WASHINGTON, _May 16, 1844_.
_To the Senate of the United States_:
In my message communicating the treaty with Texas I expressed the
opinion that if Texas was not now annexed it was probable that the
opportunity of annexing it to the United States would be lost forever.
Since then the subject has been much agitated, and if an opinion may
be formed of the chief ground of the opposition to the treaty, it is
not that Texas ought not at some time or other to be annexed, but that
the present is not the proper time. It becomes, therefore, important,
in this view of the subject, and is alike due to the Senate and the
country, that I should furnish any papers in my possession which may be
calculated to impress the Senate with the correctness of the opinion
thus expressed by me. With this view I herewith transmit a report from
the Secretary of State, accompanied by various communications on the
subject. These communications are from private sources, and it is to be
remarked that a resort must in all such cases be had chiefly to private
sources of information, since it is not to be expected that any
government, more especially if situated as Texas is, would be inclined
to develop to the world its ulterior line of policy.
Among the extracts is one from a letter from General Houston to General
Andrew Jackson, to which I particularly invite your attention, and
another from General Jackson to a gentleman of high respectability,
now of this place. Considering that General Jackson was placed in a
situation to hold the freest and fullest interview with Mr. Miller, the
private and confidential secretary of President Houston, who, President
Houston informed General Jackson, "knows all his actions and understands
all his motives," and who was authorized to communicate to General
Jackson the views of the policy entertained by the President of Texas,
as well applicable to the present as the future; that the declaration
made by General Jackson in his letter "that the present golden moment to
obtain Texas must not be lost, or Texas might from necessity be thrown
into the arms of England and be forever lost to the United States,"
was made with a full knowledge of all circumstances, and ought to be
received as conclusive of what will be the course of Texas should the
present treaty fail--from this high source, sustained, if it requires
to be sustained, by the accompanying communications, I entertain not
the least doubt that if annexation should now fail it will in all human
probability fail forever. Indeed, I have strong reasons to believe that
instructions have already been given by the Texan Government to propose
to the Government of Great Britain, forthwith on the failure, to enter
into a treaty of commerce and an alliance offensive and defensive.