I have received your letter of the 9th of September, 1848 and have read Mr Tappan’s printed letter to the Editor of the Evening Post of the 21st of July last & that of Mr Blair to Mr. Tappan of the 7th of July.

On your arrival in Washington in February 1845, I joined you there at your request, took lodgings in the same hotel, & was very often with you. The subject which mainly engrossed the attention of Congress was the Annexation of Texas. That measure was one of the issues, on which the people had decided by your election; you expressed yourself to me anxious that the declared wishes of the Democratic party should have effect. A division of opinion on the proper form of annexation prevailed in the senate. You were indifferent as to the form, provided the substance was secured. You advised conciliation & union, the adoption of a form of resolution which would produce harmony and successful action, and you gave as your motive for this advice, your deep interest in the passage of the measure itself. You looked at the possible rejection of the measure, as a blow in advance at your administration. You seemed to me indifferent whether the house resolution prevailed or a substitute; I never heard you express an opinion about the details or form of the measure; and when an option of forms was proposed and accepted by the senate, you applauded the spirit of harmony which it manifested, but took care never to hazard the success of the measure itself by siding with either of the parties on questions of form. I remained to the last ignorant as to which of the two forms you would adopt; and had no reason to suppose that either was dissatisfactory. I never myself heard you discuss the relative merits of the two forms; still less did I ever hear you express a preference; nor did I hear in conversation with others, that you had done so.

My nomination as one of your cabinet was not confirmed till the tenth of March. As soon as I heard of this, but not before, I repaired to your mansion, and was shown into the room where the cabinet had been deliberating. The election of the first & second sections of the Joint resolution had been already approved, & Mr Buchanan was on the point of going away in order to forward a despatch to Mr Donelson. Conversation ensued; and I was informed, that the decision which had been made before I was a member of the cabinet, had been the result of the unanimous advice of the other five members. The reasons, which were given for their preference were: That Mr Tyler and Mr Calhoun had already made an election, which, it was found, could not be disturbed without some confusion; that Mr Donelson was a remarkably prudent man, who might be relied upon under Mr Buchanan’s instructions to conduct his part in the affair quietly & without irritating; that the first & second sections of the Joint Resolution were more favorable to peace with Mexico, as they expressly reserved to the general government full power to negotiate a boundary with Mexico; that Almonte had already, by demanding his passports on the mere passage of the resolution, rendered prompt action on our part imperative; that to delay action by the tedious process of a commission was but opening the way to Mexico to inflame the public mind; that the delay would be almost an invitation to England & France to employ commissioners on their part to prevent the consummation of annexation; and that the appointment of commissioners on our side to treat with Texas on the terms of annexation would be almost a temptation to Texas to make exorbitant and unreasonable demands, which the administration pledged as it was to the measure of annexation, would have found it most difficult to resist.

I never heard from any one a hint, that the consultation of the Cabinet or your own decision, was in any embarrassed by any previous declaration as to the option which you would make.

On the contrary, I always understood that the united Democratic party in the senate intended and desired to leave your judgment free; and when on the tenth of March 1845, Mr Berrien attempted to draw from the senate an expression of opinion in favor of the third section of the resolution, the Democratic Senators on the eleventh of March signified their unwillingness to embarrass you by postponing Mr Berrien’s motion indefinitely.

Your approval of the election which Mr Tyler had made, was immediately known. It did not change Mr Blair’s willingness to be the confidential editor & organ of the administration. He remained desirous of that post.

I remember well our summer’s drive, a year later, to Mr Blair’s house at Silver Spring. His reception was most cordial, as I had expected. He walked with us over the grounds nearest the house, & showed us his various improvements. Of your administration he expressed himself in terms, such as I had repeatedly heard from him, & such as were most gratifying to me to hear in your presence. He congratulated you on your good fortune in carrying out your measures, of which he expressed his approbation without qualification & without reserve. I never heard any man give a tribute to your administration more comprehensive or that seemed more from the heart.

I will add, that in all the stormy days which I witnessed in Washington, & among all the complaints which always will follow the exercise of power, I never heard of this complaint of Mr Tappans; nor any fault found with your course on the annexation of Texas, except by those who did not want it annexed at all.