The Irish standard., 1920-02-14
Thrills Of American
History
CONTINUED from page ~

Texas, and known as "The Pitchfork," !"
which is described as ian humble i'm
I element with wide range of useful
ness In the January number ap-
pears an editorial on ireland" which
Ihould prove interesting to those who
believe in majority rule only in Amer
stca. The article refers to the recent
1 hearing on the Mason bill at Washing
ton and refers to the two gentlemen
who appeared before that committee
4 as /, spokesmen for Great Britain,
against the rights of small peoples" :"
These gentlemen declared, says the
s'Pitchfork," that:
!: !: The question of Irish indepen-
sdence is purely domestic question
4 and the rules Of international diplom-
acy would not sanction interference
by the United States or any other
country. Nowhere in history can 1t
be shown where Great Britain has
interfered in any way with the domes-
tic affairs of the United States.
.a'What does United States history
say. on this point? Texas gained her
independence from Mexico in 1886.
Texas commenced right away to get
into the Union. Uncle Sam repeatedly
refused to accept Texas as a state or
rs territory. This situation existed
for nearly ten years.
"In the early '40's the question Of
slavery began to be agitated in the
United States. The question Of slav.
cry became the burning issue in pol
itics. Every state that came into the
Union was first sounded out on the
proposition. The preponderance of
power was in the northern states and
therefore no slave territory was ad-
mitted into the sisterhood of states
except in rare instances. Clay's Mis-
souri, Compromise was one of the ex-
ceptions. Texas was seeking admit
tance into the Union as a slave state.
On this account Texas ambition was
fruitless. Then why was Texas, all of
sudden, admitted into the Union?
The historian tells us. Great Britain
had her eye on the North American
continent. Great Britain, having been
licked two times by the United States.
thought she would strengthen herself
with Mexico. Mexico, though thor
oughly licked by Texas on San Jacinto
battlefield, still was ambitious to re-
take Texas. The slavery question
which had kept Texas out Of the
United States gave Great Britain her
chance. So Great Britain announced,
through the spokesmanship Of Lord
Aberdeen that Great Britain desires
and is constantly exerting herself to
procure the general abolition Of slav.
cry throughout the world This was
the message of Great Britain to Mex
ico-a promise of assistance to Mexico
IL she would start campaign to re-
take Texas. That message to Mexico
broke the deadlock that had existed
between Texas and the United States.
Uncle Sam saw. in q fash, that II
Great Britain and Mexico Joined hands
to subdue Texas and make It again a
part of Mexico, he would have a
stretch of border to the southwest
that would be hard to protect. Uncle
Sam saw his old enemy, whom he had
licked twice sneaking in through his
back door, via the Gulf Of Mexico and
the Rio Grande river. So Uncle Sam
got real busy and told Texas she
could come in the Union slave or
free A treaty was fixed up in
hurry between the government Of the
United States and the Texas Republic
lin 1844) and was ratified by the Sem
ate Of the United States March LIST,
1S45. Just three days before President
Tyler yielded the presidential chair to
President James K. Polk. The Texas
Legislature formally ratified the
treaty Of admission into the Union
July 4th, 1916.
"Why all this hurry on the part Of
Uncle Sam to admit Texas into the
Union when he had denied Texas
application for admittance for nearly
ten years? Because. If Great Britain
Joined with Mexico against Texas, pre-
tending that her purpose was the
abolition Of slavery throughout the
world Great Britain for the same rea-
son would wage q military campaign
against all the remaining southern
states where slavery existed legally
and the very life Of our Republic
would be menaced for the third time
by Great Britain. OF course, the
United States Government could not
afford to take that chance.
''This meddling in the domestic af-
fairs Of the United States by Great
Britain caused much bitterness in the
anti-slavery states as well as in the
slave-holding states. John G. Calhoun
was secretary Of state at this time,