Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-08-25
Letters Of Messrs. Tappan and Blair.


Letters Of MeSsrs. TappaR and Blair.
STEUBENvILLE, July 2l, 1848.
To The Editor Of the Ercning Post;
DEAR SlR--Sincc the admission Of Texas in.
10 the Union was consummaed, have thought
with you, that my vote on that occasion required
explanation. ! was in favor of receiving that
State into the Union as soon as it could be done
on fan and Just terms, with the consent Of Mex
leo; and believed, from all | could learn, that
this might be accomplished at less expense than
il would cost to wage war of one years dura.
lion for obtaining it. So disposed. | had not on.
" voted against Mr.. Tyler's treaty of annexa.
non, because it was eXcepIionable in its TERMS
but, in violation Of a rule Of the Senate, from
an imperative sense of public duty, had publish
ed il, and the correspondence with which it was
accompanied, because il appeared 10 me that the
Whoie affair afforded erideace of a daring con.
spiracy 10 diUMe the Union, By arrayiag the
free and Stare States against each other; evi.
dence which considerations entirely paramount
to all Senatorial formulas required to be imme.
diately dvugcd.
The inquiry is very natural one-how men
who desired The admission of Texas and voted
against the treaty of annexation, could after.
wards vote for the resolution brought into the
House of Representatives by Mr.. Milton Brown
which was more eXcepuonabe in its terms Than
the treaty. Now that the war with Mexico is
end, d, and the public interest cannot be injured
by answering this inquiry, give you ahe fol-
loving statement, promising that the public his.
tory Of this transaction is in the Congressional
Globe, volume IA, page 358 363. and the Con.
gressionaI Globe Of February 24lh. l847.
When the "oint resolution declaring the
terms on which Congress will admit Texas inlo
The Union as Slale," was before the Senate, it
was soon found that number of the Democrat.
ic members who were favorable to The admission
Of Texas would vote against that resolution. !
was one of them. In this sihge of the matter,
it was proposed that, instead Of Rejecting the
House resolution, we should amend Uby aiding,
as an alternative proposition, The substance Of
Mr.. Benton'S bill 10 obtain TfraS By nee0iia.
dOn. ! bad strong objections 10 this plan, for |
did not see The necessity or propriely of passing
the House resolution either with or without the
proposed amendments, but il was urged that the
session was so near at its close that the measure
would be defeated, if wesubmlted Mr.. Rent0n'S
| plan for the other, whereas, if we made it an
additional article itwould readypass the House
III that form. This reasoninS did not satisfy
me, but finding that my friends were all satsfi.
ed with such proposed arrangement, acceded
TO it-provided that | could have satisfactory
assurance that the plan proposed in such a.
mendment would be the only one used and sub
milted 10 Texas.
Mr.. Polk wds in The city; il ,cas understood
that he araS Uery anxious that Congress should
act on the subject before he came into office; ii
tcaS also understood that the proposition 10 amend
the House resolution originated Nth Mr.. Polk
1t had been suggested that, if we did so amend
the resolution, Mr.. Calhoun would send off the
House resolution TO Texas, and so endeavor ia
forestal the action of Mr.. Polk; but MIR. McDuf
fe, his friend, having met this suggestion by
The declaration that he would not have the Eau.
dacity" to do such thing, it was omore thought
of. One difficulty remained, and that was the
danger of putting into the power of Mr.. Polk
to submit the House resolution TO Texas. We
understood indeed, that he intended 10 submit
the Senate proposition 10 that Government; but
without being satisfied that he would do this,
would not vote for the resolution, andt was well
ascertained that, without my vote, it could moi
pass. Mr.. Haywood, who had voted with me
and was opposed 10 the House resolution, un.
dertook 10 converse with Mr.. Polk on the sub
iect, and did so. He afterwards told me that he
WAS AUTHORIZED BY Mr.. Polk TO SAY TO MY.
SELF AND OTHER SENATORS THAT, IF WE coULI
PASS THE RESOLUTION WITH THE AMENDMENT PRO
POSED TO BE MADE, HE WOULD NOT USE THE HOUSE
RESOLUTION, BUT WOULD SUBMIT THE SENATE A.
MENDMENT AS THE SOLE PROPOSITION TO Texas
Upon this assurance | voted for the amendment
moved by Mr.. Walker, containing the substance
of Mr.. Benton's bill, and voted for the resou
lion as it now stands on the statute book.
1t is matter Of history that Mr.. Calhoun die
$ have the "audacity" to send off special mes
/, senger with the House resolution to Texas, oil
7 the Sd of March, few minutes before he wen
out Of office; and that Ma. Polk ADOPTED AM
n CONFIRMED THIS ACT OF Mr.. CALHoUN'S, so AID
MITTING TEXAS INTO THE UNION, AND PLACING
THE UNITED STATES IN A STATE OF WAR WITT
MEXICO.
n Knowing that my esteemed friend, Francis ?
e Blair, had taken deep interest in this sublec
$ while it was before Congress, addressed not
TO him, requesting statement of his recoIlec
IS tions of the way the question was got throug
4 the Senate. The following is his answer.
!. ! am, sir, yours,
!. BENJAMIN TAPPAN.