South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-05-14


danger may pass away tina. the klex-
lean Government will be satisfied with
the assurances Of the Secretary Of State
that the military occupation Of the
Mexican territory is from an amicsble
motive, and will continue 10 longer
than until the line is ran and the true
limits Observation-Disclosures the
demonstrable proposition that no line
that can be run, according to the terms
Of our treaty with Mexico, can include
the said old Fort Nacogdoches. We
bope that the Government of Mexico
will avoid coming into a collision with
the United States, which however it be
brought about, would be at least as dis.
astrous to Mexico on her maritime
border as it would be to the United
States on eur Western frontier, and
would be justly subject Of reproach,
1 10 the community of nations, to both
countries.
We have assumed it above, as dem
onstrable that no line that can be run
under the Treaty can include the old
post of Nacogdoches, wkich General
GAINES has been instructed to occupy.
We will now state the grounds of this
assumption on our part.
| But, first, lie, US state, without refer
enee to our treaties with Spain end
| Mexico, the material points in this
question of boundary.
/. The sources Of the sabine, prop
erly so called, rise near the South side
Of Red river; and head over all the
1 sources of the river Nechess
| 2. The Sabine, here intersected by
latitude 80 degrees, is river, which
is, at high water navgable by pirogues
and small batteaux. The line of la,i-
,ude 81, extended westward, would
strike only the head creeks of The Ne
! ches.
! 8. Nacogdoches, situated some fifty
miles west Of the Sabine, is an ancient
Spanish establishment, made long pre-.
vious to the French colonization Of
Louisiana. The land.grants of all the
country from the main river Sabine
westw ard, and some Of them east Of
that stream, emanated from the Land
Office 10 San Antonio de Bexar (of
which the Alamo was the citadel
Consequently all the country vest of
the Sabine river has, at all times since
the colonization of Louisiana by
France, & Of Texas by the Spanards,
been regarded, up to the present time,
az part Of the Spanish (now Mexi-
can) territory.
So clear, indeed, is this question,
that no person even moderately ac-
| quainted with the geography Of the
countries on both sides of the Sabine
would any more regard he Neches as
the main stream Of the Sabine, than
they would the Shenandoah as the
main stream of the Potomac, or the
Juniata as that OF the Susquehannah.
Let us now refer to the solemn rec
| IGNITION by Treaty Of the boundary Of
Texas, whilst that province, with all
the other States Of Mexico was still
| considered q province Of Spain. The
Treaty with Spain Feb. %, 1870
recognises the boundary between the
| two countries, west of the Mississippi,
| as follows: 1t "shalI begin On the Gulf
Of Mexico, at the mouth Of the river
| Sabine, 10 the sea, continuing north,
along the western bank of that river,
to the SD degree Of latitude; thence,
| by line due north, to the degree of
latitude where it strikes the Rio Roxo
| of Natchitoahes, or Red river, then fol.
lowing the course OF the Rio Roxo
westward to the degree of Longitude
100 west from London and % from
Washington then crossing the said
Red river, and running thence by a
line due north, to the river Arkansas 5;
thence following the course Of the
southern bank of the Arkansas to its
source, 10 latitude AZ north ; & thence,
by that parallel Of latitude,,o the Sooth
sea. The whole being as laid do,0n
in MeHsRs map ofthe United States,
published at Philadelphia, improved
to the first Of January, 1918.
The same treaty further stipulates,
in reference to the boundary thus re-
cognised, as follows: "The two high
contracting parties agree to cede and
renouuce all their rights, claims, and
pretensions to the territories described
by The said line that is to say the
United States hereby cede to his Ca
.holic Majesty, and renounee forever,