The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 25, July 1921 - April, 1922 Page: 6

6 The- Southwestern Historical Quarterly
nees so far as the undiscriminating masses were concerned.14 By
many the desirability of annexation was put upon grounds of
broad national interest, though it is difficult to believe that such
considerations outweighed those of a sectional cast. It was as-
serted that the peace, security and interests of the whole nation
required immediate annexation to the United States, whose good
faith was pledged to carry out the treaties of 1803 and 1819. In
Mississippi as elsewhere a potent consideration was "a spontaneous
desire to regain a valuable piece of property that had been surren-
dered imprudently and could now be had at a bargain."15 It is
not surprising that on the whole the legal considerations involved
received comparatively little attention from popular orators and
partisan editors. It seemed to be generally assumed that all
doubt as to any constitutional impediment touching annexation
had been resolved "by the unanswerable argument of our illus-
trious fellow-citizen, Martin Van Buren." Among the reasons
assigned by the legislature for instructing their representatives in
congress "to urge zealously and perseveringly the immediate and
indissoluble annexation by treaty of the republic of Texas to the
United States" was the fact that the two countries were contig-
uous in geographical position, inhabited by kindred people, spoke
a kindred language, produced the same staples, cherished the same
commercial interests, and were animated by the same love of lib-
erty." It may well be believed, however, that such considerations
were subordinate to the political motive, for previous legislatures
had linked the annexation question with the perpetuity of slavery
in the most emphatic manner.17
As might be expected, much stress was placed by writers and
speakers upon the so-called economic arguments for annexation;
appeal was made to the letters of Jackson and of Walker in which
had been set forth the civil, military and commercial importance
of Texas.s Annexation it was asserted would open up new mar-
'This reporter had been one of a number who had listened to speeches
at Ripley by Foote and Davis. Like many another Whig he saw or
professed to see in the Texas movement nothing more than an issue of
narrow proportions: "I guess the General [Foote] has lots of land out
in Texas."
"Smith, Annexation of Texas, 320.
'"Free Trader, Apr. 3, 1844.
1House Journal for 1837, 158.
'Holly Springs Guard, May 1, 1844.