The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-06

ton We shall probably have as much, or even
still more, on the other. We have dsapproved
of President Joncs's policy; We still dlsapprove OF
il. But we have disposition to enlist so actively
in the war against him, as to deny his friends the
free opportunity of making his vindcation Here,
then is the communication of our correspondent:
HousroN, 2lst July, ls45.
To the Editor Of the Union:
DEAR SIR: Annexation is moving smoothly on to
its contamination. Both Congress and the conven-
ton have assented, and by this time our con-
stitution is probably approaching its completion
The United States, charge d'sfaires, il is said, is
about departing, in the full assurance that the OBJ
ect of his mission Is accomplished; and he presents
the somewhat rare spectacle of an American agent
in Texas, who, having confined his operations to
their proper sphere and his conduct to the rules of
propriety, now takes leave of us, enjoying and re-
cprocatng the full confidence and kind feelings both
| of our government and people. Demagogues
sinking into quetude from lacking the of agi-
tation and seem chagnned that annexation is 10 be
accomplished without the mobocratic tumut in
which they might have roared themselves into
ephemeral importance.
In spite of all rumors, ! cannot but believe that
the great event will little hostility from
without as from Within and that, however lofty the
Indignation of Mexico may seem, there is under it
|
the first shock that betokens actual and proximate
war. This is greatly to be desired by the humane
and magnanimous; for, corrupt as that nation Is,
her suffering condition may well claim the pity of a
powerful and generous neghbor. Should things
take this bloodless course, know of but one class
that will be aggreved by it-not our genuine fighting
men, for they almost invariably prefer peaceful avo-
cations when the times will allow il; but that host
of champions in fancy's wars, including scores of
colonies and generals who have never fought, but
who have so often raved IN grog-shops about the
| glittering domes of the Montezumas We have
numbers of this class, who for years have followed
other trade, and who, It is to be feared will now
have TO sigh
| "othelo' occupations gone"
The course of our present and late Executive has,
think both in this country and the United States
been discussed with more zeal than knowledge. For
some years past, only two courses were in prospect
that could relieve Texas from her embarrassed and
| destitute condition--an acknowledged Independence
or annexation to the American Union. And any
dispassonate observer must be convinced, that not
only the people, but the government have ever been
willing to take whichever might come first, though
it should forever preclude their acceptance of the
other alternative; and that, in case both should be
offered at once, the choice of the government would
be based on that of the people No act of either adj
mnstration, if fairly viewed, tends to disprove this
assertion From the indifference with which kindred
| nations heretofore looked upon our condition, it
was plain that had little hope ofeither benefit,
| unless from the jealousy which might be awakened
between those nations. II is probable that England
would not, for years, have exacted from Mexico an
offer of our independence, had she apprehended
our falling into the hands of the United States; and
| it is certain that the latter would have left us to
struggle for age, forever, had she not feared
we might prejudice. her interests if left to own
fortunes. That rival jealousy was at length so eff
fectuay Weakened, that choice of either alterna-
| tive was placed within our reach; yet the course
which brought this about had been prudenty
managed, to leave our government free from
any compromise which might have hampered its
choice, and thus enabled it follow the wishes of
the people in making it.
with powerful and rival governments, and no en-
barrassing compromise has been incurred, there may
have been coquetyy, but there could not have been
bad faith; and cannot see why SO vague meta
phor as that recently used by Gen. Houston should
necessarily be construed into confession Of false
hood or perfdy. Diplomatic coquetry consists not
in giving false promise assurance--for there
would be little policy in that but rather in the cir
| cumspection which neither sanctions nor quenches
the hopes Of those it treats WITH till the hour when
it may be done with safety. The caution, fore
sight, and sagacity which are needful for such
course, indeed, constitute the soul of sklful diplo-
macy; and If their use necessarily involves bad faith
fear that no national envoy, from the days Of
Ulysses downward, could pass free Of stain.
might, perhaps, except one for we once had for
eign minister in Texas, who utterly free from
this kind of coquery, that he not only made his state
| secrets subject of tavern eloquence, but even
heightened it by drawing on his imagination for
founding disclosures.
it possible that pledge, and safe one, may have
been long since given by the late Executive to the
British government. If so, 1t has been boldly re-
deemed without regard to the rancor of faction, and
without detriment to the contamination of popular
will. The endeavors of England to procure the re-
cognition of our independence faint though they
have been, were not of recent commencement
They began when we had scarce hope of annex
alton during the lives of this generation; though
the British government had, no doubt, then some
apprehensons of the ultimate, and perhaps not dis
ant occurrence of that event, and that prospect of
it might interfere with her plans for preserving
the separate nationality of Texas. Under these cir
cumstances, it seems not improbable that she may
have required and received in advance of her inter-
cesson, a pledge that any honorable offer of indie
pendence, procured from Mexico by her, should re-
ceive prompt action from the Executive; which ac-
ton could go no further than submitting the propo-
sition to the Senate. To have refused such pledge
would have been folly, when independence seemed
our only hope and to have failed in complying with
it, when it could not possibly defeat the popular
will, merely because we had acquired new hopes
would have been both folly and bad faith Even
had no such pledge been given, the decent entertain
ment of such propositions, however tardy and how
ever unfavored by the mass was due to the friendly
cured, presented, and submitted, at a time when
President Jones, no doubt, knew they must be re-
jected by the Senate, and repudiated by the peoples
yet his action on them just and proper, consid-
erng our previous and still existing relations with
England; and, had he been deferred from it by the
roaring of the mob, it would have been timidity UNI
worthy of his sation--equalled in vleness only by
the panic of the many, who seemed to fear that
new prospect might change their own opinions. III
the entertainment of those propositions was an at
tempt to defeat annexation, it could only do il
through change in the popular will, for the Senate
could never have acted against that. And il annexa-
ton could be defeated in this manner, it ought to
have BEEN Who will deny that the will Of the
| people should ruler
| That decent entertainment of those propositions
pledge or no pledge-was due to England, can
only be denied by those of our brethren who ar
rogate to their own country the merit of all good
deeds and pure motives. People of the United
S'ates we owe you much-our origin, your sympa-
| thy, and. in many cnsea vour cbarif,, aud all