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p APERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAP.ARTE LAMAR
hereafter be enjoyed by other Nations the most favoured. As I understand the spirit of our institutions Texas is not disposed to yield any peculiar advantage to any Nation- That she intends to place all on the most perfect equality & ask no peculiar favour that she will not reciprocate and give none that is not returned. I there• fore did not hesitate to agree to the terms proposed fully. Mr. Jones the Minister at Washington has informed me that he has withdrawn the .application for the Annexation of Texas to the U.S. I lost no time in informing this Government of that important fact. In viewing the English shipping in her various ports I was struck with the large number of free Negroe & Mulatto sailors employed on their vessels- especially on those trading with the ·west Indies and South America- that fact impressed me with the great necessity that Texas should in her first as well as all subse- quent Treates provide against admitting any vessel into her ports which shall be in part or in whole maned by free Negroes or l\folat- tos. 'l'he recent emancipation of the West India Slaves and our con- tiguity with those Islands renders it now doubly necessary for our own safty. As the U. S. will in all probability be the first Nation with whom Texas will conclude a commercial treaty I presume that she will find but little difficulty in that case of making the necessary restrictions in this regard It is especial! [y] necessary that the firsf:r treaty which Texas enters into should provide against that evil; because if she grants one Nation the privilege of enter- ing her ports with every kind of sailors she cannot afterwards refuse a like privilege to another Nation-Particularly if she intends to carry out the principle of placing all on terms of equality. I have in a recent letter to Mr. Jones called his attention to this subject as I presumed he might at this time be discussing articles of a treaty of Commerce with the U. S. I .also called his attention to the important matter of securing if possible at this time when the sympathies of the U. S. people and Govt are in our favour the navi- gation of Red River & through the Mississippi to the sea. It does seem to me that it is perfectly consistent with the laws of Nature that .a Nation should have the right to claim the free Navigation of all rivers which run in part through its territory and form a natural outlet to the sea. If I mistake not the U. S. Govt advocated that doctrine in a dispute with England or rather a debate upon the subject of navigating the St Lawrence. It is certainly worth con- tending for and I would be glad to hear your views on the above subjects
Yours Truly Henderson
Express mail
[Endorsed]
[Addressed] To His Exel
Hon. ,T. Pinckney Henderson Paris November 14th 1838 to Executive-
Genl M. B. Lamar Republic of Texas
Care of S Rieker ,T nr N. Orleans
Rrcd and forwarded by your 0. S. C. H. Forbes V. C. Y. N. Y.
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