Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-10-31
CARRYING War Record.

: any one, to examine the circumstances
which gave rise +, the declarations or ut
e terance of the sentiment. and also TO un
T derstand the context and what follows:
IL is well known to those conversan
with the history OF the campaigns of 1914
0 that the absorbiu g,question before the peo
pie of the United States, was "shall Texa,
/ be annexed" and it was to the solution o.
this question that the Presidential election
Of that year turned.
The various aspirauts Of Presidential
/. honors were questioned on the subject and
their answers went far towards determin-
D ing their availability. People Of both pc
litical parties were much divided on the
ssbect. Those who opposed the extension
of slavery. were opposed. generally to Fan.
nexation' while those who desired its ex-
tension favored Annexation tf
Among those who opposed the annexs-
tion were the leaders of the two great par
ties which then divided the people Of this
eountry-Henry Clay and Martin Van Blu
rem, both opposed it for the same reasons
namely-sn oexation would produce war
war would lead to the aqusition of Terri
tory-and the acquisition ofTerritory would
open up again the slavery agitation which
had rested for more than 90 years.
To party leaders it soon became apparent
that great majority of the people favored
annexation, and to political demagcguss
it was evident that the clap trap cry of Eek
tending the area Of Freedom preserving
Texas from the paw Of the British Lion
would be powerful influence in Presi-
dental campaign. Martin Van Burun abe
idol of the Democratic party was sacrificed,
and James X. Polk who declared for an
nexation became President Of the Democ.
racy.
President Tyler, to give one act to his
administration that might render it neces
ssry for the Historian to mention it-urged
through the joint resolutions and on the
very night before he retired to that solitude
which is only exceeded by the silence of
the tonb-posted off his emisary to the Cap.
itol of the Young Republic with the official
announcement Of the annexation. Texas
had been reft from Mexico by citizens of
the United States, and now. seven years
after, when Mexico felt BUNDLED aud weak
the government had taken this revolted
province under its protection, IL had be-
came part OF our confederation. Mexico
was naturally incensed.
Suppose armed men from Canada had
emigrated to New England-caused those
States to revolt-and had annexed then to
Canada under the crown of victoria GUELPH
We can well imagine the fire of indigna-
tion that " ould have been kindled all over
this land.
Such precisely had been done in the case
of Texas. Our citizens had emigrated to
Texas with the avowed object of wrestling
| it from Mexico. Their object had been ac-
complished. Mexico demonstrated against
annexation, but Texas was annexed. Fail
ing to prevent it her Minister leave us and
unfriendly relations exist between the two
Republics. Presently we are informed
that Commissioner will be received from
US to negotiate concerning the boundary of
Texas. The Territory lying between the
Nueces and the Rio Grande was claimed
by both Republics.
The people inhabitiug that region were
Mexicans acknowledging allegiance to Next
CO. Our government would not send
Commissioner to treat of boundary We
send a Minister plenipotentiary. Mexico
refused to receive him. The President
throws away the pen of the diplomas and
grasps the sword Of the corquerer.
General Taylor is ordered to pass the
Nueces and advance to the Rio Grande,
thus taking armed possession of the dispu
ted Territory. The inhabitants desert their
homes and flee at the spproach of our ar
my. Did this argue that they were Texans
or Mexicans?
Would people flee from their own eoun-
trymen coming to protect them from sava
gesf Would they not rather have hailed
them coming with delight? But so evident
was the right OF Mexico to this disputed
Territory that Senator Benton and Silas
Wright, both Democrats and both Of the
very highest reputation declared that it
would be an act of direct aggression on part
of the United States TO take armed posses
sion of this Territory. A distinguished
officer in the army OF occupation wrote thus
to his friend:
"Our situation here is an extraordinary
one-right in the enemy's country actually &c
cupyine fheir corn and cotton fields, the people
Of the soil Ieauins their homes. and We with
a small handful Of men, marching, with
color flying and drums beating right un-
der the guns of one Of their principal cities
displaying the star spangled banner as ia
defiance under their very nose, and they
with 40 army twice the size at least, sit
down aud make not the least resistance.
not the least effort to drive the iauaders off
There is no parallel TO il.
Thus was it evident that the Mexicass
occupied this disputed Territory, and that
they naturally considered their rights in.
vaded by the army OF the U. s. marching
through aud encamping and terrifying
themselves upon it.
Had England sent an army to occupy a
Territory in dispute between US and that
government,-s Territory which We bad
occupied peaceably for years, would not
our people have resisted7 Would they have
fled from their homes aud their fieldsi By
no means. Every river would have been
made to flow with blood and every field
would have been piled high with slaught-
cred citizens, before they would have yiel-
ded up these consecrated rights. Was it
to be supposed that the Mexicans possessed
no patriotism. Is tba. virtue indigenous
to the soil Of the United States alonei
Reasoning thus and believing with Ben
ton and Silas Wright, and Henry Clsy and
> hosts oitrue patriotic men OF the times, Mr.
Corwiu, knowing that this invasion o
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