Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-09-16
Correspondence Of r. ID Queen.
Annexation and the War.

J
England had acted Msrico, instant lcar ucould
hare eHSued. Our moderation to Merico, because
OF her tceakHeSS. Her demand could not be granted
CtaDlorerS for peace PrOtrGct the loar. Questions
for the peace party 10 ans0er.
Was Texas desirable and valuable acquisition 10 the
United States not 10 the South not mere territory
whence to carve slave states but the tchoIe Union
Befofe annexation became a party topic, this not
denied not even questioned Our abest without
Distinction Of pasly evinced by Deeds OIcibe than
words, their estimate Of It's value.
John Quincy Adams. Eastern man, and friend Of
slavery, Of these. While President in 1927 he
offered Mexico million Of dollars for Texas with the
boundary OF the Rio Grande aud the PueTco.
General Jackson further still In 1929 he oe
foIna.
These offers rejected by Mexico, were published at the
time aud found Obeeting The proposed pur-
chase.
Be it remembered, then. that until party spirit which will
deny any thing, denied that Texas desirable addition
Union that point by all parties and
Whig and Democratic Administration alike unchallenged
acted upon the concession.
II Adams and Jacks right in making these offers
and public sentiment was right acquiescing in them, it
follows that when Texas proposed annexation she
offered valuable gift important national acquisition
Had tight to accept III If Texas in Is45, was a
sovereign Power we had If Texas, in lS45 still de-
pendent on Mexico, we had not.
That is question Of international law. I debated IT, in
all lis details, IN two speeches the annexation Of Texas
made, the in 1884, the other 1915 and shall he
repeat the Argument No reply made it, during the
late canvass MIR Webster when Sec eary Of STATE. de-
clared TO Mexico dispatch Of July s. lS42) that the United
States regarded Texas independent sovereignty
much as Mexico" GrOius and Vatte both sustain that
position No sound international lawyer will deny it, Let
US assume it, then most justly and confidently
An then, note well stands the A valuable
and important accession Of territory is Offered TO We
have right accept it, By accepting give Ju
of complaint TO nation the earth. Shall accept it
not!
That which i, lawful may be inexpeiient. Mexico,
though toy the of nations she has had for years past
claim Emperor China, still
Is N a a Ia A.
she announced her determination 10 invade and
what she called her TevOlted province and through
orders Of General VOL, declared that all persons found in
Texas three miles fom the left bank Of the Rio Grande,
should suffer DEATH traitors.
Ought thai cim aud these threats alike Illegal have
deferred Us fiom annexation ?
Let admit the principle that when about
TO eVusummate act lawful in itself and advantageous
our country, will allow ourselves TO be scared from
Just pupse in other nation, without shadow OF
gh see nj to set up baSeess claim and to threaten US IN
defiance of international law let say, admi such
principle, and where shall the stopping place be We
should ever remain foreign relations at the mercy of
little national bravado, in bullying neighbor.
But grant, that stricken into inactiOn by prudential dread
Of rupture with Mexico, we had RETAINED annex, should
we even by that weak concession impotence, have slip
ped out Of the difficulty and avoided war
Ii Is very doubtful II Mexico had carried her threat into
executions had invaded Texas, though but neighbor,
had buteheIe there she declared she would all without
distinction of age sex; would public sentiment have sui
fered to stand quietly by and The butch
cry proceed, without protest, without interference
do not believe it. And if not, then, if had
suffered what GeDera Jackson called the golden moment
to P. by, should have postponed, avoided
with this barbarOus neishbOr Of
Independent Of this Texan difficulty and before il pre-
scented itself, several times from the factions
oosnaey Of Mexico on the brink of war with her In
February 1881 President Jackson declared to Congress that
her conduct would justify the eyes Of all nans mme-
date war and lac recommended Iepri>als- And in De-
cembeT Of the year, President Van Buren,, having
exhausted all attempts at cOuciiaOn referred the subject
OF our Mexican relations Congress- decide upon the
time, the mode and the measure of redres>.''
Our conduct towards England and Mexico has, sometimes
BY opponents, been conasted; and it has been said
that we TUCKED to Englond strong power while bull
lied Mexico weak An assertion utterly devoid
Of Truth, never made.
In the spring of 1885, for better than that two
free aud independent powers agreed anIiexaOn, the
Mexican Minister Washington demanded passports
declaring that Mexico regarded annexation Of
war; aud that " by every which might be in her
pOweT she would seek her province Of Texas
"oi which said he) she herself unusty despoiled
In less than month afterwards Minister 10 Mexico was
nohed To leave the county AT the time. Mexico
made extensive military preparations and her President
sent an army under PaTedeS for the avOwed purpose Of III
sham mutny Of these troops, when they reached Luis
Potos they would probably have crossed the Rio GTande in
the summer or autumn OF 1910
All this time abStained from hostile We
did advance beyond Corpus Christi aud endeavoTed
through our Consul in Mexico, Mr. Black 10 open negOta-
tons, with peace A. first the proposal
cepied but MIR. Sdel's arrival, he rejected The
dispatch announcing his rejection reached the DepaIt-
the 18Th Of J1nu1rV lS46; and The day. jan
udTy l3th tive months after Mexico Withdrew her minister
and dismissed then, every peaceful expedient
had been tiled in General Taylor FIST ordered
advance 10 the Rio G rande
Now imagine for a moment that England in the Oregon
difficulty, had conducted herself Say that she had re-
called her Minister and sent home; accompanying the
act with note t. our Government that she would longer
negOciae about Oregon but Intended to obtain it, BY
means hat might be IN her power" Suppose that she had
then proceeded her troops and had embarked
army openly avOwing intended invade
possession Of Oregon.
Will any one dare the assertion that we would have sal
down quietly under amidst preparations
that we should have besOugh England reopen negOea
tons, aud ab>sned for zine months from crossing the de-
bateable line Of f0rty-nins?
The truth is-and every honest will admit it-tha
should have taken fire the instant Our government
people, would had but one idea-O vndcate The
return Of Minister from the of JameS's wiihOu
public declaration OF war against England And Just
rapidly Amy could the Rocky Mountains shoul
we have taken armed occupation Of Oregon, to fifty
four forty.
should have treated England for she is stIon.
ard powerful. We treated Mexico otherwise only
she IS weak and because, therefore, modera ion
wards her could not be miScOnsued-except indeed,
believe 1t has been, by herself
There IS not measure Of Cancellation have omitted
There Is not chance Tor peace we have passed BY What
nation, without actual elf-abaemen could d.
proPiiate another, have done alike by delaying all act
Of war aud by repeated advances, 10 obtain peace.
The demand Of Mexico could not grant; even IN tn
Yecent admitted should for tina
demand was, 20 give back Texas.
Nothing short Of hi., Mexico has again and again pro
claimed will satisfy her, She demanded from The FIST an
province She declared that, did it, sh
would seek to it by force Of She kept he
word In April 1916, she AGista the Rio Grande
Thus the war for the re-conquest of Texas began
That the thus Justly thrust upon us has been
fully Conducted, the world admits. That II has yet beef
brought conclusion arises in part from the obsiinacv
not be dOubedOm the public declarations Of distinguish
men among ourselves that exco is in the right and de