The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 213

British Correspondence Concerning Texas

satisfaction of my conscience, my conviction that the policy which
reconciled the Union to the acquisition of Texas was the exten-
sion of the home-market-or what may be termed the home-mar-
ket-and an Anti-European Tariff. We might have prevented
Annexation-such at least is my opinion-without a war-not
having done so, we must prepare for its consequences.-Aggres-
sion against British North America it seems not too much to an-
ticipate as among probable Contingencies, should the general state
of affairs be favourable, and an American Army amounting to
fifty or sixty thousand men return home flushed with the subjuga-
tion of Mexico.
At the period of the Annexation of Texas, it occurred to me
that European Powers might some day take advantage of the
precedent. From what I now see, it seems to me perfectly clear
that the four great Continental States will act more closely than
heretofore upon a similar System.-Even at present, how few of
the Minor States have more than a quasi independent existence !-.
Policy propels, and necessity may propel, some of these States
towards the Shores of the Mediterranean, and there English in-
terests demand vigilance as keen and action yet more direct and
peremptory than even in North America. I venture to advert to
these points with a full recollection of Your Lordship's States-
manship in 1841-which had then-and has, (more intelligently)
now, the cordial admiration of one whose judgment may be of
little weight but is, at all events, unbiassed and independent. In
opposition to prevailing opinion at the time, my regret was that
more had not been done in the same direction. Why should not
we attach the Arabs to our Standard-looking to the inevitable
war-and by Colonizing thinly settled islands relieve our people
and, ultimately, perhaps, enlarge the basis of the domestic empire?
But I crave pardon for placing these disjointed thoughts before
Your Lordship-the emanation of Moments which sickness ren-
dered solitary.
William Kennedy.
Viscount Palmerston. G, C. B.

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