Proceedings of the Senate and Documents Relative to Texas, from which the Injunction of Secrecy Has Been Removed Page: 67 of 119
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67 [ 341 3
be her motives or means what they may; or whether the avowal of such
a policy, and the exertions she has made to consummate it in Texas, do
not justify both countries in adopting the most effective measures to prevent
it, are questions which the United States willingly leave to the decision
of the civilized world. They confidently rest the appeal on the solid
foundation that every country is the rightful and exclusive judge as to what
should be the relations, social, civil, and political, between those who compose
its population; and that no other country, under the plea of humanity
or other motive, has any right whateWr to interfere with its decision.
On this foundation rests the peace and the harmony of the world.
The undersigned has again referred, in conformity with the request of
Mr. Pakenham, to the portion of Lord Aberdeen's despatch to which he
has pointed his attention, with the view of rebutting the inference of the
President that Great Britain has endeavored, through her diplomacy, to effect
the abolition of slavery in Texas, by making it one of the conditions on
which Mexico should acknowledge her independence. He is constrained
to say, on a careful reperusal, that he can discover nothing in it calculated inr
any degree to weaken the inference of the President. His lordship avows
that Great Britain wishes to see slavery abolished in Texas; that she would
iejoice if the recognition of that country by the Mexican Government should
be accompanied by an engagement on the part of Texas to do so, and that
she feels it to be her duty to promote such a consummation. If to these
emphatic declarations the fact be added, that Great Britain, at the very
time they were made, was engaged in negotiating with the Mexican Government,
in order to obtain from it a recognition of the independence of
Texas, and that she declined to unite with France and the United States in
a joint effort for that purpose, it is surely not a forced or unfair inference
to conclude, without calling in the aid of other evidence, that she used, in
conducting it, all the legitimate means of diplomacy, backed by her great
influence, to effect an object, in the accomplishment of which she acknowledges
she took so deep an interest, and to which she obviously attached so
much importance. Nor does the undersigned regard the declarations of
Lord Aberdeen, that Great Britain would not interfere unduly, or with any
improper assumption of authority, that she will counsel, but not seek to
compel or unduly control either party, as in any degree weakening the
inference of the President; nor does he consider the remarks of Mr. Pakenham
as a denial of its truth.
The undersigned avails himself of the occasion to renew to Mr. Pakenham
the assurances of his distinguished consideration.
J. C. CALHOUN.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
MAY 6, 1844.
Read, referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and ordered to be printed in confidence for
the use of the Senate.
To the Senate of the United States:
I transmit, herewith, a despatch from the British minister, addressed t.
, he Secretary of State, bearing date the 30th April, in reply to the letter
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United States. Congress. Senate. Proceedings of the Senate and Documents Relative to Texas, from which the Injunction of Secrecy Has Been Removed, book, 1844; [Washington]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2363/m1/67/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .