Out At Last!: Clay, Annexation, And Slavery!!

Thi& week we are enabled to present to our readers the following letter from Mr. Claj', to John M. Jackson and Thomas M. Peters, of Alabancia, in which his true position on Annexation is fairly and fblíy avowed. It will be seen that he is TOR IT WITHOUT A NT 11EFERENCE TO THE OL'ESTION OF SLAVERYrAshland, 27th Julyr 1844. Gentlemen: - I have reeeived your favor Infornvng me fhat my views, as disclosed in niy letter from Ri'eigb, on the question of the Annexation of Texas, are misconceived, if not naisrepresented in your quarter; and that it ia supposed tfiat I have changcd my opinión from what it was n 1819. I endeavored to express myself in tiiart letter as explicitly a I could and I do not thtnfc now tliat it can be fairly rnisinterpreted. lu 1R19, when I addressed the House of Represen tativeSf the Execulive had ne;ociaied the troaly wilh Spnin, by whicii Trx-as waa ceded to that posver, but Congress hnd not tlien givcn any eanction totfie cession - I believe now, as 1 thouylit then, that the Treoty-making power is not competent, without the concjrrence ƒ Congress. to ceilp away any Terriiory be'onging to the United Siates. Bat Congrese, Hy repented acts, ren dered it as valid and obigotory upon the Unted States, as if Congres had given its usssnr, prior to the conclusión of thetrenty. At that period of 1819, Texas as claimed by us,. was unpeopled. No liostüe ineursion hnd bern madte into it by citizens of the Uniten States-. Tn1825 and 1827, there '.vore bu; few inhabiinnts ef Texas, consisting of eonie colonktS)i ted there tiuder the auihority o f Mexico. At heit her 'of the three periode nbnvc mentipned find any' State oriecfioh, in this Union, mniiifes'ed auy opposi ion to Toxas comj'OMug u fipnrtofit. It lias been sa i cl thot Mr. Adims' administration oflered lo negocíate vvitli Mexico for 7x?, notwithstandng the existnnc.c tif n.ir hetwen 5?pñffi and Mexico, and limt it conld iiot therefore have believed tlmt (ho acquisition of Texas, ut thnt time, would ove itjvo.vei llio United StMes in war wilh_Spa;ri. Henee it ii urirucd that the ratifïcntion of ilie 'aio ironiy couIJ not have com pronimitte(iOur pfiace. ftlr. Ad'imá fhonglit it dnsirable fo obtain Texas Tivo Uimsn powers cU'mcd 'it. - Mexico was m ion, nml Spain tWS donr notiiinjr to sssert htid lier clnim - Hor reireaentacive-? hu! ov.?n {rone eo far ns o stinlafe, in a convemion, lo ocknowledge' he ri)deprndenc6 of Aïe.vico, nlihough that onvenlion uns not ratiöed by Sonin.Air. Adonis had a riglit to aniliorize the negociátion of a I rea f y for tlie acqnisition ol Texas wilh bith or rither rf (lie poweis it. Ii wns naimfil tiat he should begln wiíjb th.it power Inch lind (he posseseion of Texas. í?pain hfid Dícrposed no obsiacle. SJie had mado no dcci-tratipn that site vvuulrj regird the acquisitron of Texas asno act of war. lt point of fact no overiure was formalív made (o México lo'purchaee Texos no negoti.itíon wu9 opened,no trenty wns cotíclnded. If a non-ociaf.ion hnd commonced or if n treaty lind boen sipned and Spoin had protested. the prudent and cnutioiia plicy wdicli cliaraoterized Mr. Adama' ndmini.siration, wouJd undoubtedly liave prompted Ijírj lo quief Spain, and accornmodafe the m'ttfcr, previous lo llie nnoxalion oí Texas to the Uniled S ates, and, without pluntrinar them in war with Spain. - llow totalíy ifTerent are !f tho circiimstancep under whicli, vvtl Mr. Adnms' antliority, I authoTÍzed tlie ovorture fo icxico from thnse uiii(;h ntfcuripd the rerent írpflty of Mr. Tyler! So far from México being sücrit filie repettedly and solcmnly declured that she would conskler annexation as war with her. Texns wns no tonjrnran unfiíhabited connírv. It liad bnen resled from the dominion of Me.xico bx cílizens many of whom went nrmcd from tlie United States. The wrf betwen Mexico and Texas had not been termintited by anytrraty of peace. Mr. Tyler nnt only did not consult Mexico, but he nimouiiced ihat lier asscnt to the annr?xa!ion was altogrthcr unnecessary. And ho proceedéd to conclude a treaty, embrBcinjgr a Infgè extent of torritery anda numeróos popula; ion, nnt comprehended in the Texos which the United States ceded to Spain in 1G19. s"In the mean time, too, a poweiTul oppogition had arisen in ilie Unitt.'d Stales againet tl-e annexation of Texas to tberifc Severa] Slates had declared, tliro t!ie:r Ippisiatures.n'g-ainiitjl and o?hers if not whole sections of the ünion. were bolieved to be adverse to it. Tliis vas the opposition fo the ineasure, to whichin my Releigh letter, I aliuded, vhen Í spoke of a ''considerable and respecfable portion of the eotifederacy.'' I did not refer to persons bui to Siates or seciions. .Under