The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-08-17
ColsneI Benton's History.


realy with Saa which ,sas sgnsd en- he sal Of Feb
uaIy iolowing and which. in airing Florida, xavs
away texas was shocked al lat the CessiOn of
lexas and The new boundaries proposed FOR lhe Jailed
States the southwest The acQuisilion 0f Florida
Was desirable object long sought and sure to b. Oh.
tanned 10 the progress OF evens but the new
hesdes cutting oil Texas, dsmembered The valley Of
the mississippi mutiated Two OF its nobIsst rivsrr
brought foreign dominion and it non ehodinsl To
the nekhborhood OF New Orleans, and es,ahIishsd =
wilderness barrier between Missouri and New Mexico
70 Interrupt their lrade separate their inhabitants and
shelter The Wild Indian de al0s upon the lives and prop
ery OF all who undertook 10 Iass from to hs o,her.
was not then IN politics. and had nothing do with
polifical Aifans bu saw a the hole evil OF this
great sacrifice and nss RY raised my against
articles published in hr 81 Louis DewspapfFs and In
which were gven in substance, all The nsonal
against giving away the country, which Afterwards
and Ny 70 many tongues and At the expense OF and
an hundred millions gytn 10 gel II back. denounced
the treaty, and attacked its authors and their motives
and necaled woe ON the heads Of those who should
continue to favor it,
'.rhe magnificent valley Of tho Mississippi is ours
WIN all is fountains spnngs, and loods and 10
the statesman who shal undertake 10 surrender one
drop OF It's water, inch OF its soil. to any foreign
power" m 14@ 4sa7
IN these terms spoke. and in This sIifit wrote before
the treaty was raiied. Mr.. John Quincy Adams,
the Secretary OF State sota,or and osesbc author of
the treaty. was the statesman against whom my censure
was directed and was certainly sincere 10 my belief of
his great culpaby But the declaration which he after
wards nade the floor of the House absolved him from
censure on account o thai treaty. and placed the blame
on Tie majority in Mr. Monroes cabinet--4outhern
men, by whose vote lie hal been governed nscsding
Texas and hxins the boundary which | so much con-
demned Alter this authoritative decar alton, made, in
my place IN the Senale the honorable amends TO Mr.
Adams which were equally due to him and to myselj
The treaty was ssued the anniversary Of the birth
day OF Washington, and sent to The Senate the same
day, and unanimously ratified on the mex, day, with the
general appreciation OF The country and the warm ap.
piausr OF The newspaper press. This unannity Of the
Senate and applause Of the press made impression upon
me continued TO assail The treaty and It's authors and
The more bitterly, because the Official correspondence
when published showed thai This great sacrifice OF terri
tory, and proper boundaries all gfaluous
and voluntary part that tie Spsnish g0yernm ent
had cred more in accepted = anu thai was our
policy, and not hers which had deprived ss OF Texas.
and The large country IN addition to Texas. which lay
between the Rad river and the Upper Arkansas This
was enigma, the solution at which, in my mind,
strong y connected itaei wlh the Missouri controversy
then raging (Sa) with lis Grea et violence,
existing political parties with subversion and The Union
with dissolution. My mind there. TO tha, coatro-
vsfsy for The soluon bat with miedrecon Of its ap
plca;ion blamed the northern men in Mr.. Monroe's
cabinet; the private papers of General Jackson. which
have to my hands. enable that error
and give inside view oil that which could only
the outside before In private letter IRON Mr.
