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THE WAR IN TEXAS.
IT is generally admitted that the war in portant view of the subject. The Satreholding
Texas has assumed a character which must Interest is now paramount in the Executive
seriously affect both the interests and the ho- branch ef our national government; and its in.
nor of this nation. It implicates the colnduict fluence operates, indirectly, yet powerfully,
of a large number of our citizens, and even the througlh that medium, in favr of this Grand
policy and measures of the government are Schtenme t' Oppression and T.talnnical Usurp,deeply
involved in it. The subj-ct, as now lion. Whelher the national Legislature will join
presented to our view, is indeed one of vital hands with the Executive, and lend its aid to
importance to the people of the United States; this most tnwarrantable, aggressive attempt,
and it particularly invites the attention-the will depend on the VOICE OF THE PEOmost
solemn and deliberate consideration-of PLE, expressed in their primary assemblies,
all who profess to be guided by the true prin- by their petitions, and througb the ballot.
ciples of justice and philanthropy. It is not boxes.
only to be viewed as a matter of interest, at the The writer of this has long viewed, with
present day. The great fundamental princi- intense anxiety, the clandestine opeiations of
pies of universal libert v-the perpetuity of our this unhallowed scheme, and frequently warned
free reptiblican institutions-the prosperity, the public of the danger to be apprehended,
the welfare, and the happiness of future gene- in case of its success. He has carefully noted
rations-are measurably connected with the the preparatory arrangements for its consumprospective
issue of this fierce and bloody con- mation-the combination of influence-the
flict. concentration of'physical power-thle organiBut
the prime cause and the real objects of zation of various means-and, finally, the unthis
war, are not distinctly understood by a dissembled prosecution of it, by overt acts of
large portion of the honest, disinterested, and violence and bloodshed:-and he now stands
well-meaning citizens of the United States. I pledged to prove, by the exhibition of well
Their means of obtaining correct information attested facts and documentary evidence, that
upon the subject have been necessarily limited; the original cause, the principal object, and
and many of them have been deceived and the nature of the contest, are wilat he has,
misled by the misrepresentations of those con. above, represented them to be.
cerned in it, and especially by hireling u riters To give a correct detail of the plan of opefor
the newspaper press. They have been rations, adopted by the instigators and foment,
induced to believe that the inhabitants of Texas ers of this Texian war, as Well as an exposition
were engaged in a legitimate contest for the of the character and identity of those who have
maintenance of the sacred principles of Liberty, been the active instruments of carrying it into
and the natural, inalienable Rights of Mant- execution, I will commence with a brief histowhereas,
the motives of its instigators, and their rical narration of the settlement of the country
chief incentives to action, have been, from the by the Anglo-Americans. Their proceedings,
commencement, of a directly opposite charac- in connexion with others, relative to the subter
and tendency. It is susceptible of the clear- ject before us, will be duly noticed in the course
esat demonstration, that the immediate cause and of my remarks. In the performance of this
the leading object of this contest originated in a duty, I shall make use of facts and illustrations,
settled design, among the slaveholders of this dIrawn from personal observation, and from nucountry,
(with land speculators and slave-tra. merous documents in my possession.
ders, ) to wrest the large and valuable territory In reviewing the history of colonization in
of Texas from the Mexican Republic, in order Texas by the Anglo-Americans, it will appear
to re-establish the SYSTEM OF SLAVERY; to that the first regular plan adopted, was the
open a vast and profitable SLAVE-MARKET privilege granted to Moses Austit, of Missouri,
therein; and, ultimately, to annex it to the United by the Span sh authorities, in the year 1820.
States. And further, it is evident-nay, it is Previous to that date, a few persons from the
very generally acknowledged-that the insuir- United States had temporarily established
rectionists are principally citizens of the United themselves ins the eastern part of the Province,
States, who have proceeded thither, for the as Indian traders and unauthorized adventurers.
purpose of revolutionizing the country; and that A large tract of country was marked out on the
they are dependent upon this nation, for both map, and Austin was invested with *he privithe
physical and pecuniary means, to carry the lege of introducing three hundred families of
design into effect. We-have a still more im- industrious, orderly settlers, proessing the