Washington sentinel., 1854-07-19

| Secretary of State when the Floridas were ac-
| quired, and thereby committed to the principle,
but during his administration, and while Mr..
Clay, of Kentucky, was his Secretary of State,
he endeavored to obtain Texas by treaty with
Mexico, without first asking the House of Rep
resentatives for its consent. General jackson,
with Mr.. Van Buren as his Secretary Of State,
| as will presently notice more in detail opened
negotiations with Mexico with the view of ac-
curing Texas, without consulting, in advance
of such negotiations, the House Of Representa-
tives. Mr.. Tyler with Mr.. Webster as his Sec
retary Of State, made the Ashburton treaty, by
which large sums of money were agreed to be
paid, without first asking the consent of the
House-and while Mr. Calhoun was his Secre-
tary of State, a treaty for the annexation OF
Texas was negotiated and submitted to the
Senate. During the brilliant wise, and pa
triotic administration of Mr.. Polk, our difficult
ties in Oregon were settled by treaty with
Great Britain, and our troubles with Mexico
we're settled by the acquisition of a large ex-
tent Of valuable territory. In the latter case,
$3,000,0O0 had been put at the disposal of the
President. The circumstances attending those
negotiations are of too recent date and too
familiar to this committee, to Justify me in a
consumption of time to recite them.
Mr.. Chairman, have said that General
Mexico by treaty, without first asking the ad
vice of the House Of Representatives. have
not had the time, however to examine very
particularly the correspondence on that point.
| speak, in most part, from memory. Of the
fact, however of his entering into negotiations
with Mexico for its purchase, there can be no
doubt.
| In speech delivered in the Senate of the
United States, on the 10th, 18th and 10th May,
| 1914, by the gentleman from Missouri, (Mr.
BENTON then member, and distinguished
one of that body, find not only an extract
from letter of Mr.. Van Buren, in relation to
Texas, which ! propose to read, but also ask
the indulgence OF the committee while read a
few extracts from the speech ITSELF H.. Bas-
TON said:
| "The data is this: that in 1929, being the first
year of his Presidency, General Jackson under.
took TO render the great service to his country of
getting back our sacrificed territory; and, by in
structions through Mr.. Van Buren TO our minister
in Mexico, propose TO purchase back the whole
or any part, of the dismembered territory which
| could be obtained" - n
In this he was seconded by Mr. Van Buren,
| his Secretary of State, and who, in his recent
letter, has brought the great fact to light. Iquote
a paragraph from it,
| "s Having charge ofthe Department Of State in
| 1879, prepared, by direction of the President
instructions to our minister at Mexico, by which
he was directed to open, without delay, negotia-
| ton with the Mexican government for the pur-
chase OF the greater part of the then province Of
| Texas, and by which he was likewise authorized
TO insert in the treaty provision similar to that
in the Louisiana and Florida treaties for the in.
corporation of the inhabitants of Texas into the
| Union as soon as it could be done consistently
| with the principles of the federal Constitution
The reasons t fauor this measure stated at large
| an that docMnaem. In taking this step, the admins.
tration OF President Jackson renewed (but as was
supposed, under favorable circumstances) an at
| tempt to accomplish the same object, which had
| been made by lis immediate predecessor. In
structlons similar in their general object had in
| the second year Of the latter administration.
been sent from the Department of State to the
same American minister at Mexico. i am moi
aware that there was any material difference be-
| tween them, other than those of 1926 proposed an
acquisition OF territory as far west the Rio del
Norte, being, believe, the extreme boundary of
Texas; achiia the cessioaa asked tor Jy President
Jac SON ATTENDED only far acest as tie ceaatye .f
tie desert or grand prairie arhc lies east ofte riper
Niteces and that for the former the payment of
one million OF dollars was authorized; whilst by
the administration Of President Jackson, the
American minister was permitted TO 90 as high as
four, asd if indispensable, five millions Both
authorised agreements for smaller portions ofterri
tory, and tie payments acere modified aroordin oIy
ln respect to the proposed stipulation for the ui
mate INCORPORATION of inhabitants into the Union,
both instructions were Identical"
!" Mr. Van Buren, says the instructions to our
minister IN Mexico (and in that they corresponded
with those in Mr.. Adams term) proposed 10 OBJ
tain any proportion of the sacrificed territory if
and consderate."
!" All was open, fair, patriotic, and disnterested
| happenedto 10 know something about II for as
the first and earliest advocate for the recovery of
Texas, IDas deemed worthy to be a lttle consulted
on tie OCCASION: and kpotoing 1chat aoas intend,d
wrote the two essays of Amer1canas and the nine
essays OF La Sale, TO promote its success. Jack
son, van Buren, and the poor speaker Who now adj
dresses you, were then the Texas advocates and
where were those who now put themselves al the
head of the Texas movement, and denounce IN
old friendsa Where were they when Jackson,
van Buren, and Benton, each in his sphere, We're
exerting themselves for the Accomplishment oftbe
the great object Where were they then? They
We're nowhere! nowhere in the great movement
either as leaders or followers and stand obnox
ious to the accusation ofbeing Indifferent or mimi
cal to the great national measure of which they
now constitute themselves the incontneht champ
ionsn
So it seems, Mr.. Chairman, that the gentle
man WAS CONSULTED by General jackson and
Mr.. Van Buren,; and l presume, from his re-
marks in that speech, that he advised them to
the course they finally adopted. Where, then.
were the privileges of the House of Represen.
tativesP and who was advising General Jack.
son to pursue q course that would invade them
The gentleman from Missouri seems to have
been consulted but it may be that he did not
then hold the same opinions on that point that
he has avowed in this debate.
Mr.. Chairman, / think might rest the issue
here without further remark. wish, however,
10 read one other extract from speech of the
gentleman, delivered in the Senate on the 18th |
of june, 1914, on what at the heading of the |
speech is called the Presidents appeal mes.
sage" 1t will be remembered that after the !
Senate rejected or refused to ratify the treaty
OF President Tyler, by which Texas was TO he |
annexed to the United States, the Presidentl
sent it to the House of Representatives. 'fae
honorable gentleman from Missouri, in discuss |
ing with his usual great ability, the points aris.
ing out Of the message Of Mr.. Tyler which ac-
companied the treaty, and in speaking of and |
defining the constitutional powers ofthe Sen.
ate and House of Representatives to act upon
treaties, among other things, said
"The Senate is n co-orJinats brancb oe ,ho ,,,, |