Speech of Hon. Wm. Lowndes Yancey, of Alabama, on the annexation of Texas to the United States, delivered in the House of Representatives, Jan. 7, 1845. Page: 3 of 14
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SPEECH'.
Mr. YANC Y commenced by expressing a sin- mere bubbles dancing in the wake of party!
cere regret, that between the great political par- That question was the proposed annexation of
ites which had for a half century divided our Texas to the Union-a question so purely Amepeople,
and which must ever exist under a free rican, and addressing itself so directly to the hoand
popular Government, animosities had been nor, and to the great interests of the entire Reengendered,
prejudices had been formed, and public, that it seems to me, Mr. Chairman, that
acrimonies had been given birth to, which had all party feuds should be hushed upon its anbecome
so deeply seated in the public mind, that nouncement. Every party, and every Adminiwhat
might otherwise have proven a blessing to stration, for the last twenty years, has so hailed
our Government, by tending to guard and pre it. Like that mysterious star which ef old drew
serve its purity, had, in fact, become its bane. the shepherds' attention from their lowly purInstead
of estimating measures by their bearing suits to the spot where the Saviour of the World
upon the great interests of the country, there lay bandaged in his swaddling clothes, is this queswere
but too many who tested them simply by tion now culminating over an infant Republic,
their contemplated effect upon party. That spi- appealing to us as freemen, and as patriots, to
rit, he lamented to see, had crept into this Hall. forego our petty wrangling-to arise and accomMen
of eminence and ability had given it coun- plish in harmony the great destiny to which our
tenance; and when, a short time since, he had principles have devoted us--the spread of the
obtained the floor, in the Committee of the blessings of civilized freedom.
Whole, when the Sub-Treasury bill was under And this appeal has net been in vain. I thank
consideration, he had designed (but was pre- God that there are still amongst us men whose
vented by sudden and severe illness) to have ex- hearts bounded with renewed vigor at the first
pressed his deep and unfeigned regret, that the flutter of such a banner; and who, like the angentleman
from Ohio, (Mr. SCHENCY,) who had cient Jews, when from the great temple the sapreceded
him in that debate, distinguished as he cred trumpet sounded "so ARMs!" forgot their
was in the possession of a keen and searching intestine broils, and girded themselves for their
intellect, brilliant powers ol sarcasm and wit, so country and her cause. There are others, sir,
rich a diction, and such varied accomplish- who, though still partisans, yet have respected
ments, should have lent himself to lower the the dignity of the question sufficiently to discuss
chaacter of an American Representative, which it in a statesmanlike manner. Not so, however,
he appeared so well able to dignify and adorn. the Representative from North Carolina, (Mr.
The inevitable consequence of the prevalence of CLIKGMAN.) With him, the extension of our insuch
a spirit, to which he had alluded, was that stitutions-the immense effect, for weal or wo,
we were fast becoming, if we had not already to be produced upon our cotnmercial, manufacbecome,
a nation of embittered partisans, in- turing, agricultural, and planting interests, by
stead of enlightened and generous freemen. It this momentous measure--its great bearing upon
is under the influence of convictions like these, our military defences-its effect upon the insti(continued
Mr. Y.) that I rejoice that a great na- tution of slavery-its consequences upon the fate
tional question has at length presented itself, of the Federal Union, all of which are now enwhich,
by its towering greatness, overtops all gaging the diplomatic abilities, and attracting the
minor isues-which is so well calculated to anxious attention, of the great and good of two
purifr aM .eiwte the national heart-to call immense continents-have not had sufficient inmtr
rqauisition the nobler qualities of our nature terest or dignity to draw his intellect, or his pas-to
create high hopes-to crush beneath its sions, from an erudite research into the euses
lofty patriotim and undoubted wisdom the con- why "Capt. Rynders" visited the White House
temptible machinations of the mere politician- upon a certain day-why that individual dined
to rebuke the sordid and groveling propensities with another upon another day-why the sailors
of those who ka , tad feel, and appreciate no of the ship "North Carolina" voted in the 7th
impulm Ib sata * 4tawe them irresistibly- ward of the city of New York, and not in the city
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Yancey, William Lowndes. Speech of Hon. Wm. Lowndes Yancey, of Alabama, on the annexation of Texas to the United States, delivered in the House of Representatives, Jan. 7, 1845., book, 1845; Washington. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2415/m1/3/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .