Clarksville [ga.,] 21st Feb. 1846.
Dear Sir: I
have just returned from a trip to Texas and if my voice could reach Washington
and my opinions have any, the slightest influence on grave Senators, that
beautiful country would soon be a portion of our Confederacy. I have seen and
conversed with and freely mixed with all classes and do assure you if Texas is
not now annexed it never can be with their consent. The property holders and
higher classes of the people are anxious for the Union but the middle and lower
classe[s] decidedly oposed to it, whilst but few people of property are now
immigrating to the country, and vast numbers from Ark., Misso., Illinois,
Indiana, Ohio, etc., to say nothing of the swarms from foreign countries are
nearly to a man against annexation. Should the measure not succeed now many of
its warm advocates will drop off and the issue between competitors for Congress
in Texas at their next election will be, annexation or no annexation, and when
that issue comes the anti-annexationists will be in the majority. I was not
fully satisfied of the importance of Texas to our country in a military point
of view until I travelled into the [country]. Nor would Oregon be worth a
baubee to us without Texas; [never] could protect it, and if we do not get the
last I hope we will be wise enough to surrender the latter; and if I had a seat
in Congress I never would favour any project for the occupation of Oregon until
we had got Texas, but on the contrary throw every impediment in the way, even
give it up to England or the devil.
What is Tom Benton about; is he yet sowing the wind? He will
surely reap the whirlwind for his past acts. It is thought by many he will
break up the harmony of the Democratic party. I think not; he may fume, fret
and denounce, but he has lost caste, he is no longer the big gun he was with
the people, he is denounced from Geo. to the Colorado.
What a misfortune Yancey did not bore his man through just
for the honor of Old Rip;1 but whatever is, is right!
I did intend being in Washington on the 4th and see little
Jemmy invested with the proud mantle of Washington and Jackson, but my long
trip and the delicate state of my wife's health will prevent; so I shall remain
quiet until you get home and visit us at our Court.
_______________
* A
leading Democrat of northeastern Georgia, a keen critic of public affairs.
1 This alludes to the bloodless duel between
William L. Yancey, of Alabama, and Thomas L. Clingman, of North Carolina. “Old
Rip” (Rip Van Winkle) was a nickname of the State of North Carolina.
SOURCE: Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, Editor, The Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911, Volume 2: The
Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, p.
65-6
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