Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-07-30
VOL. XXYIE.---NO. 100.


the oftwo thirds Of the members presen;-whch
could hardly be expected, it we to Judge from recent
experience. This, Of itself. considered by the Pre>-
dent conclusive for proposing the resolution
Of the House instead It the amendment of the Senate,
the basis of annexaton.'
The above extracts will place you in possession Of The
leading for making the selection. Events prove
that the selection judici1us Texas annexed
against every efrt of open enemies and reacheous,
friends both here and there. and the eff
rts defeat by England and France; and BY your
weak and most exposed flank protected against dan
ger from without, and the Vaccinations of abntionlss
and their abettors home 1t great victory both
for your and the country and felt to be at
the time. That ii due to the selection maize,
have the highest auhoritv Mr. Donaldson, in his let
ter to after annexation achieved, said that any
other cause but hat pursued, would have defeated it.
But Col. Benton objects, that the House reSolu
ton contained provision to extend the Missouri Com
promise line the boundary Of Texas. and
sers, that this extension abolished slavery in the State
nearing as suppose. that prevented the introduction
OF slaves in the portion North of the line when at the
time there settlements slaves. 1t not, it
seems the resolution of those who voted for and pass
ed it, and among them HIMSELF whose could have
defeated it, that abolished slavery, he calls it, but l.
who made the selection of the House resolution, in pre-
ference to his amendment. The slightest agency. it
seems, my part in reference any measure, makes
solely responsible for the whole. 1t would be better
at for him take the ground that only respon
sibe for all the misdeeds Of the government, since |
came into public life, whether of commission omission
But what could do? The President had tn act. and
TO select the other resolutions the House
The selection was left t. him If that Of the House
tainted by the Missouri Compromise with abolltonism.
as he states, his resolution much more deeply lnec
ted. have his words for the assertion. He de-
clared that his amendment adopted by the Senate
the With the string of resolutions he had ntrr
duced at the preceding sson, and renewed at the then
session. He also declared, that they geHerazad
and comprised IN one to avoid ol ctions TO details One
of this string Of resolutions thus covered under general
terms was to divide Texas into equal parts BY
line drawn North and South of which the western part
was to be subject TO the ordinance of 'S7. measure.
coming from quarter hostile and accompanied by
such declaraiur justly suspected as intending
mischief. 1t was so considered generally by the friends
OF annexation in the Senate, and assenlej To renc
tartly and only because he had few Supporters, tho
with himself held the balance and refused for the
resolution of the House without The amendment. A.
mong hem If my meInTy serves me, was his friend
Hayward, who for Covering all Texas aud the
whole region North OF SO degrees 80 minutes with the
ordinance of 1877. Iimeo Duna0s Ell dona fereatcs.
come now to the last of his charges that aban-
doned the South, and left him and few others alone
by the side of the i'll fated owners of the Comet Enco
num- Enterprise and Creole. He does not state by
what act abandoned you but leaves it to be inferred
from his remarks that it by voting in favor ofthe
Ashburton Treaty, which contained no stipulation in
favor of the owners of those vessels 1t is trick Of
his to make his charges very vaguely so as to make
it difficult to detect his and repe his anderous
attacks admit that voted for the Ashburton Trea-
ty. did more delivered speech in its favor,
which, in the opinion of its friends saved it from re-
lection. It's fate doubtful. The opposition, head
ed by Colonel Benton, was violent, and it required
two-thrds to confirm the treaty. | am willing to take
whatever share ofresponsibilty he may think proper
to alot to me for voting for it. look with little
satisfaction to my course the occasion, from the
belief that rendered great and permanent service to
the country for its adoption the first link in that
series of causes by which between Great Britain
and us averted Who is there so blind as
not to that If the treaty had been rejected
could not haye been avoided? The two countries we're,
in truth, the very Of rupture the way events
were moving at the time, without either being aware
Oft AT the very next session the Oregon question for
the first time assumed dangerous and menacing
pect bill introduced Immediately after its
penng, which covered the whole of that territory the
object of which to commence, Systematically, the
work of colonization and settlement part. [
took my seat in the Senate two three weeks after
the commencement of the session, and found the bill
on Its passage, without opposition and apparently
without division Of opinion | the danger to the
peace of the two countries and that the time had
to take stand to save it, determined to do my du-
ty regardless of consequences to myself rose and
opposed it, and thereby exposed myself to the oppos-
ton of the entire West, which was strongly in its ia
vor. My then. well as when the Ashburton
Treaty pending in the Senate was before tie PEG.
not by myself, but by my friends. Did then permit
the low motive of aiming at the Presidency to which
he attributes my the treaty. to sway from
the path of duty?
! My stand prevented the bill from becoming a law,
and that constituted the second link in the series of
causes by which enabled to avert between
the two countries. Colonel Benton then went for the
bill, and believe for the whole of Oregon. Had
the treaty been rejected at the preceding session. the
stand | took and the resistance I made to the bill
would have been all in vain. II would have passed,
and the country been precpitated into but it
was, time gained which all important. The
agitation, however, was kept up about Oregon, and
similar bills were introduced the two succeeding
sessions which failed by small majorities. In
the mean time negotiations were commenced and the
claim to the whole of Oregon made. The cry was call
or none,' and SO strong the current in its favor
that both parties yielded it in the early part of the
session l had resigned my seat i'll the Senate, but
was reelected short time before the session COM
menced, and took my seat several weeks afterward.-
and felt the strength of the current but resolved
to breast it, and the peace Of the whole country
it possible. 1t arrested and counter current Gre
ated Col Benton himself yielded to the counter cur
rent, and delivered speech after the battle was wonn
which he beaborcd those who stuck to call or none
after he found that they were in minority 1t was
this chain of causes, of which the Ashburton treaty
was the first and indispensable link which averted
war; andby it saved the two countries from of the
greatest caamities which could have befaen them,
and might add, the civilized world. shall ever re-
member with proud satisfaction that took proni-
nent lead and highly responsible part on the side Of
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