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Annexation Again

Annexation Again image
Parent Issue
Day
2
Month
September
Year
1844
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

We know not but some of our reader may become weary with the numerous ar ticles which we have been compelled io ptiblish on tln's subject. But both the other pnrties have made it a prominen topic of discussion: nncl it is rëally an im portant question. Our readers will tliere fore bcar with us while we again rever to the doublé faced position of the Whig on this subject, and endeavor to show, bv undeniable documents, that when Whig urgeJaiberty men or Abolitionists to sup port the Whig party because it is com mitted against future Annexation, they affirm that which is utteri.y untrue. - The unceasing repetition of this untruth on the part of the Whigs, with a view to draw aw.ay as many Liberty voters as possible, renders it necessary for us, in sheor self-defence, fully to refute the false assumption. Most of our readers are awarethat the Whigs have a great central Tract Office, in New York, from which every part of the Union is supplied. They have employed one Rev. Calvin Colton to write Tracts for them, from month to month, each tract treating on one topic. The following recommendation of the Tnicts accompanies them: "City o? Washington, } March 4, 1844. 5 "We, the undersigned, impresssed with a deep conviction of the importance and effectiveness of Tracts, as a means of inbrming the people in mattersing to our national interests, and of the S'JITABLE QUALIFICATI0N3 OF JÜNIUS, author of "the Crisis of the Country" and of other papers emanating Vom his pen in 1840, the wide circulaion and great usefulness of which, at hat time, are well known to the public, ïereby express the hope, that he may be able ín renevv his labors of the same kind br the coming contest of 1844: and we EARNESTLY RECOMMEND to our Vhig friends, and to Whig Associations hroughout the Union, TO SECOND ÍIS EFFORTS, if undertaken. SENATORS. Y. P. Mangum, Pesident.. J, ClUTTENDEN, SAMUEL S. PhELPS, . T. MoitEHEAD, J. W. MlLLER, 'i. P. Tallmadge, C. M. Conrad, Vm. S. Archer, J. T. Simmons, J. Leeds Kerr. REPRESENT ATIVES. ohn. White, Speaker. 'hos. Butler King, Millerd Fillmóre ohn Maynard, W II Washington íogkr L. Gamble, B. S. Cowa:n, ohn Moore, R; W. Thompson, j. W. Andrews, T. W. Tomlinson, Gareet_Da is, Geo. B. Rqdney, í. S. Laxe, Jno. Edwardb, 4ug. Yöung, Jos. Trumbull, . R. Ingersoll, J. H. Cravens, . T. Stuart. A. H. H. Stuart, A. R ANDALL, G. W. SUMMERS, C. H. Williams, Alfred Babcock, A. L. Foster, R. L. Carüthers, Wilton Brown, J. M. Russéll, ["hos. IIenry, J. R. Underwood, . A. Pearce, Edward Stanley, J. C. Clark." Surely, the.writings of a man who comes recommendcd to us by such high authority must possess some weight. - lis testimony as to the position of Mr. Clay on this subject, in June, 1844, is staed in his "Junius Tract No. 9," as folows: l!Mr. Clay's position on the Annexation Question, leaves it trecisely WHERE IT WAS. He OPENS AND SHUTS NO DOOR on this question, nor does lie put his littlê finger to one. He frankly ventures on some suggestions, which, perchance, may prove prophetic. But Mr. Clay, so far as we can see, is not committed or pledged to ANY course of poücy on this question, other than - 1. To maintain the faith of Treaties. - 2. Not to viólate our rule of non-intervcntion, where our position is neutral. - 3. To do what we can, fairly and honrably to secure the independence of Texas. 4. To see that our own republic receives no damage by European interference in the afliiirs of Texas. 5. To oppose, if necessary, by force of arms, all such machinations. 6. ÖCTo leavethe questiox op Anxexation OPEN AND UNEMBARRASSED FOR THE FUTURE DECISIÓN OF THE PARTIES concerned, after they shall have had a fair andsuíFicient opportunity to consider ]téJ) ■ And 7' t( nelP tlle country thro' the critical posture, into which ambitious men, reckless of consequences have brought it." Having thus ojjïcialhj, as a Tract writer. committed Mr. Clay lo leave the question open and unembarrassed, "for future decisión," in the same' Tract he sifts into the mind of the reader a pretty strong intimation of what that future decisión will be, but artfully throwsit out as only his individual opinión. He says of the Union: "We do not saythat it cannot, or ought not to be, at a troper time, enlarged by the Annexation of Texas. Personally, we have been, and still are, disposëd to think faorably of such an acquisition, if it can be made harmoniously and without prejudice to the social, commermercial, or political interests of the Union." Thus on the very last page of the Tract, the impression is conveyed to the readers mind, that "we,,' (the Whig party,) do not say that Texas should not be annexed in future, and that "WEersondlly," (meaning the writer recommended by forty five Congressmen,) are in favor of it!We know not how many of each o these Junius Tracts are printed and circu lated: but perhaps from fifly to one hundred thousand - perhaps doublé that num bcr. Yet scarcely a copy of this Tract on Annexation can be had in sorae of the Free States. One Liberty man enquirec through Detroit for 200 copies wbich he wished to purchase for circulation among Liberty men, and could not find a copy. VVhere are they? Our eastern exchanges say they have been sent tothe South!! Now we ask Whigs, as honest men, how they can have the impudence to stand up in public meetings, and mingle in private circles, and affirm that Menry Clay is fully pledged against Annexation, and accuse Liberty men ol helping to secure Annexation because