Eastern times., 1853-04-14
From our correspondent in Mississippi.


Annexation.
In the Texas controversy, was humble
follower of Mr. Clay. and opposed to ar exten-
Sion o. territory. At The time Of thc purchase
Of Louisiana, wiser heads than mine ever was
or will be, were seriously alarmed at the acqui-
sition Of SO much territory. They feared that
jarring interests. local prejudices. and the am
bition ofpoliticians living at such distance
from w Washington- city, would cause the eentrif-
ugal force to predomiuate to the disruption of
THE Vniops Similar fears .SeFe ehteftained
when Florida was obtained.
The prominent men of those days have
passed away ,fand with them are, buried most of
the fears and trouble resulting from those ac-
quisitions The predictions of some have been
fulfilled, yet the present generation have a
more decided confidence in the perpetuity of
the Union and the excellence Of our form Of
government than was enjoyed by, the sages Of
the revolution. Reasoning from the past
where could they find an example to satisfy
them that republicanism could long exist in an
extensive territorys How slow were some Of
the States 10 accede to the articles of confeder-
alton How long it took to get the whole thir-
teen rightly geared under the Constitution Ri
~ Our fathers had the examples Of the Greeks
and Romans. Those examples illustrated the
decline and fall as well as the progress Of re-
publics. .ar haa yTi7og sHt" i'iro7 hHH ,if
It becomes then sn interesting subject Of in
quiry to ascertain in what. respect our govern
rnent differs from all those established before it.
If there is any one word that will express the
prominent characteristic of our Constitution, it
is toleation. If a man chooses to be Roman
Catholic, a Quaker, or an infdel, our govern
ment tolerates him, and leaves him to. settle
such matters with his conscience and his God.
If he chooses to invest his money in ships,
mills, or negroes, our government allows
him and his neighbors to adopt rules regulat-
ing the enjoyment Of his property. Every oc-
cupation and every Office is left free from re-
striclions against native born citizens of proper
age. Hence whoever may be annexed by our
acquisition of territory, has no reason to oppose
the general government; on the contrary, he
feels himself to be part of the government,
and knows that his children, may aspire to the
highest offices. A citizen in Oregon or Cali
fornia feels it duty and privilege to exer-
else the right of self government and knows
that while he and his neighbors regulate their
affairs honestly they will be protected.
The Greeks and the Romans called the in
habitanls of the countries they annexed by con-
quest, "barbarians, = and never admitted them
10 participate in the government of the nation
The British considered their colonies as appen-
dages to be taxed and regulated without rep
resentation. The Irish are emigrating to avoid
supporting clerical and political aristocracy
forced upon them by their conquerors. The
Spaniards have impoverished themselves and
their colonies by intolerance and oppression.
If Cuba were annexed, the people of the is
land would regulate their local affairs to suit
themselves. Every voter would consider him
sclfa sovereign and his children as heirs to
noble inheritance. Hence he would have an
abiding interest i'll the general government, and
no more reason to fear disunion than one of
the citizens of the old thirteen States. .f
1t may be recollected by some that the
French cock crowed and the British bull bel
lowed at the acquisition Of Texas and Califor-
MIA. There are great many people who have
sense enough to mind their own affairs and al
low others to do the same, and do not think
there is more probability that Great Britain
will take Cuba, to keep it from us, than there
is that we shall annex Ireland.
.t--t.f -t-.f..- ....s..
lance of liberation do not dread expansion or
annexation, do protest againt Kossuth and
hlibusterism. ft' rttl A Wing.