Selections: Polk On Annexation

The following extract from Mr. Polk's inaugural Addres, exhibite lm views on the tubjPCt of Annexatiou. The rc.public of Texas has made known her desire to come nto onr Uuion, to !onn a part of our confederncy, and enjoy with lis the blessir.gs of liberty secured and guaran tced by our constitution. Texas was once a part of our country - was unwisely ceded nway to a foreign power - e now independent, and posse.sses au unduubted rïght lo dis pose of a part or the whole of her erritory,an;! to merge lier Eovereignty, as n separate and independent State, in ours. I congra'ulafe my country that, by ;ni act of llie Inte Congress of the United State?, the assent of this government has been givcn to the reunión: and it only remnine fur the two countries to Bgree npon the terms, to con3ummato an object bo important to both. I regard the question of annexation as belorging exclusively to the üniled Sta es and Tejas. Tbey are independent powers, competent fo con Jract: and foreign nations have no right to interferí wjth them, or to take exceptions to their reunión. Foreign po wers do not Feera Lo sppreciate the true characler of our government. Oor Union is a confederaron of independent States, whose policy is peace with each other and all the world - To enlarge its limits, is to extend the doiaiiiioa pf peace over additional territories and increnping millions. The world has nothing to fear from military ombition in our government. Whüe the chief magistrate and the popular branchps of Congresa ore elecced for short terms by the suffroges of ihose millions who must, in thetr own pertons, bear all the burdens and miseries of war, our government can not be o'.herwise than pacific. Foreign pow ers should, Iherefore, look on the annexationof Texas to Ihe United States, not as the conque6t of a nation set kwg to extend her dominions by arms and violence, but as the peaceful acqnisition of a terntory once her own, by adding anoíher member to our confedera tioo, with the consent of that tnenber - thereby diminishing the chances of war, and opening tolhem newanJ increasing markete for their producía.To Texoe the reunión is imporiant, becnuse the Blroïig protecting arm of our government would be extended over her, and the vast re eourceti of her feitile soil and genial climato would be epeedily developed; while the safety of New Orleana and of our southwestern frontier against hostile nggression, as well as the interesfs of the whole Uniun, would be promoted by it.Iu the eariier etnges of our national existence, the opinión prevaiJed with some, that our ystem of confederated States coW-ot opérate successftiHy over an extended territory, and serious objections have, nt différent linies, been made to the eniargement of our boundries. These objeclions were earneetly urged wben we acquired Louisiano. Experience has hown that they were not well founded. The title of numerous Indian tribes to vast t.'acts of country has been extinguished. New States bave been admitted nto the Union; new Territories have been created, and our jurisdiction and laws extended over them.- As our population has expanded, tlie Union has been cmented and 6trengtlened; as our boundanes have been enlarged, and our agncultural population bas been 6pread over a large surface, our federaüve eystem has acquired additional strength and security. It may well be doubted whether it wouldnot be in greater danger of overthrow if our present population were confined to the cniparatively uarrow limita of the original thirteen States, that it ie uow that they are spareely seltled over an expanded territory. It is confidently believi d tbat our 6ystem may be safely extended lo the utmost boundsof our territorial limits: and that, as it s'oall be extended, the bonds of our Union, so far from being weakened, will become stroneer.None con fail to eee the danger to our safe'.y and future peace, if Texas rémnins an independent State or becomes an ally or dependency of 6ome foreign nation more poweriul than herself. 1 there one among our citizens who would not prefer perpetual peace writh Texas, to occasional wars, whích so often occur between bordering independent nations? Is there one who would not prefer free intercourse vith her, to high duties on all our producís ond manufactures vhi:h enter her ports or cross her frontiers? Is there one who would not prefer an unrestricted communication with her citizcns, to the frontier obstructions which must occur if she rcmains out of the IJjjjoni Whatever is good or e vil in the local ínstitutioi)8 of Texaa, will remain Jjer own, whettier annexed to the United States or not.. None of the present States wiil be Tcsponsible lor them, nny more than they are for the locol institutions of ench other. They have confederated togetber for certain Bpeci-fied objects.Upon ihe same principie that they would refuse to fortn a perpetual unión Vith Texas, because of her local insíitution6, our forefalhere would have eea prevented from forming óor present Union. Perceiviner no valid objection to the measure, and many rensons for its adoption, vitally affecting tlie peace, thp safety, and the prosperity of both countries, I shall, on thebroad principio which formed the basis and produced the adoption of our conelitution, and not in any narrow epirit ofsec tional policy, endeavor, by all constilutional, honorable, and oppropriate mcans, to connim male the expressed '.vill of the people and governnient of the United States, by the rennexation of Texas to the Union at the eariíest practicable penod."