Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-08-25
slLyEE SFHINGs. Jolly I. 7.18i8.
IA TotUgB .CJr,,Ls.-.Jt. M

Hon. B'yamiH TaTpaH. SirvJsHriYe. OAio:
DEAR SW-Iour lcllrr OF the D., Instant asls
me 20 Stale shat know 'as to the way th,.
Texas question vas gpi through the Senate. -
] comply AID will not eucuinb-r the narrative
wnh immUeriaI details.
When The resolution passed by the House Of
Representatives for the annexation Of Texas
reached The Senate, it was psceuained that il
would fail in thai body. Benton, Bsgby, Dix.
Haywood, aud, as understood, you also, we're
absolute IN opposition to this naked proposition
of annexation, which necessarily brought with
II The war IN which Texas was engaged with
Mexico. All had determined to adhere to the
bill submitted by Colonel Rcnton, for the ap.
Pou'meni ol commission TO arrange the terms
OF annexation with Texas. aud 10 make The at.
tempt TO render its accession 10 our Union as
palaiabIe as possible 10 Mexico before It's con.
summation. twas hoped that this point might
be elected by giving (as has been done in the
late treaty Of pcace)a pecuniary Consideration,
fully equivalent in value for The territory desired
by the United States, and to which Texas could
justly assert any title. The Senate had then
polled, and it was asceraned that any Two of
The Democratic Senators who we're opposed 10
Browns resolution, which had passed the House,
could defeat 1.-THE whole Wing party prefer
ring annexation by negotiation, upon Col. Ben.
tons plan, 10 that Of Brown.
While the que,l;on was thus pending, mel,
Mr.. Brown-lale Governor Of Tennessee, then
a member Of the House-who suggested that
the resolution Of the House and the bill of Col.
onel Benton, preferred by the Senate, might be
blended, making the latter an alternative, and
leaving the President elect-who alone would
hare TO conSUmmatc the medsure-lO act under
one or the other, at his discretion. told Mr..
Brown that did not believe that the Democrat.
ic Senators opposed 10 the resolution Of The
House, and who had its fate in their hands,
would consent TO this arrangement, unless they
were satisfied in advance by MIR. Polk that the
commission and negotiation contemplated in
Colonel Benton's plan would be tried before
that Of direct legislative annexation was resort.
ed to. He desired me to see Colonel Benton
and the friends Of his proposition, submit the
suggestion he had made, and then confer with
Mr.. Polk, to know whether he would meet their
views. ! complied-and after several inter.
views with Messrs Haywood, Dix. Benton, and
others-Mr. Allen, of Ohio, using his influence
in the same direction-fnding that the two plans
could be coupled and carried, if il were under.
stood that the pacific project was first to be tried,
| consulted the PRESIDENT ON THE SUBJECT.
In the conference had with him he GAVE NE
FULL ASSURANCE THAT HE WOULD APPOINT A COM.
MISSION, AS CONTEMPLATED IN THE BILL PREPARET
BY Col. BENTON IF PASSED IN CONJUNCTION WIT
THE HOUSE RESOLUTION AS AN AMENDMENT. Ii
the course Of Il conversation with Mr.. Polk,
lo)d him that the friends of this plan were sol
cilous that the commission should be He'd b,
distinguished men Of both parties, and that Col
onel Benton had mentioned 10 me the names o
Criucnden and Wright, as Of the class from
which il should be formed. Mr.. Polk REsPoN.
DED, BY DECLARING, WITH AN EMPHASIS. THAT
THE FIRST MEN OF THE COUNTRY SHOULD FILL THE
COMMISSION" ! communicated the result o
this interview TO Messrs Benton, Dix, Haywood
&c. The Two last met, on appointment. to n.
! dopt the phraScoogy of Benlon's bill 10 suit as
an alternative FOR the resolution of the House
and il was passed, after very general undersan.
ding of the course whichthe measure was to take
Born MEssRs. Dix AND HAYWOOD TOLD ME
THEY HAD INTERVIEWS WITH Mr. Polk ON THE
SUBJECT OF THE COMMUNICATION | HAD REPoRTEI
TO THEM FROM HIM, AND THEY WERE coNFIRMEI
BY HIS IMMEDIATE ASSURANCE IN PURSUING TIL
COURSE WHICH THEY HAD RESOLVED ON IN CONsE
QUENcE OF MY REPRESENTATION OF his PURPOSE
IN REGARD TO THE POINT ON WHICH THEIR ACTION
DEPENDED. Aller the law was passed. and Mr.
Polk inaugurated, he applied 10 General Dix IA:
| am informed by the lauer) 10 urge the Senate
TO act upon the suspended Cabinet appointments
saying that he wished his Administration organ
ized Immediately, as HE INTENDED THE INSTANT
RECALL OF THE MESSENGER UNDERSTOOD TO HAvI
BEEN DESPATCHED BY Nh. TYLER, AND TO REvoKI
HIS ORDERS GIVEN IN THE LAST MOMENTS OF HI:
POWER, TO THwART THE DESIGN OF CONGRESS IN
AFFoRDlNG HIM, (MR. PoLK) THE MEANS OF IN
sTITrTlNG A ANEGoTIATIoN WITH VIEW OF BRING
ING TEXAS PEAcEABLY INTO THE UNION. You
friend, F. p. BLAIR.