Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-02-14
Con0ress--Thc Texas Question.

During the last four or five weeks the
question, Shall Texas be annexed Tor rath-
or iie-annexed) to the United States or not?
Shall the clearly expressed wishes of the
people of this country be carried out by
their representatives now assembled al.
Washington has been the theme of long
and animated discussion in both branches
Of the National Legislature. And here we
must confess, that as a Southern man and
rs Democrat, the result to which that
discussion is about to lead, at least so far
as we can see at present, is calculated to
ill us with any thing but pleasant anticl-
nations for tlIeduture. Our readers cannot
but remember that the Convention which
nominated James X. Polk, the President
elect, at Baltimore in last May, passed GER
tain resolutions, amongst which was one
declaring that it was the sense Of that Con-
vention, that Texas ought to be annexed
TO the United States at the earliest practi-
cable period. 1t must also be fresh in their
memories that Mr.. Polk subscribed to these
Baltimore resolutions, as they were term
ed and that they were adopted as the ba-
sis upon which the recent campai On should
be conducted by the Democratic party
throughout the Union. That such was
the case will not, we think, be disputed by
either Wings or Democrats. Well now,
was it not reasonable for the people of the
South, indeed, Of the whole Union, to ex-
pect that when James X. Polk was elected
by such triumphant majority, thus clear
" demonstrating that these Baltimore reso-
luiOns embodied the sentiments of ma
iority of the soverei gn electors Of the Uni
ted States, was it not reasonable to expect,
we say, that the representatives of these
very electors should feel themselves bound
by the most solemn obligations which can
bind the preventative, that this measure
in favor of which, as we have before OBJ
served, the rOr popuH had been so emphat.
icaly and unequivcally declared should be
cOnsummated by them at the earliest prac-
tIcabIe period, TO use the language, as well
as we remember, Of the resolutions in
question. Has this, according to our hum
bic notions Of things, reasonable expecta-
ton been realized! What chance is there
that it will be realized! TO the first OF
these questions we can give ready but
at the same time painful answer: it has not.
To the second, what hope is there, that
this great national question will be settled
this session of Congress, so as to meet the
wishes OF the people? we are almost at a
loss what to say. We hope that the Senate
of the United States, with which body the
matter now rests, may be lifted above the
little petty party feelings which unhappilv
OF late years, are permitted too often to u.
surp the place of patriotism, and that its
members may unite in giving TO Mr.
Browns joint resolutions. which passe,
the House the other day, the force of law
We say we hope, for we would be deceiv
ing our readers were we to say that W,
are sanguine that the Senate will perform
what we, in this respect, think is clearl,
Its duty. Since our last number, we learl
from our Washington City exchanges tha
The committee on Foreign Relations il
The Senate to whom the joint resolution
from the House were referred, has report
ed adversely, not only to the adoption .
The resolutions themselves, but also to eacI
and every other plan for edec,ing annexa
non' which has been proposed this session
HIS, however, was to be expected, as tha
committee is composed Of four Wings an
only one Democrat. But what we disiik
most in perusing the last papers from tn
seat ct Government, is in perceiving tia
Mr., Benton has introduced a Bill in tn
Senate for effect;Ig the same object as thu
The resolutions. 1t may be asked, VIII
10 we dislike this! Because we thin
mat just now cooperation and conce,
should be the aOatch 1r0rtts Of the Demo
cratic members of the Senate. The RESI-
,uuoAs which passed the House were III
'u''S Ola long and arduous struggle on til
part OF the friends of Texas in that body
hey were, too, the result of comprC
mise between the various sectional int
ISIS and feelings Of the members of til
oWer House. Seeing this, we cannot b,
ook upon this movement of Benton's
Introducing any new scheme, at this lat
PERIOD Of the session, as injurious in Ii
's' degree to the annexation project. F.
Ouf own part, we had thought that Ii
VOurse pursued by the Senator from Mi
'ourl' during the last session of Congress
ss, we'll as during the campaign. on tn
sUgect' was, to say the least of it, bad
n"ugn: We had hoped, that if he was
ed friend to annexation. the handle whic
5 Ju .Oponents made Of his powerful nan