Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-08-02
COMMUNICATIONS
OF MR. WALKERS TEXAS SPEECH
IL SENATE, MAY 20, 1874.
ABSTRACT

The Republic of Texas cedeS To The United Stale
all lis territories II these territories extend L
the Del Norc, they are ceded, hut not otherwise
II IS said that Texas, ny act Of her Congress o
1896 claims to the Del Nortc and that therefor
The cesSion of Texas hy name necessarily extend
10 that boundary BI, the boundaries .! naiiu,
t2rend or something more than lis own claims
these they may extend beyond lis righiu! limits
and when it is ccdci by name, tina, cesSion ex
tends only 10 the country embraced within lis law
iii! boundaries. II. then, the Del None is not In
lawful boundary of Texas, il is not included in th
Treaty; and if il be the proper boundary, then il
ami ought 10 be included This woud be tht
true construction of the Treaty iSeil hut 10 re
move all doubts, the government, OF Mexico wa
! informed, by cot"mporan"olIs despatch from OIL
government, dated April 10, 1911, that we had
I Left The boundary Of Texas without specified
ton, 50 that what the line Of boundary should b
! might be an open question, 10 be fairly aud full
discussed and settled according - the rights o
! each. ana the mutual interest al security OF ih'
/ two countries"
IT, however, the Treaty, Ii lis terms, embrace:
| territory not belonging 10 Texas, it may, We al
! know le amended on motion of any Senator, s.
as 10 exclude such territory, and therefore m ol.
lection even il well founded, which can thus b,
/ so easily removed can constitute no Just rcaSGl
for defeating tie Trealv
But even if The boundary had mol been Jeff n
open question: bur the Del Nore had been spcci
fed, il is the rightiul boundary OF Texas, an,
therefore, would constitute no valid objection 10 tht
Treaty.
Here follows he proof that The Del Sortc wa!
the true boundary Of Texas 50 declared by .Ieler
son, Madison, Monroe, Pinckncv. John q
Adams, Henry Clay, and Thomas Ii. Benton
and as such acquired by us in 1903 as part o
Louisiana, and so acknowledged Nv both Franc,
and Spain, Mr. Clay, in his letter Of 9Th April
1871 say>: "The United States acquired a title IL
Texas, extending, as | believe, 10 the Rio De
Nortc, by he Treaty Of Louisiana. They ccdcC
and rcinqui>hed that lille Ia Spain by the Treaty
Of 1919 Nv which the Sabine was substituted to'
the Del Nore, as 0ur lI,dcyH i0rad0lp.' Be
fore the Treaty of 1919, Mr. Bertoa says. "a
the country 10 the West of The lower Mississippi
quite 10 The Rio Del Nor,c was ours "-(Globe, An
May, lsil) This was the declared boundary o
the Republic o. Texas, acknowledged b. Us in ON
treaty with her, Of the :315!h Of April, 1888
When we look also IL the terms OF the treaty o!
lSG3 ny which we acquired Texas 10 the Del
N0rte the case is one not merely OF remuneration
and ola restoration OF our ancient boundary, IN, il
becomes an obligation cfhonor and Of conscience
which We cannot disregard without VIOLATING the
tah OF treaties. ami refusing to iulil the most
solemn and sacred pledge ever given by the Go
vernment Of the Union That treaty declares:
The inhabitants OF the ccicd territory stall il
Incorporated into the iEiGR NJ NE iRifC1 .SaitS.
and admitted a. soon Is possible. according 10
the principles Of The Federal Constitution 10
the enjoyment ot' all the rights. advantages and
imnunitics OF cti.coS n liz THitcd Stote%; and
in the n,coE time, they shall be protected in the
free cniormcr OF heir liberty property, and the
religion which they profess
Here is our soie,an pledge Ia France, and 10
the people o! Teas. thai, a. soon possible,
they ''sdalbc incorporated in HE Union of The L
States" and, in The near hmc, trey shall Ire
projected" &c. Here is Il clear compact not To
transfer Texas ol the people Of Texas 10 any io.