eucli circuointances, I coüM not bui regard the annex.ition of Tex.is, at this time, ae comprorjii'-ling the iioiror of my country, involving it in á war, in which theiympaihifp of ail cliristendom wou'd be arainst us, and endangering the integrity of the Union! I thought then, and stül beiieve, that national dishonor, foreiga war, end distraciion; and división at ho.113, were too ?reat sseriñees to make tbr the acqnisiuon of Texas, B'it; genlleinou, yon are desirous of know mg by whal policy I woulfl begtiuiod, in the event ofmy election as Ciiief Magisrate of the United States, in reference to the qtiestión of the annexntion of Tcxts. I do notthink it right to unnounce in advance wh'ot will be the courie of a futire ndministraíicn in re.ppct to a queshon with a ípreign power. I ha vb, HOWKVKR, XO UF.nTATlOy I. SAYr5_G THAT. FAK FR0S1 HAVí.VG ANY rE.ISONAI TO TIU'. AN.NEXATIOJÏ OF TKXAS, I 81J0ULD HE GLAD TO SEE IT, without di.honor,without wnr, witli tlie comrnon consent of the Unon, and npon j'is't and fair t?: ni5. IDO JVOT THLYK THJT THE SUBJECT OF-SLAVERY OUGHT TO AFFECT THE QJJESTIQM 'O.VE WAYOR THE OTHER. WHET1IER TEXAS BE INDEPENDENT OR IN COR PORATËD IN tbk UNITED STATES, ] DO NOT BELIKVB IT WÏLL PROLONG OR SHORTEN TM I-J DtTRATION OF THAT INSTITUTION. It ia deUined u, hecome extinef, at some dis'int dny, in my opinión, by tle opcration of i]o inevi ubv lavva of popnlntion. ITWOTJl.I) CE UJYtriSETO REFtrSE A PERMAN ENT. ACQUISITION, whwAi wlll oxist ns long 08 the globe remains, ON ACCOUNT O-P ATElMPORARY INSTÍTUTION. In the con'.inqjency of rny election, tn which yon have ndverted; if thfi nffiir of i-cquirinir Texas slionld beconie a subject öf considera - tion, I sIiouTd be governed by the state of focf, and tbesta'e ofpubiic opmioir, cxïstiijg at the time I might be C8!e;j upn lo act. Above all, ï s.botild be governed by the paramotint dnty of preserving tliis Union entire. nnd in hnrmony, regarding it as I do, the grent . guarnnty of every poiitioal and public blespirvg, nnder Froviiieuco, which, as a Tree people, we nre permitted to enjoy. J ani, gentlemen, respect ful ]yt Your obedient servant, H. CLA7. We have only space for a few brief rernarks. . 1. Observe Mr. Clay's present position. 'frI should be glad of it, without dishonor, without warr wüh the comrnon consent of the Unionr and upon just and fair lerms." This, we think, will meet the minds of all Annexationists. Very few of them, certainly, woulcTsay, lI should be glad of it wüh war, wük dis"honor, and upon unjitst and unfaïr terms." In his first letter, Mr. Clay was opposed to present Annexation; m his second, he hid "personnlly no objection to it;" in his third ';he would be glad to ace it," if rightly accomplishedj andshould he ,vrite a fuurth, -he could íake no other ground than ihat oi' Mr. Tyler, that he would go for it reckless oí' nil consequences. So drive a stake down here - that Mr. Clay would be glad to see Anne.xa.tion perfected, if rightly done. 2. We would cali altcntion (o what Mr. Clay says on Slavery. Hear him: "i do xotthink that thk suüjegt of Slavery oi;;ht to afkect the quksTION ONE WAY OR THE OTIIEIl. VV'hethcr Texas be independent, or incorpora led in tbc United States, I do not believe it v]. prolong or sliorten tbe.duration of tbnt insíitiüioii. It is destined to become extincf, at gome future dav, in my opinión, by íhe operation of. i ho inevitable laws of pppulatiöp, It would be UN YV JS.E lo refu.se a ■pvrmane.nt acqiüsition. which wil] exist a6 long as the globe remains, on account of a temperar y institution."What now bccomes of Mr. Clay's antisinvcry character, which has been held up n s'jch delightful colors by Slade, Gkldings, Seward, and C. -M. Clay?- Will Mr. Clay act for Abolkion in any way? No; because uü is deslined to become exlinct." When? "At some nistant day!" Hou?. By constiiutional leg-islotion? No, but CC? "v the inevitahiE laws op population."c:J} Look af this, ye Demagogues, and cense your idle tales abotit Mr. Clay's Abolitionism. Mr. Clay think'sslavery will beconie e.vtinct - not through the antislavery nctionofthe whole people, but through lsthe inevitable laws oí populaíion" - that is, in the course of two, three, ó.r fourhundred yearsü Drive down another stak e here. 3. Mv. Clay would admit Txas WITH (Slavory! There is no escaping this conclusión. Here are hisown words: (tJt icowld be UNWISE lo refme a permanent acqui$ition, which will exist ás long as the globe remains, on account of a tcmporary institulion." Mr. Clay eertainly wotild not act "unwisely!" Con-sequently, he ís FOR 'Annexatiox wrT}i Slaverv! The conclusión is inevitable. And now what becomesof all the declamation which has been addressed to abolitionists about voting for Glay to keep Texas out - to withstand the oggrandizement of slavery - to put down souihern slaveholders who would tram pi e on the rights ofNorthern Freemen - to haston. the liberation of the poor slave - "to stand by the cause of Human Freedom" - the Whigs are the "true Liberty party," &c. &c. Every man, every pblitician. and every }aper, which has nddressed these consíderations to Liberty men, must and will do. one of two things: (L?they wil] forsake Mr. Clay, and act co'ñsistemly with tlieir exhorlations to Liberty rnen, or they will go for Clay, Asnexation and Slavert! The three things are now as inseparable as Polk, Annexation, and Slavery! 