Speech on the Treaty for the Reannexation of Texas

What it is

This is a printed speech by Levi Woodbury, a senator from New Hampshire. He delivered it in the Senate on June 4, 1844, in executive session, on the treaty for the reannexation of Texas to the United States. The copy is a 30-page book scanned by the Internet Archive. The text shown is an automated reading of that scan, so some words are garbled and should be checked against the page image.

Why it matters

Tyler supported the treaty to bring Texas into the Union, and this speech shows how the Senate debated it. Woodbury lists the objections he heard: whether the government had the constitutional power to purchase Texas and admit its people, whether the government of Texas alone could cede its territory, and whether it was the right time to complete the cession. He takes each point in turn. The speech reveals how political leaders argued about expansion in 1844.

Look closer

• Which objections does Woodbury say are at the heart of the debate, and why might he restate them before answering?
• Woodbury describes the debate as calling for fairness and a dispassionate spirit. Who might have been listening, and how might that shape his tone?
• What does this speech leave out, such as the views of Texas, Mexico or the senators who opposed the treaty?