Thoughts on the proposed annexation of Texas to the United States Page: 19 of 55
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ANNEXATION OF TEXAS.
19
situation to do it. It is the case of a guardian, investing the money
of his ward in purchasing an important adjacent territory;
and saying to him when of age, I did this for your good; I pretend
to no right to bind you; you may disavow me, and I must
get out of the scrape as I can. I thought it my duty to risk
myself for you. But we shall not be disavowed by the nation,
and their act of indemnity will confirm and not weaken
the constitution, by more strongly marking out its lines." vol. iii.
p. 512.
Again, in his letter to Mr. Lincoln, of the 30 August, 1803, he
says:
" On further consideration, as to the amendment to our Constitution
respecting Louisiana, I have thought it better, instead
of enumerating the powers which Congress may exercise, to
give them the same powers they have as to other portions of the
Union generally, and to enumerate the special exceptions in
some such form as the following:
" Louisiana, as ceded by France to the United States, is made
a part of the United States, its white inhabitants shall be citizens,
and stand, as to their rights and obligations, on the same footing
with other citizens of the United States, in analagous situations;
save only that, as. to the portion thereof, lying north of an east
and west line drawn through the mouth of the Arkansas river,
no new State shall be established, nor any grants of land made,
other than to Indians, in exchange for equivalent portions of land
occupied by them, until an amendment of the Constitution shall
be made for these purposes.
"Florida, also, whenever it may be rightfully obtained, shall
become a part of the United States, its white inhabitants shall
thereupon be citizens, and shall stand, as to their right and obligations,
on the same footing with other citizens of the United
States in analagous situations.
I quote this for your consideration, observing that the less
that is said about any constitutional difficulty, the better; and
that it will be desirable for Congress to do what is necessary,
in silence." vol. iv. p. 1.)
Mr. Forsyth, in his letter (already quoted) to the Texan envoy,
declining his application, used this language:
" The question of the annexation of a foreign and independent
State to the United States has never before been presented to
this govenment. Since the adoption of their Constitution, two
large additions have been made to the domain originally claimed
by the United States. In acquiring them, this government was
not actuated by a mere thirst for sway over a broader space.
Paramount interests of many members of the confederacy, and
the permanent well being of all, imperatively urged upon this
government the necessity of an extension of its jurisdiction over
Louisiana and Florida. As peace, however, was our cherished
policy, never to be departed from unless honor should be peril1ad_
adhierino to it. we patientl endured for a time serious
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Sedgwick, Theodore. Thoughts on the proposed annexation of Texas to the United States, book, January 1, 1844; New-York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2387/m1/19/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.