Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-02-21
SPEECH OF MR.. ]. COLLAMER, OF VT,
on THE ANNExATIoN OF TEXAS.
Delivered IN The Horse Of Representatives, IN Com
,1itiee Of The Uholp jan % lS45.


Mn. CHAIRMAN: Amongst the great variety of
projects for the annexation of Texas to this naton
by an act of legislation, is one which proposes to
annex it as State, leaving to it all its ungranted
lands and leaving the burden of all its debts to be
paid without recourse to this Government. This
mode of doing the deed seems, at present, to re.
ceiye most favor. There are, undoubtedly, some
in this House who would be unwilling to receive
Texas, and thereby become responsible for the I'M
known and uncounted millions Of her debt; and
they seem to suppose that, by this project, such
responsibility is avoided. That, sir, consider
great mistake If we take Texas, we must respond
to the duties and obligations inseparaby incident to
the act BY the dictates of justice and the law of
nations, and which are beyond the reach Of profess
tationS to avoid or control One of those incidents
is that we must be responsible to her creditors for
her debts. The creditors Of any Government have,
for heSr security, equitable lien upon the eminent
domain. BY this is not intended what is, In tins
country, commonly called the public domain-that
is, the public land. BY eminent domain, is to be
understood the power possessed by nation, by
taxes otherwise, to appropriate TO the public use
and to the public debts, all the property, public and
private real and personal, present and prospective,
all which together constitute 1.-The resources of
wealth. 1t is this national power--the money rals-
ing power-whch constitutes the security of the
public creditor; and any act of another, which
weakens this security must, of course, visit on that
other all the consequences which result thereby to
innocent t ird persons. And here would caution
gentlemen not to confound this national power
the eminent domnin-wth objects and subjects on
which it might be brought to act. The lien is not
on the lands articles of property, public pri-
vate, but is on this existing national power. The
purchase of the property by other nations indi-
viduals therefore, does not weaken the security,
but whatever detaches from and weakens this nd-
tional po,cer, weakens the security; and whatever
nation takes that power so detached, must be re-
sponsbe for the debts which lien upon IT. II, then,
we annex Texas to this nation, even though we do
not take her public land we Of course deprive her
of the power of levying and collecting duties, iIn-
posts and tonnage 1.-THE principal source of modern
revenue) and thereby we weaken her eminent do
main and her creditors security and therefore we
must be responsible to those creditors.
But, it is said by admitting Texas as State we
leave her sovereignty existing, and so the eminent
domain remains for security OF the creditor. There
are two entire answers to be made to that position
The first is, you take away from her the power tc
levy duties on importations, the most productive
source of modern revenue Now, 1t the creditor
does not obtain his pay, must not we, who have Ia
ken away that resource and security, pay him his
debt? The second answer is this: if we deprive
a creditor of the means Of enforcing his security
we must pay him. If we assume any branch OF The
sovereignty Of Texas, we must respond to all the
I duties and liabilities which rest upon that branch
What then, is the mode of enforcing the debt Of a
: individual on nation: Any citizen or subject @
: one government, having just demand on anothe
Il nation, may require of his government to deman
and enforce payments and with this Requirement
d it is the duty of his government to comply. Thi
!, has always been done by this government for it
l. citizens Now this can only be done by demand
a ing payment from that branch of the sovereignt
which represents the nation in relation to foreig
r nations, and can entertain diplomatic relations an
u against which war may be declared and carried o
ii payment is refused. All this the creditors {
Texas, in this country and in England, may re
quire of their Governments. If we annex Texa
" even as q State, we assume all that branch Of he
r. sovereignty which represents her foreign relation
III She can no longer receive and entertain embassf
n doris or make treaties. Foreign creditors can
We longer, through their Governments demand the
a pay, and have reprisas and war on her in case
rl failure. All that has devolved on us, and therefor
e, to that we must respond Clear, then, it appea
&C to me, we must, in any event, if we take Texas
re any form, be responsible for her untold debts
e, This | am unwilling to undertake, whether v
- take her lands, which seem to have been all gran
ol ed that of much value, or ieGue them to her
G. squander away still leaving the debts for us TO pa
Nv So clear and decisive is the law of nations on III
A. subject, that even those who have acquired the
a. ereignty by conquest, bound to respond to Il
a public creditors. Vatte says, book g sec. 20;
he " For conqueror TO refuse to pay the debts OF
as country he has subdued would be robbing The ere
he itors with whom he is not at war" A strong ca
; a in illustration of this principle occurred whit
ps Frederick of Prussia finally submitted to pay
3D. the subjects of England the debts due them by
ar lesia, which he had subdued.
81 Such being our obligations, entirely object
ur any attempt to repudiate them, in advance W
s." must meet them, or fall into national disgrace
Nh, and it is wrong and deusive to adopt proje
DIV which attempts to limit or disclam our liabl
ne the only effect of which will be to deceive or cajo
GU our own people. If we will take Texas, let 1t
lid done frankly, and do not meanly attempt to sku
Try from our responsibilities to cheat and defra'
1t either the creditors of Texas, our people on
t." selves.
- may be asked why, then, are we not respon'
Bile for the present debts Of the several States
nd answer, because we have taken away none of 4
all security, or mode of enforcing that security, wifi
the creditors Of the several States had when tn,