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Commerce Of the Valley of the Mississlp.


ri at his mercy; and, occupying The heads


of the Red and Arkansas nvers, BY a


combined moyemsnt from above and be


low, our river coast could be rayaged, our
cities sacked, servile war instigated, and


the richest portion Of the great Valley OF


the West laid waste.


The vast increase which the acquisition
OF this country would make to our nation-


al exports, and The immense market which


il would open TO the Eastern, Northern,
and Western States, are considerations ol


the highest Importance. When her ex-
tensve and fertile plains shall he filled
and her resources fully developed by the
anglo.American race, the influence this
country may exert not only on the desti'


nies Of our own Republic, but over the
commerce of the world, is beyond all cal
culailon. We learn, from official sources,
that in 1910 our exports 10 Texas amoun-
ted TO $l,2lS,27l. In the same year
commercial treaties were formed with
England, and perhaps other nations, under
the influence of which our own trade has
been gradually declining, until in le43,
our exports then amounted 10 but $780,
GOA. From unquestionable data, an eml.
nent Southern statesman estimates, that mad
Texas been state of our Union, the value
of her trade to the other States would,
in ls43, have been $7,O00,J00. With
our constitution and laws extended over
her, and under the protection of our flag,
within an inconceivably short space of
time, the vast and fertile plains of Texas
would be inhabited by hardy intelligent,
liberty.loying peoples; towns and villages
would arise as if by magic; "the wilder
ness would bloom as the rose'--her rlV-
ers would be crowded with steamboats,,
laden with the rich products Of industry,
and the busy hum of commerce would re.
sound in her cities. When these things
shall be, and come, trust, they will,
where is the American whose bosom
would not swell with patriotic pride as he
exclaims, "this, too, is my country" And
who would not rejoice, that on The lonely
prairies of Texas, where herds Of widbut-
aloe now roam in native freedom, this, the
birth day of American liberty, should be
celebrated by our own countrymen; and
that the names of our Washington and
Warren, and Franklin, and the other wor-
thes of '76, should be familiar as house
hold words, with her people. I


The necessity for speedy annexation
will now be considered.


Self. preservation is truly said TO be the
frst law Of nature-acted on by man in
his individual capacity, and recognized in
those collection Of rules called the law Of
nations. An approved writer on this sub
ject declares, that nation has the right,
and Is bound TO take due care to protect
itself, and to defend all its members; and
the consequent right to prevent another
nation from obstructlng lis preservation,
and even to anticipate, by all honest
book l, chap. ,, p. l6, IL, $40 book
2, chap. a If, in the prcsent posture of
of affairs, the great Industrial interests Of
the Union are in imminent danger; if
The safety of the South, and the integrity
OF the Union itself are in jeopardy, and
the adoption Of this measure will "antici-
pate the pendency Of the danger" the
government is under the highest, the most
solemn obligations, to adopt it, and thus
"to protect itself, and TO defend all its
members"


The facts which would justify and even
demand this precautionary measure, are
to be found in British policy and British
interference. All accounts concur in this
tha, in her present weakened and exhaust.
ed condition, Texas cannot, without for
eign aid, sustain separate sovereignty.
And the evidence is strong, if not irreslst-
IDLE, that England, taking advantage oi
this weakness, and by appeals to her in
terest, is endeavoring to establish policy
there, and to enter into alliances and to
form commercial regulations with her
which will prove disastrous 10 all branch
es of American industry, and especially
10 the interests of the South. England
ever seeking her own aggrandlzement
(and not always by strict regard to NOR
al rules,) has been a most attentive OBJ
server of Texan affairs, and has not failed
to improve events TO her own advantage
Her jealousy was reused in 1880, on hear
ing of the negotiation of Genp Jackson
with Mexico for Texas. And one OF heI
ministers, in his place in Parliament, de-
clared, that the United States must DC
prevented from usurping the natural IN
fiuence of England-that the ascendducy
of England in the new world must be pre-
seryed-and, if necessary for this purpose
she ought to invoke The co operation o.
her allies, to interfere in the affairs ol
America. [See Appendix. note al


exact accordance with the pelicy
.Sfe announced, England has entered
,n,o n treaty of amiiy and commerce


,,hinh frnnrdi :