reign power, but Ia incorporate them into the
Union and project them in all their ri@ cili-
2cnS of the United States. But il is said, this
treaty has been rescinded by subsequent com
pact. not with France, hut with Spain and Mrxi-
CO. Now, the rule al the law of nations on this
subject is thus laid down hy Nailcl, page 1916
acc. l6J:
"a sovereign already hound IL a treaty canno
enter into others n1Aty0rg In n" fT9. Til" things
respecting which he has entered into engagements
are no longer at his disposal Ii il happens tha
4 posterior treaty he iouad, in any particular
point to clash with one of more ancient date, The
new treaty is mil ad r0id with respect 10 thai
point inasmuch a. il lends TO d>Hosc OF 4 hnc
that is no longer in the power OF him who appears
10 dispose it,
The treaties, then with Spain and Mexico, b,
which Texas was surrendered. without the con
Scnt OF either France or Of tie people OF Texas
were. most clearly absolute rnilities. being vio
lati"c othc faith oi previous treaties and turbtde,
hv The law OF nations But il is sand tic people
of Texas are c,toppcd BY our acknowledgment
of their independence, from claiming the beneil
OF this treaty Butihe ircaiy is with France, VII,
has never released ~: and a 10 the estoppc
claimed as against the people of Tevas, vii
any such plea. Bv the treaty of 1903, We wcrt
bound 10 receive into the Unior the people @
! Texas. and 10 protect hem as citizens. Mos
shamcf;lllv did we neglect this solemn obligation
and in defiance Of il, coded Texas and lis PEG
pie 10 Spain in 1919, and confirmed the ccs>on II
| Mexico in 1923. Instead of admitting into III
Union and protecting the people Of Texas w
abandoned and deserted them until, on the 2l>
| April 1896. thew established their independence
| And what was their il-t acr? Why, by an al
/ most unanimous vote, 10 asa rc-ddlni>>lpn int
the Union. In pursuance o: This vote, the follow
/ ing resolution was adopted BY Texas, ON the 1911
! November. 1886:
S.Joim Resolution fp Mndiag Minister 10 III
JmtcG Stats.
| "Whcrcas the good people oi Texas, in &c
cordance with Proclamation Of his Excellence
/ ID. G. Burnct, President odm!crim OF the Repub
/ lie, did, on the first Monday Of September Ia
/ past, Il, an election held ior President, Vice Pre-
/ sident, Senators and Representatives of Congress
vote 10 he annexed /, the United States OF Amc
RIGA. with an unaninity unparalleled in The an
nails of the elective franchise, onIy nmcty-hrcc q
7 II. a..
"Bc N literature rc0'cciby tie .Scaa'c d1a HonS
/ NJ Representatives. of Nc RPaill oi 1iras /,
C9nsresS asScmbicd That the President b., am
he is authorized and requested Ia despatch forth
with. 10 the Government o. the United States o
America, minister vested with ample and pie
nary power TO enter into negotiations and Igeatle
with the United States Government or the rccCg
nHiomof Tie ia1epcadcaec IF 1ccaS, 0nd for an I'm
mcdi0ie aapcta'ioa Ia tic Cnsicd .StattS-a inca
sure required BY the almost unanimous voice q
The people OF Z cxas, and fully concarred in b.
the present Congress.
SAM. HOUSTON, President.
"Approved Nov. 10. l33G."
Referring 10 this very resolution, Gen. Jack
son. in his message OF December following, say,
"'rhe title 10 Texas 10 the territory She claims
is identified with her Independence She asks Il
io acknowledge that title 10 The territory with a
1NbWpd tlc>I-ll Va
10 the United States.
Such was the state OF the case when we recoe
nised the independence Of Texas, and such the in
piled pledge OF annexation under which We mad
The recognition. Texas applies TO usto rccognis
he independence in order that, rs the result OF sue
recognition she may be Immediately annexed
the L. S. We grant the recognition. and no'
is it either Just or honorable TO say that Texas
thereby estopped lromdcmandins her righ, 70 be at
miled inothe Union underline solemn obligatio
and plighied faith or The treaty Of 1903. No, NJ
PreSident; the recognition, under these circumstai
ces. - tal from at>olvins tromthe plcigt
Of the treaty of 1893 superaddei 10 that treaty al
other and renewed obligation TO admit the people
Texas INTO the Union. Ii was Tor this purpose, AZ
10 enable YOU at once 10 perform the obligations
that treaty. that the recognition was desired /
Texas. and Immediately thereafter she reqnes,c
I, be admitted into tie Unio5 and now that W
: should make the recognition, under such cilcun
stances. an e>oppel 10 herrghts under the treaty
1903. would be a pervegsion Of every principle
honor. truth and justice. The question, then, Off
annexation i question ofhonor and good .ail
We bound ourselves in 1903, 10 admit The peop
ofTexas ntothe Union. They have never Ie!ca
cd us from that obligation. They ask that it M
: be pcliormei and, il we would not trample up,