New-York daily tribune., 1845-02-28
90 rolcE ng pATRIoTlsM.

/ 7, The friends Of Texan Annexation were not
.;,b.r riyen ever to hopeless telus!on or mady
hen, on ssizing the spois' at whatever hazard TO
The oeace and happiness OF the country, we might
nome that the considerations urged IN the following
article, would at least cause thern 10 think Serious
lv Of the consequences that may follow The con-
summation of ,hcir schemes. We copy the arilcle
from the National Ia;elligencer, where we ind Ii
coupled with the statement that II IS nom The pen
of one Of the abest jurisis OF our country.
Manv Of our abes, Members 10 beth Houses Of
Congress seem 10 think that the annexation OF ror-
eiga States Is within the treaty making power
Oihess coatend that thls may Dc done by an acl ci
Congress. Now, the one mode Is Just as uncons'i-
tnfinr-l as the other The treajy-GlakIng power
az mater of policy IS safer than tie other, as
majority Of two thirds OF Tie senate must concur
to ratliv treaty But aeither mode Is constlin-
;ional.
Can this Government. by treaty, annex Great
Hr;iain or France. or both 3, ltcan upon the same
o-;ncine that il can annex Texas. il II may annex
one foreign State il may annex continent. has
any one looked at the princlpe IA this view
II true we have annexed Louisiana and FLORIDA
Rut does that settle the CONSTRUCTION Of the Constr
luton! Those who contend that It does, are gen,
crallv opposed 10 the constitononailty OF BANK OF
the United States although that question has been
repeatedly decided by Congress and by the Supreme
Cont.
Bat change the inquiry. Can this government
By the treaty-making power or by act oi Congress,
| cede It's sovereignty to England or France! TINS
| Is e1acty what we ask Texas 10 do; and we can
do 1t as well as Texas. Does not tue right 10 re:
| ceye such cessIon involve the right TO make II
/ assert that II does.
II we NAV enlarge our territory b. the treaty
making power, we may, on the same principle, re-
Jace it. If we may receive cesslons OF territory,
we may mako them. And II we may merge the
sovereignty ofanvther Government IN ours, we may,
on the same principle merge our sovereignty IN mat
Of another G0vernment-and this through The trea-
ty-making power. The giving and receiving oi
territory are both within TIE Teaiy-lnaklng power,
| If either be within II.
There is no power given in the Constitution 10
cede to acquire territory. II either can be done
by act Of Congress- or By treaty, then the exer-
else OF either OF those powers may subvert our t!oV-
| ernment il NAV introduce into the body polite a
people more numerous than ours, and which may
! change the Government. THIS lies within the Prln.
| cplc asserted. And car il be that our Constitution
! is nothing Is II TO be blown away BY the breait
# popular excitement! Is II to be overturned by
the exercise OF the powers II conieTs Does II con.
tain within itself the seeds OF lis own destruction
Il this Indeed be the Constitution it's not what II
was taken to be lis foundations were thought to
be laid deeply, and upon great conservative prncl-
pies. II II be what II Is now represented TO De- Is
4 cheat and fraud upon the world IL Is nothing
more than the play;hlng OF ternagosues
| fear not so much the annexation ot IeXas as
the principle on which it will be annexed. History
proves tina. the lust OF power ls an nnconT0iiaDe
passion of human nature. The Texas excitement
may pass away with the acquisition OF Texas, but
other acquisitions will be brought on the political
theatre by demagogues, to excite the public mind
and control party action.
There is no security against thus lust OF power
butby fencing jtu with great and tundamental prIn
eiples, which can only be changed by rnajorily o
the people that shall approach 10 unanmily. Th:
s wha, We supposed, what our fathers supposed
and what the civilized world supposed, had beer
done by cur Constitution. CITIZEN.