Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-06-07
To fhs Editors Of tAe Enquirer:

have been constantly and increasingly the object Of
violent attack during and since the period that by
OF an a-wse Providence. and through no volon OF my
the powers and duties OF the Executive were deyo
we'd upon TO have become quite ind erent 10 what
should be said Of me by others Hence have remained
silent amid the attacks OF the public press
OF congressional orators, and the bright scinauons wit
which festive occasions have brought at my expense
Secure IN the possession OF integrity, have the
most part smiled at the Inscriptions OF bad motives tor my
conduct, which had puer source Of emanaton than in
the bad OF those who originated them Nav fur.
theT-when review the OF my Administration and
its efforts for tho public good with complete
success IN the accomplishment OF every
save one, which suggested proposed-when | COM
pare the actual condition OF the county the 4h April
ls, with what it the 4th March, ls45-and hen
know that after the struggles OF the present day shall have
passed away, and those who have taken them shall
have sunk into their graves part not even 10 bo
remembered impartial history will fail to write faith
iul account OF all actions, may well DO content to let
the Drawing demagogue the sly inguer indulge in any
measure OF abuse OF they please The facts of NV
public life OF record and can neither be expun
ged nor altered The impartial future will the METRE
IN the act and the historian will look to the good or
evil only which will have been developed aud find in the
the other OF praise. To this or
deal submit myself without fear. My only socude s
that coneclures and supposons and mere naked State
ments, unsusainod and unsustanab should regarded
as authentic merely because the which they
now esteemed respectable Its guard sgaust this,
reference TO one OF the most prominent my Admin
sirauon, that now address you and through YOU the
public
In the National In,elligencer of the 25tb
which deseryedy ranks amongst the our
mails OF the day, and which along with Others of the same
high class, viii be hereafter regarded the lights of
hsioy-the following sentence has arrested my attention
Under the head OF an article, The Administration and
It's Organ" II holds the following language:
"l editor Speaking Of the editor of Union) had not
been week Installed in his official station before
he began TO tortel the existing with Mexico the cure
OF which, by his influential agency the Texas annexa
ton scheme he has had do in nh citing upon the
coun that any other person whatever excepting Pre-
deni Tyler himself or the spectators in Texas stocks and
lands by whom he surrounded, counseed and mpel-
led to that unwse measure"
Now, do not object the ascription Of great
influence TO Mr. Richie, then senior editor OF the Rich
mond Enquirer, in aiding carry the cause of Texas
annexation Far from it. The of able and ia
Tented editor has been sensbly felt all questions of pub
ic policy for more than quarter OF century, and do
cheeriuly confess that when the Enqu espoused the
Texas cause felt increased assurance of the ultimate con-
summation OF that great measure Nor do mean TO enter
into any contest whether the Of Texas either
the immediate remote the existing Mexican war
The editors OF the lnelgencer and able ally in the
anu-anneIaton cause the Hon. Thomas Hart Benton
may have this eher@way that they please. | will not
even stop to enquire whether II the treaty had been rat.
lhed by the Senate, we should have had war or no,
but taking into consideration that that moment there
existed no prospect OF immediate collision with Great
Britain on the Oregon question, and far from IT, that
stronger feeling OF amty had been produced between the
wocountrca by then negotiation Of the Ashburton
treaty. 1t may well be doubted whether Mexico without
the hope OF succor aid from any quarer would have
waged war upon the u States for IN which she
had no night or interest, both having been conquered from
her San Jacnto and the conquest recognized by the
whole world. When she struck her first blow at Gen
Taylor, relations with Great Britain had undergone
material change, and stood, the world believed in
most critic condition. Equally far am from canyassing
at this time OF day. the WISDOM opposite OF Texas
annexation Unwise the editors and Others have from the
rs declared II to be. The large majority of the people
OF the United States have differed with them in opinion
and the popular Judgment having been formally entered up
IN favor OF the measure, the minority should certainly be
permitted TO utter their complaints when they please
they please But what do complain OF is that the ed
oTs should have placed me IN the company and under the
influence, OF those OF whose individuality | have
the slightest knowledge "Ihe spectators in Texas
stock and lands, by whom ne surrounded counsel
ed and impeed him to that unwise measure" Now
the editors have over me decided advantage II any
specultos in Texan stocks lands cOnseed much
less impe.led, action upon that subject declare nv
self TO be wholly ignorant Of the fact Certain II 49, that
owned foot Of Texas land, or a dollar of Texas
stock, IN my he-nOr do understand the editors Of
lnegencer intending intimate any such thing The
plain truth IS that nothing but the country and tho
hOle e0uRtTy-no this that section this or that local
nterest-bu the wHoLE-ihe good, the strength the hap
piness the glory OF the whole country the measure Nor
was II until received authentic information that other ma
tons eGertng all their efforts induce course of
action on the part OF Texas, At war, firmly believed
with the permanent interests Of the o. States that gave
directions to my amoned friend Abel p. Upshur then
Secretary OF State break and winds the
web Of their inrguos by direct proposition for annexa-
ton advised with one, consulted with no one save
him. IN taking the initiative. knew "no holders Of
stocks owners Of lands IN the natter" and that
the public contributions which | have before re-
erred to, alone impsHsd direct the ncgotia-
ton Nay, may farther and declare that before
he nitiltye taken, and when the pfeimnares were
nearly oil arranged their completion being alone prevented
by the death Of Mr Upshur and the appointment OF ad
Junct commissioner Mr. Van Zand by Texas have no
believe that the holders Of stock or owners Of
and knew anything Of what going secrecy
was en0ned indspensaby necessary avoid awaken
ing into action what had expect more sub
tie end sl active intrigue the part Of other govern
ments, in order counterval SO much | have felt
myself constrained say, with view history Of
the in its orign-and that what have said
will be sufficient relieve the minds OF the respectable ed
tors Of the lntegencer Of tho impressions under which
they have seemed TO labor and which hoy have given at
terance.
As TO the thousand and newspaper paragraphs which
would iegn persuade the county that leading
strings during my term Of service first under the influence
Of thus man, aud then Of that man, but little; and
quite az Indifferent 20 tho declaration with which
sometimes the Senate chamber has been favored,
my administration weak-Weak readily admit IL Ia
have been IN the number Of parzans the floor OF Con
gcss, but u strong enough carry measures add
10 illustrate thoroughly the fact that keep tho three
departments OF the government separate and distinct
Executive influence IN Congress- Congressional powers
n the Executive, and the Supreme Court perfectly indie
pendent Of both Is only wise In theory but sound also
in practice. Measures then alone considered, and
that Executive may Justly be regarded strongest which.
without parzans, enabled 10 carry through nearly all
rs measures, aud subjects OF opponents
20 the necessity Of making speeches IN public places
der Ia explain away tho ropncnanco felt by tho country 60
tnoir opposition 20 those OF most importance
an, gentlemen, with great respect, yours. Sc,
J. TYLER.