The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-02-21

the public mind in relation to it, was wide
spread and clamorous. Good and patriotic
men were fortified by it in taking strong ground.
Weak and wicked Northern men, in bonds to
the Slavery.ridden Administration, were made
to tremble for their local position. And the
result was, that after weeks of sharp conflict
in the Senate, and sharp anxiety abroad, the
iagitious treaty was rejected on the 9Th of June.
The conspirators had chosen their own
course and had pursued it at leisure, in secre-
cy and with every advantage. They had
failed; but they were not discouraged. When
were they ever known to be? A Presidential
election was coming on the same year.
Convention of the Democratic party met to
nominate its candidate. A majority of the
members were in favor of Mr.. Van Buren,, who
had been superseded four years before. But
in the present immensely important crisis the
Slave Power wanted a President upon whom
it could more confidently rely. So it first in
duced the Convention to adopt the rule that a
concurrence of two-thirds of the members
should be necessary to a nomination; in other
words, that the minority of slaveholding mem
bers should be invested with a retO pO,cer, and
then nominated Mr.. Polk, of Tennessee-at the
same time passing various resolutions, some
like that relating to Oregon, intended to serve
their turn In the canvass, and take their chance
Observation-Disclosures, like that relating to Texas,
intended to be adhered to and carried out,
should the party prevail.
The party prevailed. Mr.. Clay, the opposing
candidate, played double game at a late mo-
ment, which lost him the votes of friends OF
Freedom in Western New York, in numbers
sufficient to have carried that State in his IA
vor, and so given him the national election.
Congress met presently after, and Mr.. Tyler,
in his opening message, had the "power of
face to say, on the simple basis of the cleo
ton returns, that the Texas question had been
" submitted to the ordeal of public sentiment
controlling majority of the People, and a
large majority of the States, have declared in
favor of immediate annexation. Instructions
have thus come up to both branches of Con-
gress, from their respective constituents, in
terms the most emphatic. 1t is the will of
both the People and the States, that Texas
shall be annexed to the Union promptly and
immediately" And presuming in the insane
recklessness of the Despotism which he served,
upon the selfshness and imbecilty of its North
ern instruments, he presented the political
junction of this with a foreign people, as an
act of common legislation, without constitu-
tional authority, and recommended to Congress
to consummate the proceeding "ln the form
of Joint resolution or act, to be perfected
and made binding on the two countries, when
adopted in like manner by the Government OF
Texas
1t was a moment when, to political aspirants
and other dishonest and feeble mep the Slave
Power exhibited itself as wellngh omnipotent.
With what had seemed an almost desperate
effort, it had Just come triumphant out OF
Presidential election. For four years it was to
have the distribution of thirty thousand offices,
and an untold amount of money patronage.
Quiet people in the free States, at first aghast
at the iniquity, fell to imploring their Repre-
sentatives not to carry it out though they found
some of their companions and their leaders
falling away from their side, when Mr. Walker,
of Mississippi, presently advanced to the head
of the Treasury, made proclamation that upon
the refusal of remuneration, now and in all
time to come, the tariff, as practical measure,
falls wholly and forever, and we shall thereafter
be compelled to resort to direct taxes to support
the Government"
But the Oigarchy was confident through
recent almost unlooked-for success. and the
opposition was helpless through distraction,
encouragement, and treachery. A resolution,
inviting Texas to present State Constitution,
with view to being received into the Amerl-
can Union after being debated in the House OF
Representatives three or four weeks, was car
ried, January &c, l845, by a vote of l29 to SO.
nc OcIldlc III uut blILe COHCuTIcu N.Y.
until protracted opposition in that branch
had revived strong hope of the defeat OF the
iniquity. What remained was regarded as
mere form. The Twenty ninth Congress came
together, December l, i&45, Nine days after,
Immediately on the appointment Of the COM
mittees, that portion of the Presidents Message
which related to Texas was referred in the
House to the Committee on the Territories,
which the Speaker had taken care to constitute
in manner suitable to the business in hand.
The committee was not long In dehber&tipg.
The next day it reported resolution 6 that the
State of Texas shall be one, and ia hereby de-
clared to be one, of the United States OF Amer
lea, and admitted into the Union on an equal
footing with the original States, in all respects
whatever" The resolution made the order
of the day for the fifth day following. At the
| assigned time, the members having hsd the
Constitution of Texas in their hands only TWEEN
! ty-four hours, the previous question, precluding
debate, was imposed by the ma ority, and the
measure was forced through in less than two
hours. The Senate concurred six days after,
and those Northern members of that body who
had the stomach for it, left its chamber, to go
and keep jolly the landing of the Plymouth
Pilgrims on that day, two centuries and quar-
| ter before.