Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-06-08

The public will read with interest Ex'fle
dent Tylers exposition OF the early scenes III 'ne
history OF that great measure The annexation u
Texas. After long deiberaliun, and in view OF
all the exciting events Of the last few years. We
still rejoice that the Enquirer took so jealous
part 10 urging measure, which Will prove 10 oe
OF vital importance 10 the safety and best ih'ei-
ess of the whole Republic:
To the Editors of tde Enquirer:
have been so constantly and increasingly the
object of violent attack during and since the Pc
| riod thar hv an act of an a-wise Providence,
and through no voition OF my own, Inc powers
and duties of the Executive were devolved upon
me, as TO have become quite ndnerent As 10 wfd'
should be said Of me by others. Hence' hase
remained silent amid The auacks OF me puoil1
press. The Examinations OF congressional ora
Tors and the bright scinlalons of wit which les
tive occasions have brought forth al my expense.
Secure m The nossession OF my own integrity,
have tor The most par smiled at tine Inscriptions OF
had mo,ivee tor nv conduct, which had no purer
source of emanalion than in the bad motives oil
tbos. Who orieinaed them. Nay, further-when
[ review the course OF my Administration, and
see its efforts for the public good crowned with
comnlee success in the accomplishment OF every
| important measure, save one, which was suggest
ed or proposed-when compare The actual con-
dillon of the country on Inc am April io1i, WIN
what !, was on the 4lh March, l645-and when
know that after The struggles OF the present day
shall have passed away, and those who have Ia
ken par in Them shall have sunk into their graves,
the greater parl not even 10 be remembered, I'M
partial history will not fail 10 write faithful &C
count of all my actions, may well be content 10
| let the brawling demagogue or the sly Intrlguer
indulge in any measure OF abuse OF me they
may please. The facts of my public lite are mat
teIs OF record and can neither be expunged nor
altered The impartial future will see The not1rs
in the act; and The ust historian will look 10 me
good or evil only which will have been developed,
and find in The one or the other cause OF censure
or of praise. To this ordeal submit myself
without fear My only solicitude is that conlec-
lures and supposilions and mere naked STALE
mepts. un,ustained and unsustainable, should be
regarded as authentic, merely because The source
from which they flow is esteemed respectable IL
is TO guard against this in reference TO one OF the
most prominent acts OF my Administration, that
now address you, and through you, The puolic.
In the National In,elligencer Of The 25lh May
"a paper which deservedly ranks amongst the
most respectable journals OF the day, and which,
along with others Of The same high class. will be
hereafter regarded as one Of the lights OF history
the following sentence has arrested my attention.
Under The head OF an article "The Adminlslfa-
lion and its Organ" il holds The following Ian
guage:
ats editor Speaking of The editor of the Union)
had moi been week installed in his present oill'
cial station, before he began to ioretel Inc exist
ing war with Mexico, the curse OF which, by ms
influential agency in the Texas annexation
scheme, he has had more 10 do in lnhictng upon
the country than any other person whatever, mt
ercepting President Tyler himself or The specnia-
tors m Texas stocks md lands 6v chom he 7coss SUP
rounded eounsecd and impeled 10 that nnlcise mca-
sure"
Now. | do mol mean 10 object 10 the ascription
of great influence TO Mr.. Richie, then senior edi-
| Tor OF The Richmond Enquirer, in aiding to carry
ont The cause of Texas annexation Far from II.
| The course OF that able and talented editor has
been sensbly felt on all questions OF public poll,
| CIV Tor more than quarter OF century; and
do cheerfully confess that, when The Enquirer es-
| poused the Texas cause, felt increased assn
rance of the ultimate contamination oil that great
measure. Nor do | mean 10 enter into any con-
lest whether The annexation OF Iexas was eilnef
| The immediate or remote cause oil The existing
Mexican war. The editors Of the intelligence,
and their able ally in the ant-annexalion cause,
the Hon. Thomas Hart Benton, may have this
either way that they please. will mol even stop
| Ia enquire whether, if The treaty had been ratified
nv the Senate, we should have had war or not;
| but. taking into consideration that al that mo-
menl there existed no prospect Of any immediate
collision with Great Britain on The Oregon ques.
ton, and, so far from it, that stronger feeling oil
amily had been produced between the two coun-
tries by the then recent negotiation oil The Ash
burton treaty, il may we'll be doubted whether
Mexico, without The hope OF succor or aid from
| any quarter, would have waged war upon the U.
| far m 81
interest, both having been conquered from her al
| San Jacinto, and the conquest recognized by the
whole world. When she struck her first blow al
Gen. TAYLOR, our relations with Great Britain
had undergone a material change, and stood, as
The world believed, in most critical condition
Equally far am from canvassing, al this time
OF day, the wisdom, or lis opposite, OF Texas an
nexalion Unwise The editors and others have
from the first declared il 10 be. The large majo-
rity of the people oil The United States have differ
ed with them in opinion and the popular juds-
menl having been formally entered up in favor Of
The measure, the minority should certainly be
permitted 10 utter their complaints when they
please and as they please. But what do COM
plain of is, that the editors should have placed
me in The company, and under The influence, OF
those OF whose individuality | have not The slight
est knowledge: 'fhe Spectators in Texas stock
and lands, by whom ne was surrounded, counsel.
Now The editors have over me decided advan-
,aee. II any Spectators in Texan stocks or
lands ever counseed, much less impelled, me to
action upon that subject, | declare myself 10 be
wholly ignorant Of the fact. Certain il is, that
never owned foot OF Texas land, or dollar OF
Texas stock, in my life nor do understand The
editors of The lnellgencer as intending 10 init
mate any such thing. The plain truth is. that !
saw nothing but The country, and the rhOle cou,,
try not this or that section This or that local in
teresl,- but The wHoLE-lhe good, the strength
the happiness, The glory OF The whole country in
The measure Nor was il until received authen-
Tic information that other nations were exerling
all their efforts TO induce course Of action on the
part OF Texas, at war, as firmly believed, with
The permanent Interests oilhe U. States, that gave
directions 10 my lamenled friend, Abel P. pshur,
then Secretary Of State, 10 break up and scatter
TO the winds the web OF their intrigues By d.
rect proposition for annexation. | advised with
no one, consulted with no one save him, in tax.
ing the initiative. knew "no holders Of stocks
or owners Of lands in the matler;" and aver that
The public considerations which have before re-
lerred TO- alone 1mpeled me 10 direct The negoiia-
lion Nay, may go even farther, and declare
that before the initiative was taken, and when
The preliminaries were nearly all arranged, their
completion being alone prevented BY The death Of
Mr.. Upshur and The appointments OF an adjunct
) commissioner TO Mr.. Van Zandt by Texas,
) have no reason 10 believe that 1.-THE holders Of
stock or owners OF land" knew anything Of what
was going on-since secresy was enjoined as in
dispensably necessary 10 avoid awakening inc
action what we had reason 10 expect, a more
subtle and still more active Intrigue on The parl
of other governments in order - counleTvall w.
So much have lel myself constrained 10 say,
with view 10 true history OF The measure in
its orisin-and trust that what have said will
be sufficient TO relieve the minds Of The respecta.
BILE editors OF The Inleigcncer OF The impressions
under which they have seemed TO labor and IL
which they have given uierance.
As to The thousand and one newspaper para
graphs, which would feign persuade the country
;. that was in leading Strings during my term q
service, first under The influence Of this man, and
then OF that man, care but little; and quite as
Indifferent am 10 The declaration with which
sometimes even The Senate chamber has been ia