power to yield well as TO demand-can
alone be competent to the successful termination of
such business. lie therefore adhered to that part of
his former bill which proposed to send ministers to
settle the terms of annexation.
The occasion (sad Mr.. b. is extraordinary one,
and requires extraordinary Mission. TIE volun- |
tary union of two independent nations is rare
occurrence, and is iyorhy to be attended by every
circumstance which lends it dignity, promotes its
success and makes it satisfactory. When England
the last century less than thirty-one commission
ers were employed to agree upon the terms and the
terms they agreed upon received the sanction Ut the
Parliaments OF the two Kingdoms, and completed a
union which had been III vain attempted for one
hundred years Extraordinary missions nationally con-
sttued, have sevcra! times been res0red to liz
country, and always with public appreciation whether
success ,fu or not The first Mr. Adams sent Mlrshalh
Gerry and PInkney to the French directory IN 1898
Mr.. Jefferson sent Ellsworth, Dave and Murray to
the consular government of 1900: Mr.. Madison sent
Adams, Bayar6, Galatin, Clay and Russell to Client
in 1914. All these missions, and others which might
be named, were nationally constituted-composed Of
eminent citizens taken from each political party and
from different sections Of the Union; and of course,
all favorable to the object for which they were en-
poyed. An occasion has occurred which, in my
opInlen, requires mission similarly CONSTITUENCIES
numerous as the missions to Paris or to Ghent-and
composed of citizens from both political parties and
from the non-say eholeng well as the slave holding
States. Such commission could hardly fail TO be
successful not merely in agreeing upon the terms of
the union, bat It agreeing upon terms which would
be satisfactory to the people and the governments of
the two countries. And here avoid miSapprehenson
and the appearance of disrespcct where the contrary
is felt, would say that the gentleman in Texas
the charge of the United States, is in nay opinion
eninently fit and proper to be one of the ENJOYS
extraordinary and ministers plenipoentiary which my
bill conempates.
The bill which now propose (said Mr.. b. is brief
and plain, but comprehensive and eifectull. 1t pro-
poses to admit one Texan State-:o obt in cession
OF the remaining Texan terrItory-and to settle the
terms and conditions Of the admls sion and cesson by
the usual and practicable mode of negotiation.
The admission of the State, or rather its right to
admission, is to be complete under the BILL 1t is to
be admitted by virtue of the act that no future
legislation will be necessary for that purpose, and the
possibility Of Missouri controversy will be entirely
avoided The admitted State is have all the rights
Of the existing States from the moment of her
admission, not only theoretically, but practically for
the bill fixes her representatives in the federal Con-
greSs and avoids all delay debate upon that point