The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 19, July 1915 - April, 1916 Page: 406

The Southwestern Historical Quarterly

in their power to resist the popular impulses in that direction.
Events had. established the soundness of those impressions; and
fully admitting their better means of judging of the probable
movements of the people of Texas in any supposed contingency,
I must confess that I was still unfortunate enough to differ from
them on the point they had drawn into question, very materially
indeed.
Whilst, therefore, it would be my duty to report the Presi-
dent's judgment to Your Lordship with whom it could not fail
to have much more weight than my own, I should be compelled
to add that I could not perceive there were any more sure grounds
for thinking that the people of Texas were, or would be, less open
to influence from the United States than they had hitherto been,
and none whatever that that influence would not be actively em-
ployed in favour of annexation, or at all events against the ac-
complishment of settlement upon any other Views.
When, I should see both Houses of Congress joining in Reso-
hlutions, voted unanimously or by large majorities, declaring the
inexpediency, not to use stronger terms, of ever entertaining fur-
ther proposals from any quarter, having in view the sacrifice of
the separate existence of the Country, I should admit that it was
reasonable to depend upon the steadfastness of the people. And
speaking for myself, I would add that I should consider such a
movement to be conclusive of the whole question, for it had long
been clear to me that the fate of the people of Texas was only in
other hands, because they were pleased or led to leave it there.
The President knew much better than I did, that in the present
temper of the public here, and so long as the annexation agita-
tion existed in the United States it was out of the question to
look for a different spirit in this quarter. He admitted that this
was the case at present, but wished that Her Majesty's Govern-
ment would transmit to me the proposals of which Your Lord-
ship had spoken to Mr Ashbell Smith duly prepared for execu-
tion, with Instructions to lay them before this Government for
completion, at any moment that might be judged propitious for
supporting settlement upon that footing, before the people. He
could not but think that such a moment would present itself, and
he had a confidence that it might at once be taken advantage of

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