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48
trusted. We are perfectly convinced that the first great step
to security, will be the defeat of Mr. Van Buren's election to
the Presidency, or of any otier demLocratic candidlate for that
office that may be named from the Free States, who is not
unequivocally pledged to resist this Texan policy.
But how can this be done ? A strugglitng scate teri t
for third persons will not do it. And Ar. Clay will be t e candidate,
in all probability, of the opposing party. We are aware
of the fact that M tr. Clay is not publicly pledged on the subject
-that hie is himself a slave-holder, tied to the ftvored class
by cot'mmon interests and svympaties., and that Ie lhas in forner
days favored the acquisition of Texas, when ii was an unoccupied
territory, by lawfUl means. Is it to be supposed
that elevating him will place us in a better situation than if we
sustained the democratic candidate ?
We will frankily admit that there are dificulties all round.
We have not ourselves been arong those lwo hIave tanifested
any desire to supsport IMr. Clay. Probably he Ihimself
would not have thanked us if we had made the offer, and
would now deem his prospect of success better witlhout such
support. But personal considerations weigh not with us a
feather, in estitnating the value of tthe various modes now open
of avoiding the evils by wliclh we are surro.unded. In the great
movements of this world, which no one can thope to control
exactly as he would like, the part of wise men is to extract
from much that appears unflavorable, lwhatever portion is likely,
under the circumstances, to yield the greatest amtount of
good. We Iave seen no evidence to convince us that lwatever
may have been Mtr. Clay's view of a lawful acqluisitionl
of this territory formerly, he now approves of it after tihe
conduct of government hIas so cotmplicated the quiestion.
Nor is it alone the fact that the Legislatures of the two
slaehollding States, Tennessee and Kentucky, fi'endly to
BMr. Clay, lIave refused to favor the a8nnexaoton of Texas at
this time; ; nor tlte fht act his friends, a,nd the newspapers
most warmly enlisted in Itis cause, are many of tltem opposed
to it, Vwhicih idutces tusI to ove'rcome our scrtples, int supporting
himr for the sake of ldefieating 3Mr. ian Bur. a Very fortunately
for us, there is anoth er test yet reaints beihind,
Nlhitch m1Iust settle our opinions (lefititively on oIl side or the
othler, in this imatter. A treaty on our part with Texas,
which joins tl te two countries, witlout colsltig tle peopIle
of the United States, and hardly wilt their knowtledge of the
fact that it has been in the process of negotiation, is at this
moanent before the Senate fior confirnmation or rjectiot.
It is well known that a majority of' that boy is of the party
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Adams, Charles Francis. Texas and the Massachusetts Resolutions, book, January 1, 1844; Boston, Massachusetts. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2355/m1/48/?rotate=270: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.