4. If Mr. Clay would ube glad" of Annexation, it is a fair presumption that he would not only permít ío be done, but would labor for it with aU his might.- Wí should expect íhis from Jiis character. To vote for Clay, is to vote for an able advocate of Annexation, and for íhe extensión of Slavery! 5.: Mr. Clay lias named the "common consent of the Union" as one of the conditions of Annexation. . What does this phraseamount to practically, but a bare majority of both Houses of Congress, and such-a "consent" on the part of the States ns will preclude thern from bolting from the confederacy on account of Annexation. This kind of -'consent" can be as readily obtiined as was ihat which was given to the admíssion of Missouri as a Slave Sfáre. Mr. Clay was íhe presiding genins which secured that consent: now he aspires, not to add one more Slave State, to the Union, but a Slave Territory large enough for a dozen Slave States. Will you help him in this infernal project by your vote? 6. Liberty men have Leen cautioned loud and long against voting for Birney lest they should help Polk, Annexation, and Glavery. What is now the re-al diíference on this questioh between the two Slavery Polk is for slavery in the United States at present, and against disturbing it in ftvture: sois Clay. Polk is for Annexation: so is Clav Polk is for Annexation with Slavery: so is Clay. Polk is for immediatc Annexation: Clay is for it as soon as it can be had upon such terms as he may think to be peacreable, honorable, just and fair. Here is the only difference between the parties. The question is not "Shall Texas annexed?" But "when and how shall it be annexedi" What have Liberty men to do with this issue? Let the proslavery parties settle it between themselves: bul let us redouble our eAertions against the abomimible project. Next week we shall present some further considerations. In the time, we would say one word tO' Liberty men. We have been snecred at, misrepresènted, and in many cases abused and insulted, by Whig poiiticians and papers, for months togetherr becnuse we would not vote for Clay, and thereby keep out Texas, and put down the Slave power. Every kind of artífice has been used to persuade Liberty men to vote for Clay because he was pledged against Annewation, and the consequent extensión of Slavery. What Whig papor ha not urged this5 times without number? What Whig or , ator lias not kindled as lie spoko of tli ' eonspiracy of Polk, Calhoun, and Me Duffie íbr perpetuating and e.xtending thc horrid institution, and the prompt anc man'y rébuke with which it had been mei by íhe noble Henby Clay? And now wtiat do we íind? The .same HarryCInv would be glad fo see Annexalion tolíé place, and deerns it "unirise to rcfiisc-'' 011 account of slavery - a mere "temporary nstitution!f' Liberty Men! Now is the time to act! Stand forth íbr your principias, and ■show that you are meu! Make your inHuence feit. You have been abused unresistingl-y Jong enough. It is time to act on the oíFensive. Begin immediatelv.' - Gó to that Whig oí" vours, who has so oñen léctured you on this subject, and tell him ms (iuty. Read ío hini this letter of Mr. Clay, and ask him ifhe approves its posilions. Ifhe says no, he is bound as an Iionest man to repudíate Mr. Clay, and not volé at all, or volé íbr a man who wjll carry out those same anlislavery nnd anti-annexation doctrines ichich he has becn prcaching to yoi;! - Ifhe says yes, he is a hijpocrüc Convict him of bis hypocrisy by showing him from this letter, 1. That play cvould he glad" of Annexation. 2. That he would be glad of it wíth the "temporary institution" of Human Slavkky! He cannot deny it; and unless he renounces Clay, he is recreant fo his own principies, and conviets himself of gross hypocrisy.Friknds op Liberty! The issue is fairly befo re you. Both the candidates are lor Slavery nnd Texas: uow rally for the only true representative of Arnerican Freedom. Tou have been hammer ed upon, like the anvil, for a long time; now that the liammer is placed in your hands, spare not, but strike iieavy!