Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-06-13

Twill mi ATTEMPT 10 express inc ueep S'o''',.
I feel for The warm appreciation OF my Puol''
conduct and services expressed oy 'ie ,nee'."s
in their resolutions, and the very acceP'dpie hi"H
ner in which you have perioi'iea '"' 1u'' -
trusted 10 you. ~ .l,,dol with nar,i
cniar ~ n,obaiion 10 my conduct and services u
,a,aranan - S,ae Rights, and dnrng The PERIOD
6l,od tor sborl lime, the Stale Department uhoe
/ the la,e administration. - ,,. -,
To M mari OF ms public life do LOOK oaci
,,,;,h ,re.,er Measure, than that devoted 70 cA
nnund;no and maintaining The relations Oet~ee, ,
r. Tadersl ard State Governments, on whIcf
,he doc,r;nr of State Rights depends, aud II Is Z
ere,, consolation for me 10 think II mas h"' oeei
| in vain. ~oo,raed !, lie tcde
ra,jye character, in when STATES. an. ~. .
yiduals are lis constituents IS 'ns inos: 10 10
bic ever formed; and promises, u Sd...e" - ~
O 90 .,,a,rIy as SUCH higher degree OF pros
no.;,3, and b.nnness than has ever fallen 10 me
+, - 49,. renne On the other hand. regarded
~ na,;nnal Government, in which individuals
- -. S,a,as are The constituents, il has nothing
na,,el or rsmarkable about II. Instead OF gfea
rodoroi penublic. as il is, it would be IN tina
charac,er huge, unwieldy Democracy, des.inet
:, hs ,nrn INTO fragments by hostile and conflict
~, ;o,sres,S and 10 terminate in convulsions.-
Sch ho;na my conviction, felt 10 be my duty
- ,a;n,a;o Inc Federal character Of the Govern
menr aoans, the national or consultative, al any
sarr;fce and hazard, and shall continue TO GO Sc
81 long as il shall please the Author oil my oeis's
10 spare my lie. - .;,,
The services ! rendered during the PERIOD
6ned he State Department., were performed under
area, difficulties and embarrassments. Nothing
indeed but the magnitude Of the questions IN
volyed in the negotiations in { ference 10 IeSa
and Oregon. with the difficulties and embairass
ments encirclins them, and the unanimous call Q
The country to take charge OF the negotiations
could have induced me 10 leave my retlreneE
and return to public lite. Besides those that were
intrinsic, there were many that were OF an extra
neous character.
Among Others the administration was literally
without party in Congress and very teee'y sup
ported by The people; and the presidential qncs
lion was pending, which experience MAD taush
me overruled in great measure ali olheiS
The negotiation in reference 10 Texas iiFs
claimed nv attention, because Il was The mos
pressing and could no; be delayed WITHOUT ha
z,r3 I'm order 10 avoid the difficulties and en-
barrassments which apprshcnded from NE Pre-
sdcn,ial election, resolved 70 keep entirely aino
from the rty politics OF the day, ana especially
from questions relating 10 the election, and 10 use
my elor, 10 induce the candidates not 10 commit
themselves against annexation. | had little ap
prehension that Mr. Van Buren, would, as great
majority OF his friends, with General Jackson al
their head. had declared Tor it. The position Of
Mr.. CLAW was different. The masses q his
friends in the North opposed il, which feared
would swav him. In order 10 prevent i, u posi-
bic, | saw some Of his most prominent lliend>
with whom | was on friendly terms and USED
every argument / could with them, 70 exerl lheiI
influence TO prevent him from coming oul against
H.
II was all in vain. His letter IN opposition
soon after appeared, and Mr.. Van BuTens follow
ed shortly after, most Unexpectedly TO ms
Their effect was great. MIR. Clay friends were
rallied against i, almost 10 man. although The
erea, body of them in the West and South were
strongly disposed 10 support, and not few OF the
prominent, openly committed IN lis favor.
Ii was different with Mr.. Van BurenS. The
great body OF his supporters remained ilTm IN
lis support; but an active, influential, ana
not an incunsderabe number adhered TO his
course Indeed The stand taken BY The selected
candidates OF the two great parties, with The in
aueace Of the presidential question and the fee
hlanesS Of The Administration in Congress AMI
the country, seemed, for time 20 render the pros
pee, Of success almost hopeless.
To these causes OF opposition there must tc
taken into consideration another, 70 realize the
difficulties and embarassmenls that stood in he
way of The success oil The measure alude
10 Abolition. |, may. indeed, be ,Euiy regard
ed as the handspring which pu, Tie others in
motion.
The Abolition party in the North and Yves,
had taken an early and decIded stand against II,
and had gone so far as 10 adopt measures 10 10
fuence the party in Great Britain, and through
them the British Government 10 oppose il is The
most efleciua means of abo;shing slavery in the
United States and throughout the continent. The
scheme was to abolish slavery in Texas as the
most certain means OF doing SO IN the Unied
States, and thar Of doing it throughout The CONT
uent To consumma,e this grand well laid
scheme, il WAS indispensable tina; Texas should
be prevented FROM being annexed 10 our Union
while the only possible way TO dcfcal j, and pre-.
ve..t the mighty consequences which would How
from il, was the annexation Of Texas.
The course of the British Government al ar
early stage OF the negotiation, made IL manlfes
tha, il had warmly and fully embraced thc
scheme The declaration IN dc BY lis Minister a
Washington 10 our Government before i. had
fairly commenced "a copy OF which was lett a
The Department, Of Stale after had entered on lis
duues] left not a 6oub, on that point. IL, indeed
as well as avoWed it. by declaring that Great
Britain desired 10 see slavery abolished in Texas
and Throughout; the world, and that she was using
constant efforts 10 efirc, it, and By inference, ha
she was using hcl influence and diplomacy with
Mexico 10 agree 10 recognize inc Independence
OF Texas, on condition that she should aholist
slavery.
saw in this declaration, thus formally made
10 our Government a confirmation 0. what be
lievcd to be her scheme of policy in connection
with Texas, from other oui less conclusive evl
dence in my possession. also saw clearly, Ina
whether it would succeed or not, depended on In
TACT whether Iexas should or should nol DC an
nexcd; and that, fii succeeded, us inevitable con
sequences would be The hnai contamination O
her great and deep Design, 70 ne iolIowed Dy INC
desolaIion OF The South, me pros'rauon o. lhe com
'hercs ana prosperity 81 inc co''.hch., WIN 4 %"
nopoly On her par, O 'ne 2red, ,tpfhcal p'oancls
Of sugar, Gomez, rec '"aalco ana COTTON wh,cf
are alnost exciusl'rF, 9, w =. 'nis continent
concerned, ,ne reS''i' q 'i'S' 'aoo'.
Seeing an ms 'nf Question presented 70 me
was, now Shaiithe dec,"'','"ii ~ 'ne BRUSH 10
veinlneDt Dc Inct snail " 7" ~ilcnUV pdSScC