Texas and the Massachusetts Resolutions Page: 41 of 54
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41
not, and this doctrine is to be acted on, what is the constitution
worth ? Is every barrier to be broken down which
prevents the unlimited exercise of power by those who will
perpetuate their own privileges, at the expense of those of
the nation? Are there to be no rights secured, excepting
those of unequal representation ?
But if Mr. Walker and his friends turn round upon us and
ask us whether, under no circumstances whatever, we would
consent to the junction of Texas with the United States,
and whether some attention is not due to the argument drawn
from the too great proximity of the Sabine to the city of New
Orleans, we are perfectly ready to answer these questions.
Thle only legititmate method of deciding the matter is, by an
appeal to the people of the United States, wlio agreed to the
constitution as it is. Let Mr. Walker, propose an amendment
to that constitution wlich shall cover this question;
let that amenrdment be approved by the requisite number,
two-thirds of both Houses of Congiress, and ratified by the
Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, and then
T'exas may become a part of the United States. We will
velture to go even a step further to meet him--we will ourselves
advocate the annexation of Texas in the manner
here described, provided only that the sane amend ment
whichi shall authorize it be made to include the substance
of the Mlassachilusetts resolutions. Not that we desire to
be understood as favoring the further acquisition of territory
to the Union, in any shape, or that we wave any of the
objections we have made to the admission of Texas. But
we should be willing to put up with something in the way
of evil for the sake of securing a greater good. And holding
as we do the most sincere and deliberate conviction, that the
conipromise of the constitution which concedes the right of
representation of property in man Ilas been, is, and will be, if
continued, fatal to all the good objects for whlich that constitution
was originally fbrrned and tiat it is degrading the United
States from the highi place in the scale of nationts and in tihe
eyes of mankind which it ought to fill, we would not for our
own part hesitate to make a small sacrifice which slhould remove
from that instrument the greatest spot upon its beauty.
Let Texas and the Massachusetts resolutions then go out together,
and let them take their fate togetier, for real or woe,
in the ratifying bodies, as provided by the constitution. This
is the only lawful mode of arriving at a good result. Every
otlier that has been proposed, in connexion with Texas is
equivalent to a dissolution of the existing social compact,because'
it entirely subverts the original relations subsisting
6
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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/m1/41/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.