The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-03-14

oiv OuT CuuhtIy WdS uuWfSely Ctucu
away to foreign power--is now indie.
pendent, and possesses an undoubted
right to dispose Of a part or the whole
Of her territory, and TO merge her SOW.
ereignty, as a separate and independ-
entState, in ours. congratulate my
country that, by an act ofthe late Con.
gress of the United States, the assent
Of this government has been given to
the reunion; and it only remains for
the two countries to agree upon the
terms, TO consumate an object so i'm
portant to both. i&ai galBf
regard the question Of annexation
as belonging exclusively to HE United
States and Texas. They are indepen.
dent powers. competent to contract;
and foreign nations have no right toin.
terfere with them,or to take exceptions
to their reunion. Foreign powers do
not seem to appreciate the true charac-
ter of our government. Our Unionis
a confederation Of independent States,
whose policy is peace with each other
and all the world. To enlarge its lin.
its,i to- extend the dominionof peace
over additional territories and increas-
ing millions. The world has nothing
to fear from military ambition in our
government. While the Chief Magis-
trate and the popular branch of Con-
gress are elected for short terms by the
suffi'ages Of those millions who muslin
their own persons, bear all the burdens
and miseries of war, our government
cannot be otherwise than paeific.---
Foreign powers should, therefore. look
on the annexation of Texas to the Uni-
ted States, not as the conquest ola ma
tion seeking to extend her -dominions
bv arms and violence, but as the peace-
fu acquisition of a terrtoay once her
own, by adding another member TO our
confederation, with the consent of that
member - thereby diminishing the
chances Of war, and opening TO them
new and ever-increasing markets for
their products. >a9
To rexas the reunion is important,
because The strong protecting arm OF
our government would be extended
over her, and the vast resources other
fertile soil and genial climate would be
speedily developed while the safety OF
New Orleans and of our whole SOUTH
western frontier. against hostile aggres-
sions, as well as the interest Of the
whole Union, would be promoted byit.
la the earlier stages of our national
existence, the opinion prevailed with
some, that our system OF confederated
States could not operate successfully
over an extended territory, and serious
objections have, at different times, been
made to the enlargement of our boun-
daries. These objections were earn
estly urged when we acquired Louisia-
ma. Experience has shown that they
were not well founded. The title OF
numerous Indian tribes to vast tracts of
country has been extinguishcd. New
States have been admitted into the
Union; new Territories have beencre
ated, and our jurisdiction and laws ex.
tended over them. AS our population
has extended, the Union has been ce-
mented and strengthened; as our boun.
daries have been enlarged, and our ag-
ricultura population has been spread
over large surface, our federative sys-
tenn has acquired additional strength
and security. 1t may well be doubted
whether it would not be in greater
danger of overthrow if our present pop
ulation were confined to the compara-
tivelv narrow limits of the original
thirteen States. than it Is,now that they
are sparsely settled over a more ex-
panded territory. 1t is confidently be-
iieved that our system may be safely
extended to the utmost bounds of our
territorial limits, and that, as it shall be
extended, the bonds of our Union, so
far from being weakened, willbecome
stronger.
None can fail to see the danger to
our safety and future peace if Texas
remains an independent state, or be-
comes an ally or dependency Of some
foreign nation more powerful than her.
self. Is there one among our citizens
who would not prefer perpetual peace
with Texas, tJ occasional wars, which
so often occur between bordering in
dependent nations? Is there one who
would not prefer free intercourse with
her, to high duties on all our products
and manufactures which enter her
ports or cross her frontiersl Is there
one who would not prefer an unre-
stricted communication with. her citi-
zens, to the frontier distractions which
must occurif if she remains out of the
Union9 Whatever is good or evil in
the local institutions of Texas will re-