Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-02-25

QlSasterOusly ueiedteu. AitcT tHis,
these fiends of the constitution of 1924,
selected Texas as the basis of the pro-
posed war for its restaration. Thu
brought on the war of 1857 and the
battles, Salad, Alamo aud San Jacinto.
But when that war was ended the
American element was predominant:
and instead of overthrowing Santa
Ana and restoring the Mexican repub-
lie, they were content to make treaty
of peace with Santa Ana, giving him
liberty for their independence, or
rather immunity from war.
In this war the American people of
the slave states furnished the men
and material for the Texans and
this was SO notorious that it became
an unpleasant subject of international
dispute between Mexico and the Uni
ted States. But the slave power then,
as always, in the lead ignored the just
claims of Mexico for any separation.
Meantime Texas was free, or rather,
was undefinabIy isolated politically.
She had q costly government, army
and navy; an enormous debt, and
agents abroad bringing her to univer-
sal attention. She had squarcly placed
slavery in her constitution, and, true
to her parent stock made it the corner
stone of her political fabric. Had her
dominent element not wished to do
this, they would never have come to
her rich lands in the first place; and,
secondly, there would have been no
necessity for separation from Mexico
if they did not wish to build slave
state with the ultimate object of join
ing it to the American union. To eff
feet their object in the face of interna-
tional jealousy and the now fast arOus-
ing alarm of the thinking element of
the free states upon the rapacity and
agressiveness of slavery, required
time. Besides there was still left the
small Mexican element in Texas and
quite respectable number of New
EDglanders and Europeans who, while
they did not openly oppose slavery,
did not have that admiration for it
that the people of the slave states did.
These were largely for remaining as a
free republic and were to be placated
until the popular mind in both Texas
and the United States could be brought
to accept ANIMATION as a necessity
for the welfare of both. BY
1845 the universal emigration
from the slave states had
brought the population from near
$1,000 In 1886 to about 100000. Now
the plan had been fully consummated
and the question of annexation TO the
United States became rife in both
countries. The people of the busy
north had been too intent upon de-
yeloping their industries to be inter-
ested by these questions of state. The
southern leaders, depending upon
slave labor for wealth and leisure, had
been all these years conspirIng to
institution to the southwest. And
while the northern press and statesmen
were largely ignorant ii this question
in its true character. those OF the
south had carefully reasoned the cost
and means of each successive step.
THE intriguers, knowing full well the
greed of Great Britain, ami that her
consuls and commercial agents were
ever on the alert for spreading her
trading facilities, easily started Brit
ish intrigue to prevent Texas from em-
tering the union, bat to accept Il loan
and her protection. Indeed, so far
did this matter go that not few
British slave owners from her West
Indian colonies removed to Texas, eX-
pecting, no doubt, that by settling N
one of her dependencies they could es-
cape the spirit of emancipation which
then was rife in the British colonies.
This aspect of the case no doubt had
quite an effect upon the popular mind
of the north through their hatred of
Great Britain. But any one well ac-
American element in Texas can easily
see that not only was no alliance with
Britain possible, but that in CARRYING
it out she must inevitably have had
to 90 TO war with both Mexico and the
United States, for the adoption of the
Monroe doctrine by the United States
| was sufii cient warning to her in that
quarter, whilst Mexico had repeated Y
asserted that she claimed Texas yet
and would resent any attempt of any
nation to annex it, or exert any claim
to it.
When the question of annexation
had jecome the cardinal principle of
the National Democratic party in is4i,
aud its leader, Mr.. Polk, triumphed
that question was at once consumated.
Texas entered the union, getting the
national government to pay her sew
eral millions in cash, TO take her navy
and navy officers into her service. per-
hitting her to retain her public lands:
to come in with q slave constitution
and proviso that when her people
thought fit to cut the state into five
states they should be admitted into
the union-as slave states of course.
This naturally brought immediate war
with Mexico when our forces occupied
the Rio Grande.
The Mexican government foreseeing
the gathering storm had begun 10
bubble not over Texas, but the Nue.
ces river as her border. The rapa-
cious slave power on the other hand
had gone still beyond Texas TO the
conquest and ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Mex
leo on n larger scale. SO well were
their plans laid that Mexico was not
even given time TO concede even Texas
without a war. nor were such men as
CLAY. Webster, Corwin, Lincoln and
other wings able to prevent this
wholesale robbery of a neighboring
friendly republic. General Taylor