Monroe TO General Jackso, dated at w ashngion. May
asd, 1920 more than one year after the atEcaon Of the
treaty, written 10 justify IT, and evidently called BY
Mr.. Cays attacks upon IL, are these passages
Having long known the repugBance with wh ich the
eastern portion OF our UBlbn, rather OF those
who have enjoyed Ills confidence, o do think that
u people themselves have any wish of that
KIND have seen lis argrand'zement 10 The West and
South, have been decidrdy OF opinion that ought
be content with Florida for the present, and until the
public opinion IN that quarter shall be reconcitd any
any further change. mention these circumstances TO
show that our difficulties not with Spain alone,
but are likewise INTERNAL proceeding from various
which CERTAIN men prompt 10 and the
count OF their own ambitious views" .w
This ,aragra,h from Mr Monroes letter ills the cur
tain which coDcealed tie secTe, Tor cedng Tex
as-,ha secret which explains what incomprehensi-
bieouf having refused TO accept as much as Srais had
Offered nit rnal dilcullies thus shown, had in
ducs thai refusal aud these difficulties grew OF the
repugnance OF leadns men IN the Northeast TO the
uner aggrabd2enen, OF the Union upon the South and
West. THIS rei'uspante was then taking operative
fon in the shape OF the Missouri controversy; and,
immediate consequence, threatened the subverson OF
political parry ilnes and tie introduction OF the slavery
question The federal elections and Legislation, and
bringing into the ghest OF those electons-those ot
presira, and Wee presilent--a which no southern
idst. could stand The Tepusnance IN the Northeast
not merely 10 territorial gfandzement ia the South
west a. 10 the const qnent extension Of slavery in that
quarter and TO alay repuanance and to prevent the
slavery extension question from becoming les, in the
presidential elecou was the true Tor giving away
rsxas aaitb tue solution OF the enigma involved
the strange refusal 10 accept much Spain offered
The treaty dssapp owed by Mr. Jeherson, to whom
similar letter WIS written 10 That sent TO General Jack
son. aud for the purpose--o obtain his approba-
ton but he who had acquired LOUISIANA, and Justly
gored ~ The act could bear TO that noble prov
nce mualsd, and returned his dissent 10 the act, and
his Condemnation OF the policy which II done.
General Jackson had yelded TO The Arguments OF Mr..
Monfoe. and consented TO The cessoo OF Crxas tenn
poraly The words OF hls answer TO Mr. Mon
letter clearly of yonr opinion. that for
the present. ought Be cohtenI.d with The Fioridas
Bat hlr Jstef sou would yield 10 no Temporary vie VS.
OF poic,, and remained exbly opposed the treaty;
d in ilis lie was sien wiIh his conduct in
,imilsr cfeptn,ances. Sxteea years bstue he had
,en IN the same crcumsances-at the time Of the
QUESTION OF Louisans-v hen he had the repug.
nance 10 South western agtfanaizeme II 10 contend with
and ue bait lFofde 10 ie.npt nun. Then eastern
raised the ohetons Rnd ~ early as August,
1903 only -four months er the Pochas. of Louisiana,
he wrote 10 DR. Bfcckenrldge OBJECTIONS are raising
the eastward to The vast extent oi our bu1nJaes and
propositions msle hange Louisiana, part of it,
g.. I... .I.tIc thuE
vi hout and | would hot give oac inch OF The
waters ol The Ms-ssippl any foreign naon SO that
Mr. Jstson neither IN 1908 nor IN 1919 would nave nu-
uaied Lo oilsians 10 Obtain the ctsson OF fofjA winch
he knew would be obiaDe1 without that fnuiiaton nor
wond lie have yielded 10 lie threatening dscon'en IN
the E1t.
have qualification that. without knowing il, and
thoussni miles lrcm hu, took The same ground that
MIR .fsrson sIood and even used bis own words
,ot nm inch OF The waters o The MIssneipps 70 any
nation = bu A. n1ofiihed AZ the time that not paper
IL IN. United States backed my essays II was my frs,
cxaerienee m standing SOLITARY and aene = but stood
il wi out hinchng and ncutcd the imputaton OF
hrng ,opposei to the adm aiion"-had 10 encounter
that br, u,.n my lls election 10 the Senate, and was
even vltw,d "a an opponebt by MIR Monroe himself,
when fret came 70 Washing on. He had son to
before his olie expired and still moe after il ex-
pred, hal 20 one to TIE young generation) had
exalted union ol hiss honesty pattiss hrmneas and
general suantnes Of judgment won'd be more ready
whfnsyef he occison psmief, o do lasicc to long
and Illu,rlous career OF public service. .NtN&
The treaty, as have saii, promptly and unani-
mootly ratified BY the American cenae, not 20 on the
la S,aIn She hesrs,fd, delayed procraatinaied.
and 6aaly suffered The limited ior the exchange OF
riheaoas 10 expire wih ul having gone thvoush that
nd, Iausabis ornsiiy Oi course ihis put an end 10
the ttrAty unless could be revived. nnd ne w