tion connected with the question,-one of policy and expediency, motives which always have, and which always should, with some limitations, control the action of nations and individuals.-Upper Oregon and the island of Vancouver were comparatively valueless, except for the excellent harbors within the straits of Fuca, which were the only safe and easily accessible ones in the whole territory. Those on the southern shore of the straits were, indeed, to belong to the United States under the British proposition; but war now existed with Mexico, and as that country was largely indebted to American citizens, and was confessedly bankrupt, Mr. Polk, as a wise and sagacious statesman, could not but have foreseen that the contest would terminate in the acquisition, as a satisfaction for the American claims and the expenses of the war, of a large portion of contiguous territory, in which was embraced the bay of San Francisco, the finest harbor on the Pacific coast.

Acting therefore in conformity to the example of Washington with respect to the Jay treaty, Mr. Polk submitted the proposition of Great Britain to the Senate, as being composed of his constitutional advisers in the conclusion of treaties with foreign powers. He stated, at the same time, that his individual opinion was in favor of supporting the American claim to the whole of Oregon; and that if the Senate did not advise the acceptance of the proposition, by the constitutional majority required for the ratification of treaties, he should consider it his duty to reject the offer.*

The Senate by a vote of 41 to 14, advised the accept

* Special Message and Accompanying Documents, June 10, 1846.

ance of the terms proposed by the British government, on the 12th of June, 1846, with the understanding, as officially stated by Mr. Buchanan to Mr. Pakenham, prior to the conclusion of the treaty, that the right of the Hudson's Bay Company to navigate the Columbia would expire with their license to trade on the northwest coast of America, on the 30th of May, 1859.* The treaty prepared in accordance with the proposition of Mr. Pakenham, was then signed by him and Mr. Buchanan on the 15th day of June, and duly ratified.

Thus, by the firm determination of Mr. Polk, was this vexed question, which at one time threatened to interrupt the friendly relations subsisting between two nations united by the sympathies of a common origin and a common tongue, forever settled in a spirit of amity and concord; each party magnanimously surrendering a part of its pretensions,-the United States yielding the southern cape of Vancouver, and the territory above the 49th parallel, which she had repeatedly proposed to adopt as the boundary, and Great Britain giving up her claim to the jurisdiction and unoccupied territory between the 49th parallel and the Columbia river.

* Dispatch of Mr. Buchanan to Mr. McLane, June 13, 1846.

CHAPTER IX.

Opposition of Mexico to the Annexation of Texas-The Question of Boundary-American troops ordered to Texas-Attempt to Negotiate-Refusal to receive a Minister--Advance of General Taylor to the Rio Grande-Commencement of Hostilities-Incidents of the war-Repeated efforts to open negotiations-The Armistice-Treaty of Peace.

THE "joint resolution providing for the annexation of Texas to the United States," embraced two propositions,the one providing for the immediate annexation, and the other, of an alternative character, contemplating a new negotiation with the republic of Texas, if the President. deemed it the most advisable.

RESOLUTION OF ANNEXATION.

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress doth consent that the territory properly included within, and rightfully belonging to, the Republic of Texas, may be erected into a new State, to be called the State of Texas, with a republican form of government, to be adopted by the people of said Republic, by deputies in convention assembled, with the consent of the existing government, in order that the same may be admitted as one of the States of this Union.

"2. And be it further resolved, That the foregoing consent of Congress is given upon the following conditions, and with the following guaranties, to wit: First, said State to be formed subject to the adjustment by this government of all questions

of boundary that may arise with other governments; and the constitution thereof, with the proper evidence of its adoption by the people of said Republic of Texas, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, to be laid before Congress for its final action, on or before the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and forty-six. Second, said State, when admitted into the Union, after ceding to the United States all public edifices, fortifications, barracks, ports and harbors, navy and navy yards, docks, magazines, arms, armaments, and all other property and means pertaining to the public defence, belonging to said Republic of Texas, shall retain all the public funds, debts, taxes, and dues of every kind, which may belong to, or be due and owing said Republic; and shall also retain all the vacant and unappropriated lands lying within its limits, to be applied to the payment of the debts and liabilities of said Republic of Texas; and the residue of said lands, after discharging said debts and liabilities, to be disposed of as said State may direct; but in no event are said debts and liabilities to become a charge upon the Government of the United States. Third, new States of convenient size, not exceeding four in number, in addition to said State of Texas, and having sufficient population, may hereafter, by the consent of said State, be formed out of the territory thereof, which shall be entitled to admission under the provisions of the Federal Constitution. And such States as may be formed out of that portion of said territory lying south of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north latitude, commonly known as the Missouri compromise line, shall be admitted into the Union with or without slavery, as the people of each State asking admission may desire. And in such State or States as shall be formed out of said territory north of said Missouri compromise line, slavery or involuntary servitude (except for crime) shall be prohibited.

"3. And be it further resolved, That if the President of the United States shall, in his judgment and discretion, deem

it most advisable, instead of proceeding to submit the foregoing resolution to the Republic of Texas as an overture on the part of the United States for admission, to negotiate with that Republic, then

"Be it Resolved, That a State, to be formed out of the present Republic of Texas, with suitable extent and boundaries, and with two representatives in Congress, until the next apportionment of representation, shall be admitted into the Union, by virtue of this act, on an equal footing with the existing States, as soon as the terms and conditions of such admission, and the cession of the remaining Texan territory to the United States, shall be agreed upon by the governments of Texas and the United States.

"And be it further enacted, That the sum of one hundred thousand dollars be, and the same is, hereby appropriated to defray the expenses of missions and negotiations, to agree upon the terms of said admission and cession, either by treaty to be submitted to the Senate, or by articles to be submitted to the two Houses of Congress, as the President may direct."

President Tyler elected to submit the first and second sections of the Resolution of Annexation to the authorities of Texas, which election was approved by his successor, and the annexation was completed in conformity thereto. The administration of Mr. Polk, therefore, succeeded to all the liabilities and advantages incurred or secured by the accomplishment of this great measure.

The central authorities of Mexico, though possessing no right to complain, by reason of the justifiable resistance of Texas when the federal league of 1824 was violently ruptured, and of their inaction for so long a period, did not remain silent while the negotiations for the annexation of Texas were in progress, or the act itself be