The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 18, July 1914 - April, 1915 Page: 90

The Southweser Historical Quarterly

of the case in December 1842, when there was reason to appre-
hend that the Mexicans did meditate an incursion into, Texas: But
at that time the Government of the United States was negotiating
it's claim convention with Mexico, and in the prepare of that
business Texian interests and dangers appear to have been over-
looked.
At all events there can hardly be thought to, be any practical need
to declare that Mexico must not be suffered to make war upon
Texas, at the particular moment that She is engaged in the at-
tempt to make a peace with Texas, and I must confess that the in-
terference of the United States is not intelligible to me, upon any
ground that has been explained. The President's allusion to the
particular views, of other Powers, or I believe the phrase is, the
peculiar views, is not compatible with due respect for the inde-
pendence of Texas.
It has been forgotten or disregarded that it is for the Government
and people of Texas to consider, and accept or reject any counsels
founded upon the peculiar view that Slavery is a wicked and a
dangerous Institution, and I am inclined to think that nothing
would be better calculated to help the suggestions of other Powers,
that [than] these arbitrary declarations of the United States. The
President of the United States would never have spoken so im-
periously of the perfect right of any State in this Confederacy to
deal with it's own affairs, as he has upon this occasion concerning
Texas.
I do not believe that this tone will be agreeable to General
Houston, and I look for some early and calm notice from that
quarter, that Texas has a Government and people. The Message
of the President of Texas will reach Your Lordship with these
despatches, and I believe it will afford Her Majesty's Government
much satisfaction. I hardly know whether I can give better proof
of the favorable effect it has produced in this Country amongst
well judging persons than to mention that Mr Clay spoke of it in
terms of approbation, and indeed generally of General Houston's
policy; a circumstance the more honorable to General Houston,
as he was always a strong political opponent of Mr Clay's in this
Country. Mr Clay indeed did not seem to me to be friendly to the
Annexation of Texas to the United States either now, or pros-
pectively. He said more than once that the United States were