The Port-Gibson correspondent., 1844-05-04

! sspuls'On Of Spanish power that Mexico.
unrecoauised BY Spain, acquired all her
f's0' 70 this territory, and il is by siai.
tar successful revolution that Texas has
obtained the same territory These
principles have been recognised for ma.
my years BY Mexico, and BY this repub,
"ci ana q Is absurd in Mexico now to
attempt to recall her uaequiyocal assent
% tnese doctrines, and ask TO be permit
leu to change the we'll settled law ol
nations, and oppose the remuneration Of
leSas. Il is an admitted principle oi
the law ofhations, that every sovereign.
| " may cede the whole or any part Of
their territory, unless retained by some
constitutional interdicr; and which, if it
exist, may be removed by the same
sovereign power which imposed the Iim>
liaIion. There is, however, no such
limitation in the constitution Of Texas,
which is single central government,
with the same authority to make the
eession, as pertained TO France or Spain,
in the transfer Of Louisiana or Florida.
Nor does ii change the question 'df
power, that those were distant colonies !;
for the sovereignty extends alike over
every portion Of the nation; and this
principle was fully recognised when
Mr. Adams, as President, and Mr.. Clay,
as Secretary OF State, in 1925 and 1927,
by instructions to our minister at Mexi-
CO, and General Jackson as President,
and Mr.. Van Buren, as Secretary or
State, by subsequent similar instructions
in 1929, endeavored to procure from
Mexico the cession of Texas, then con
tiguous ard integral portion Of the Mex>
ican confederacy. And fla nst;on may
cedo portion of her territory, being
Completely sovereign over the wholesale
may certainly cede the whole; and, in
any event this would be question. not
'6f Our right TO receive, hul Of the auihori
~ OF the cedlng nation TO make the trans.
fer, or simply an inquiry, whether we
obtained a good or a bad title. Ii this
case, the title would be unquestionable;
for Texas being independent in fact, and
so recognised by ourselves, and the
great powers of Europe, as completely
sovereign throughout the territory,
Mexico could make no JUS, objection 10
lhe transfSf.
In 1886, this question, together with
that Of ratifying their constitution, vas
submitted BY the constituted authorities
to the people Of Texas, who, with un
paralleled unanimiiy, There being but
ninety three dissenting votes,l decided
~ ioFOA vi ISduuSAdliOus
Texas, then, has already assented TO
the remuneration, not merely by the act
Of all her authorities, bu, of her people,
and made j. a part and parcel Of the
organization Of the governnaen. itself'
and he who, with the knowledge Of these
facts, would now deny the power OF Tex
as to assent to the remuneration, must
reject and discard the great fundamensi
ial principle Of popular sovereignty
Surely, then, no one will contend that
rnonarchies may transfer, and We receive
their colonies and subjects, without and
against their consent; bu: that the en-
tire people single republic, in whom
resides the only rightful sdSereignty can
ddt cede, nor We receive, their own ter
ritory, and that monarchies have more
power than the people. and are more
truly sovereign. Texas, then; having
the undonbted right to transfer the
whole, or any part ofthe territory there
can be no difference, aa a question: Of
constitutional powsf, between our right
TO receive a part OF the whole Of the ter>
ritory.
The rcannsxation, then, can be ac
cOmpIished BY any dne Of three modes.
Isl, BY treaty; End, BY an act Of Con-
gress, without . treaty; and Sd, BY the
authority reserved to each State, to OK
Tend their boundaries, and annex addi-
tional ierrit6ry with the sanction Of
Congress.