24 January 1845
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Texas Annexation Foreign Relations Diplomacy
24 Washington Friday 24. January 1845.

24. VI. Friday.

I had hesitated down to the present day, whether to address the Committee of the whole house on the state of the Union upon the various projects for the annexation of Texas to this Union which have been so long under consideration, or to sit and witness in silence the perpetration of the wrong, which I too clearly saw was unavoidable— I had collected numerous documents for reference to them, and took with me sundry volumes this morning to the house. About half an hour was consumed on miscellaneous subjects— Hardin from the Committee on Post Offices and Post-roads, reported an amendatory bill, for one which had been recommitted to them for reducing the rate of postage— Bayly from the Committee of foreign Affairs reported a Bill for the relief of Alexander H. Everett, which was referred to a Committee of the whole house. A message from the President which had lain two days on the table was now presented, and proved to be a communication of the Treaty with China, negotiated by Mr Cushing, now ratified with the unanimous advice and consent of the Senate— The message recommends an appropriation for a regular diplomatic mission to China— At my motion it was read; referred to the Committee of foreign affairs and ordered to be printed— Sundry other communications from the executive departments were presented and disposed of—laid on the table or referred Sixteen bills from the Senate were read twice and appropriately referred— Jameson of Missouri presented Resolutions of the Legislature of that State in favour of the annexation of Texas to the United States— Committee of the whole on the State of the Union. Hopkins in the chair, upon the Resolutions for the annexation of Texas. Dromgoole began with an hour speech in support of his own project. He was followed by Barnard in a conclusive, but unavailing argument against the constitutional power of Congress to consummate this transaction. I then obtained the floor, and at the expiration of my hour had barely reached the threshold of my speech— Daniel of North-Carolina, Stone of Ohio, Morse of Maine occupied each his hour; Ellis read a rhapsody of an hour for the annexation— Norris railed an hour against his colleague Hale— Stephens of Georgia took the floor, but yielded it to Darragh, who brought the time to half past 8 in the evening, when for lack of a quorum the Committee rose, and the house adjourned.

A A