Mr. Cambreleng explained that the word “neighbors,” had been accidentally omitted in Gen. Gaines’ dispatch.

Mr. Adams continued:—­“Was this an intention to conquer Texas, to re-establish that slavery which had been abolished by the United Mexican States?  If that was the case, and we were to be drawn into an acknowledgment of their independence, and then, by that preliminary act, by that acknowledgment, if we were upon their application to admit Texas to become a part of the United States, then the House ought to be informed of it.  I shall be for no such war, nor for making any such addition to our territory. * * * * * * I hope Congress will take care to go into no war for the re-establishment of slavery where it has been abolished—­that they will go into no war in behalf of ‘our Texians,’ or ’our Texian neighbors’ and that they will go into no war with a foreign power, without other cause than the acquisition of territory.”

In a speech delivered a few days subsequent to the above, Mr. Adams used the following language:—­

“It is said that one of the earliest acts of this administration was a proposal, made at a time when there was already much ill-humor in Mexico against the United States, that she should cede to the United States a very large portion of her territory—­large enough to constitute nine States equal in extent to Kentucky.  It must be confessed that a device better calculated to produce jealousy, suspicion, ill-will and hatred, could not have been contrived.  It is further affirmed that this overture, offensive in itself, was made precisely at the time when a swarm of colonists from these United States, were covering the Mexican border with land-jobbing, and with slaves, introduced in defiance of Mexican laws, by which slavery had been abolished throughout the Republic.  The war now raging in Texas is a Mexican civil war, and a war for the reestablishment of slavery where it was abolished.  It is not a servile war, but a war between slavery and emancipation, and every possible effort has been made to drive us into the war on the side of slavery.”

“When, in the year 1836, resolutions to recognize the independence of Texas came up in the House of Representatives, Mr. Adams opposed them with great energy and eloquence, and provoked a most ardent and violent debate.  Mr. Waddy Thompson, then a Representative in Congress, and subsequently Minister to Mexico, advocated the passage of the resolutions; and, in doing so, said that Mr. Adams, in negotiating the Florida treaty, actually ceded to Mexico the whole of Texas, a province that was part and parcel of this Union.

“Mr. Adams immediately arrested the speech of Mr. Thompson, and denied the impeachment.  Mr. Thompson rejoined, and, to strengthen his position, quoted some remarks Gen. Jackson had made on the subject, confirmatory of the charge of having sacrificed the national domain, in the Florida negotiation.

“Mr. Adams replied with great warmth; and went into a minute and interesting narrative of the whole transaction.  Among other things, he said that, before the Florida treaty was signed, he took it to Gen. Jackson, to obtain his opinion of it; and that it was unconditionally approved by him.