To the Hon. John Quincy Adams, and the Other Twenty Members of Congress: Who Addressed "The People of the Free States of the Union" Remonstrating Against the Annexation of Texas to the American Union

              TO   THB
HON.  JOHN  Q.UINCY  ADAMS,
AND THE OTHER
TWENTY   MEMBERS   OF   CONGRESS
WHO   ADDRESSED
"THE  PEOPLE  OF THE   FREE  STATES  OF   THE UNIOX,"
REMONSTRATING   AGATN9T
THE   ANNEXATION  OF  TEXAS   TO  THE   AMERICAN   UNION!
An humble citizen of Texas has read  your will all be involved in the question at issue. The
address with all the care and attention which so name of Adams stands bright among the bright-
important a document deserves, and knowing that est on the page of history. As a champion of the
the question has not correctly been stated to the American Revolution, John Adams was second
people of the United States, he addresses to you to no one; as a statesman, a diplomatist, and a
this reply.    He does not charge upon you a wil- pure patriot, I regard John duiney Adams as *
ful misstatement of the facts, because he is satis- distinguished among the most distinguished who
fied, that of the facts you are not yet fully informed, ever lived; and, however uncompromising he may I
He does not charge upon you a wilful misconcep- "have been, or may still continue to be, on the
tion of tlie bearings oi the question, because your subject of slavery, J cannot believe  that he will
own address shows that the question of slavery be otherwise than willing to give an impartial
©o fully occupied your minds, and controlled your hearing to the just complaints of a gallant peo-
judgments, that you had not considered it in all pie, who are "bone of his bone, and flesh of his
those important points  in which  it may legiti- flesh," and whose parents, side by side with his
mately be viewed—in which it ought to be view own, stood shoulder to shoulder in the darkest
ed, and in which time and events will yet com- hour of the Revolution, in resisting the claim of
pel the statesmen of your country to view it.    I Great Britain  to sovereignty on the American
regard the Texas question as intimately connect- soil: nor ^that he will be unwilling to sit as an
ed with the preservation of the American Union, impartial judge, on the application of Texas for
A storm is now in embryo, growing out of, this admission as a State into the American Union
Texas question, which, unless arrested by the       In your opening address, you say the volunta-
united power of your whole country, must result, ry assistance rendered by the people of the Uni-
m the dissolution of your Union ; for the questions ted States in aid of the Texan revolution, was
involved affect the slave-holding States in a much to "freebooters and insurgents;" and you treat
greater degree than Texas itself, and the slave- the revolution of Texas as unprincipled and un-
holding States of your country are compelled to justifiable.    In answer to this, I ask your candid
act, whether you aid them or not.    They must and impartial attention to the brief statement of
make common cause with Texas, or surrender facts which I will present to you.
their domestic institutions. . They have no alter-       Up to the period of 1821, when Colonel Aus-
native, for the danger is upon them, and they tin commenced his plan of colonization, Texas,
must now act and act quickly, or the scenes of from San Antonio to the Sabine, was a vast wil-!
Southampton  and  San  Domingo  will be   re- derness ; and no one better than Mr. Adams un-
mewed  among them.   The tocsin has  already derstands that the cause was Spanish fear and
been sounded in the British Parliament.    Orders jealousy,  which induced   the  Government   of
__ave already gone forth from the British cabinet. Spain to prohibit all settlements, in order to pre-
Their captains, and lieutenants, and subalterns serve it, as a barrier, to what she regarded the
are already scattered throughout our  country; encroaching spirit of the people of the United"
they are already in the recruiting service, and States.    The successful revolution  of  Mexico
you will ere long be  called upon to say which brought about a change of policy.    The new-
side in the great contest you will take.    Deeply Government became anxiously desirous for the
excited as you evidently are on the question of settlement of the country; and* as their own po-
negro slavery, I cannot for a • moment entertain pulation was altogether inadequate to the pur-
the belief that your sympathies will not be equal- pose, the hardy and enterprising of the United
ly aroused in behalf of the thousands and tens of States were invited, and the most liberal promi-
thousands  of white women, and children, and ses of land and protection "were assured to them,
men, whose lives, fortunes, homes, and country, The Americans_x?JKrwitW encountered dangers
__, o r»i