The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-08-06
IKTELLICEACE BY TIE NAILS.
WAsHrNcroy. August 3 1919

WASHINGTON, August 3, 1919.
Mr.. Polk and the ANNEXATION of Teras
Since the death Of the compromise bill, the topic
Of greatest interest has been the correspondence of
Mr.. Blair and Mr.. Tappan, giving some of their
"reminiscences concerning the exation of Texas
have reason to KIN ow that this correspondence is
merely PREDATORY, and that many other charges of
grave import against Mr.. Polk are shortly to APP
pear.
The accusation in the present instance is, of
having deceived half dozen grave Senators and
very experienced editor, by positive falsehood.
This would be matter OF little interest, if it did
not involve an important historical question. In
this aspect alone it may be regarded as worthy ex
animation. The simple fact of Mr.. Polk having
practised deception on his political friends Is not
so uncommon or so singular as to create surprise.
The joint resolution for the annexation of Texas
first passed the House OF Representatives in the
form of Mr.. Downs proposition, as amended by
MIR. Douglass. 1t passed the Senate with the adj
diuon OF Mr.. Bento1s proposition and clause
authorizing the President of the United States to
pI oyose which of the two modes he should deem
The more advisable. The difference between the
two propositions was this: All that was necessary
by the House resolution was, that the Congress
OF Texas should be called together, that its con-
sent should be given to the provisions of the
luton, and that constitution should be adopted
by The people In convention, to be submitted to
Congress for Its approval IN the same manner as
when one of eur own territories Is admitted as a
State. Mr.. Benton's plan provided that the Con-
gress OF Texas should convene-form State-ap-
point commissioners to meet and confer with
commissioners to be appointed on our part, to
agree on the terms on which the State should be
admitted; that the people OF such State should
then call a convention, frame constitution, and
submit II to the Congress OF the United States for
approval
Every proposition originating with Mr.. Benton
Is hobby with that gentleman, and it is needless
TO say that his frends must get astride on 1t. if
they would preserve his friendship; accordingly,
II seems, that by Mr., Benton's friends in the Sc
nate, his proposition, for the annexation of Texas,
was regarded as the one alone proper and feasible
1t appears by the statements of Mr.. Blair and Mr.
Tappan, that Mr.. Benton and his friends entered
INTO nice little arrangement with MIR. Polk. The
bargain was that the Joint resolution should pass
i'll The form in which it did eventually pass that
is, that it should embody both propositions and
leave the selection to the President /; Mr. Polk, on
his part, binding himself to adopt MIR. Bentons
plan. They never dreamed that Mr. Tyler might
exercise his constitutional right to carry into effect
"a measure passed during his administration This
proved to be an unfortunate oversight, for Mr..
Tyler did carry 1t into eilect and did adopt, not
Mr.. Benton's plan, but Mr. Browns. On Thurs
day night, February 9Th, ls45 the Joint resolu-
On the next day, the 2sth, it passed the House,
and Saturday, March 1, it received the approval
of the executive. Two days remained of the
term OF Mr. Tyler, and instead of abiding by the
little arrangement made between MIR. Benton and
Mir; Polk, he chose to act for himself. Accord
ngy, on Monday, the Sd of March, a despatch
was sent oil to Mr. Donaldson, our charge, by Mr..
Calhoun, then Secretary OF State, aulhorisng HIM
formally to submit MIR. Browns proposition to the
government of Texas. The folly OF the arrange
ment between Mr.. Polk and Mr. Benton's friends,
will be apparent, when it IS reflected that it was
conceived IN spirit hostility to Mr. Tyler and
MIR. Calhoun that they had not entered into IT in
any way-thGt there is not any evidence that they
were even aware OF lt-and still, that Mr.. Benton
and his friends expected them to be bound by it.
There is nothing more clear than that Mr.. Tyler
had night to send oil messenger with copy of
the joint resolution, and yet, Tor the exercise of
this night, both he and Mr.. Calhoun have been de-
nomced by Mr.. Benton in unmeasurrd terms of
vituperaton
But there was another little Arrangement Mr.
Bancrofts appointment hong Tor five days IN the
Senate, alter his nomination. 1t appears by Mr..
BlaI statement, that Mr. Dix, IN personal IN
terview with MIR. Polk was urged by the latter to
procure Mr.. Bancroits immediate confirmation,
for the reason that the President was anxious to
send off messenger to Texas to undo what Mr..
Tyler had done; that is, to withdraw the House
proposition, and to substitute Mr. Benton's. 1t Is
probable that Mr. Dix, and the other friends of MIR.
selves TO carry into effect the wish of the Presi-
dent; for, on the 10th of March, Mr.. Bancroft was
confirmed as Secretary OF the Navy, and on the
same day Mr.. Buchanan sent off despatch to Mr..
Not at all, but to say, tot,dem Uer6is-that
" President Tyler having thus determined to
adopt the two first OF the series of resolutions in
stead OF the alternative presented by the third, it
became the duty OF the President (POlk) to devote
his attention TO this important question at early
a moment possible. This has been done, and |
his deliberations have resulted in clear and firm |
the decision of his predecessor"
The query suggested by this interesting little |
piece OF history Is, did Mr.. DIX tell a deliberate
talsehood to Mr.. Blair, or did Mr.. Polk tell de-
lberate tasehood to Mr. DIX However this be,
the ground, that the sending off that midnight
senger TO Texas on the third of March was the
original cause OF the Mexican war; for 1t appears
that MIR. Polk would have taken the same course
if that messenger had never been sent off as it was
his ''clear and firm conviction" that Mr.. Cal
houn's course was the right one.
Mr. Calhoun, IN his despatch OF March 3, had
declared that " 1t cannot be doubted that the Con-
eress OF Texas may propose whatever amendments
1t may think essential, and transmit them to the
government eff the United States for Its conside-
ration and agreement" MIR. Buchanan feared
that this license to the Congress of Texas to alter
and modify the terms of annexation would indie
intely delay the contamination OF the measure
and the main intention of his despatch Of March
seems III TO have been to urge Mr. Donaldson to
impress upon the government of Texas that any
such alteratinn or modification would be fatal to
the measure.
What adds in no small degree to the poignancy
Of this historical Renaissance Is, that Mr. Cal
houn's friends in the House declare they would
never have voted for the addition of Mr.. Benton's
alternative the House proposition, but that they
had an understanding, derived, as they were led
to believe, from the immediate assurances OF Mr.
Polk that he was wholly in favor of the House
resolution at the very time that he is accused by
Mr.. Tappan and Mr.. Blair of having led them to
believe he was In favor of Mr. Bentons.
GALvlENsIS.
WAsnlNGToN, August 4, 1913.