they will not vote for Clay, while their gigantic presses in New York are teeming with tens of thousands of Whig Tracts which most emphatically give the lie to their assertions? The second letter of Mr. Clay on this subject fully confirma the opinión of "Junius," that at a proper time Texas may be adnïitted by the Whigs. Mr. Clay says: PERSONALLY I gould have NO OBJECTION to the Annexation of Texas: but I cerfainly would be unwilling to see the existing Union dissolved. or seriously jeoparded for the sake of acquiring Texas." That is, when there shall be no serious danger of á dissolution of the Union, Í will consent to it. This, certainly is plain enough. We know not what more need be said o make the position of the Whig party as plain as the noon day sun. They commenced their hurra on this subject ust three montlis too soon. Their loud iretensions have causéd them to be thoroughly sifted, and now, some ten weeks before election, a reaction is taking place, by which they will lose more than they iave gained. We think that our readers now understand the w hole subject pretty hövoughly; and we shaíl not at present, offer any further considerations on the matter, except to ask their altention to he following evidences, additional to the great number before published, to the fact that alarge portion of the Whig pary are looking for Annexation through he success of Mr. Clay. A Madison, Geo., correspondent of the New YorkHerald, under date of the first nst., gives a most enthusiastic description f i rri r . .1.1of a Whig Mass meeting in that place on tie 30thult, which was addressed by Mr. 5reston and Waddy Thompson, of South Carolina. This Geórgian saith: "The Democrats are tetociously exkinctified in this región, having no capial to work upon but Texas, Texas, Tex is, the immediate annexation of Texas! VE WHIGS HERE SAY TEXAS TOO, but want to do the thing which is ight about it; and ït will not be four 'ears.before the Democrats in our State vill thank us jforjust holding them back on this favorite hobby, and permitting hem to walk into that land of promise, n a right way, instead of running out of Georgia between two lights, as many of hem have done. "We are all hearl and soul for Henry 21ay - the Harrison spirit of 1840 is up fifty per cent. The Macon Convention f that period is said to be nothing to the one I have just narrated to you." The New York Republic, a 'Native imerican) paper, and a zealous advocate of Texas annexation, has hoisted the Clay flag. Can any one teil us why many of he zealous friends of annexation are qually zealous for the elevation of lhe laveholder of Ashland? At the Mass Whig Convention at Springfield. Mass. on be 9th, abanner was borne in procession vith this motto: "Not wholly opposed to nnexation, if it can be accomplished vith credit and honor." A Whig writes in the Chnrleston Courier ml he sees no reason for holding meetings in Charleston in favor of immediate annexation, for Mr. Clay and Mr. Van Buren are only ppoacd to the measure vader present circnmtances, and they not only-admit the propriely fbringing Texas into the confederacy when he objections are removed, but the great prob bility is, that in a short time those ohjecltons vill ditappear.' Lesslie.Combs, anjinfluential Whig leader of Kentucky, k on the Clay electoral ticket, was trongly in favor of imm'èdiate annexation, but fterthe letter of nis leader, was entirely satsfied with leaving the 6tion toque be seílled by him. The JYew York Courier and Enqutrer, the leading Clay paper of New York, says: 'If the peoplè of Texas ctioose to be a British Colony now rather than WA1T TWO YEARS FOR ADMISSION to the United States, they are not worthy to fortn a portion of a free wealth-' The Courier advocutes annexaüon when it can be accomplished in the proper mantier fctc. A letter from New Orlcans published in a 'ate number of the National Intelligoncer ■ays: 'The feeling ib gaining ground that eiiough bas been suid and done upon the Texas annexation subject tiil Clay is elected.' They expect then that the subject will (be brought before the Jlmerican peoplc upon its merils and will soon be disposed of as it should be. The JYew York Commercial, April lst, says Mr. Ciay's letter on the subject of annexation, appoars to give universal saiísfaction. Many of the friends of annexation say Ihat Mr. Clay g oes f ar enough for Ihem." The Mobile Advertiser, the leading paper ín Alabama, engages to prove that Mr. Clayand the Whig pariy generally at the fcSoutti, are in favor of annèxatio. The Great Whig Convenüon nt Mnrfreesboro' Tenneesee, resolved unanimously that they were in favor of the annêxution of Texas, and that they had confidence in Mr. Clay's management of their question, agreenbly to their viowe and interest; The Clay Club at the 6eat of Government, Ala. paseed resolutiona unaniroouely in favor of annexation. S. S. Prentis,s the qreat Whig orator of Miasissippi, in a recent letter written to repel the charge that he had abandoned the Whigs, repels with great indignation the idua 'that those who support Mr. Clay are unfavorable lo smithern institutiuna. aud opposed tosouthern intertsls" pronouncing 'it as insul tingas iísFALSE!' The Na8hviile Whig says of the annexation question inTennesaee: 'The sober secoud thought' cf the people has caused tliousands to contemphite it in a different aspect from that which it was first presented. Immediate annexation is not considered so important a matter thal it shotild absorb every Ihing else. A majority oftlie people are in fovor of tt at a proper Ume, but they me willing to abide that tinje."

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News