A New York Democrat Champions Territorial Expansion

Mike Walsh was an Irish immigrant, former gang leader, and editor of the radical Democratic newspaper The Subterranean. An advocate of working-class causes, he was strongly anti-abolitionist and supported the annexation of Texas. He gave the following speech in support of annexation at a public meeting in 1844. In 1846, Walsh raised a company of volunteers to fight in the war against Mexico and was also elected to the New York state legislature.

It has been alleged as a reason why Texas should not be annexed, that we have too much territory already. Such an argument may hold good where a government is compelled to maintain its right to territory by force; but here, under our free government, where every man’s voice can be heard, the whole continent, or the whole world, would not be sufficient. I go for the re-annexation of Texas, even if it should involve us in a war with Mexico, or with England, or with the whole world!