Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1844-06-06

Again the attempt was unsuccessful as was another
made by Mr.. Forsyth, by instruction OF General Jackson.
ia lns despatch Of August g.. 1875. TO purchase Texas and
fre degrees Of latitude on The Pacific coast, south Of Ore
go~n-nameIy, AZ to 81 degrees, including the valuable
harbor of San Francisco.
Such Is a brief summary, compiled from authentic
sources, Of the important facts in tins case. To what
conclusions do they bring US
Forty wears ago we received into the Union, a terrific
~, now called Texas, and, by n solemn treaty stipulation
We then pledged ourselves, before the world, not only To
France, but To the people Of that territory, that they
should be protected by Us in their liberties, property, aud
religion and should be admitted, as soon as possible, To
all the rights of American citizens.
Alter adherlng 10 tins our solemn pledge, for sixteen
years, II occurred to Us, that the Ftoridas would be (s
they truly WERE a convenient aud important addition 10
our | mon. To obtain them, IN 1919, we gave 10 Spain
five millions Of dollars and Texas. Dad We obtain any
release from France Of our promise, that the people of the
country she transferred to Us should remain free and un-
der our protection No. Did we consult that people
themselves, before, in violation of one treaty aud BY the
provisions Of another, We made them, to whom and their
posterity and their successors we had guaranteed repub-
lcan institutions, subjects of the Spanish king Nothing
Of the sort They were not consulted they had no
voice IN the matter. BY a dash of the pen, for our own
convenience, we deprived them and their descendants
forever 80 far a. with rs 1t rested Of those priceless bles-
sings, which patriot blood and treasure were once poured
forth To secure for ourselves. The Baron of feudal times
could not have treated his villains, nor the Russian noble
OF our day made over TO a brother noble his seris, with
more apparent unconceTn for their rights As men, than
we Displayed in our conduct to the Texans, throughout
this transaction.
But we did actually cede Texas to Spain and Mexi-
co. by reVolnticn, acquired the Spanish title and we
confirmed TO Mexico that title, by a treaty of limits, dated
January II, 1898. And now, IL is urged upon US, that
we are, and must remain, bound by the solemn faith Of
treaties to respect that title, and refuse the offer winch
Texas makes 10 us of annexation.
The solemn faith of lreatiesi Yes, we are bound by
every consideration of honor. and of national selfrespect,
to observe il. But does that faith permit us to select be-
tween two treaties. both ratified by US, both EQUALLY sol
emn. and say. " which we shall observe. and which we
shall violate Is one treaty To be held binding, because
II dates in 1919, and another 10 be set aside because II was
signed IN lcO3 because II was Jefferson : treaty be-
cause the same pen which traced the immortal Decara-
ton, that all men have an equal right 10 life, liberty,
and the pursuit Of happiness, traced also the solemn
promise to Texas, and her liberty. her property, and her
religion should by us be protected and maintained Or
Is II the modern doctrine of dIplomansis, that, IN execui-
ing treaties, we ARE To keep faith with the rulers of the
people, aud break it only with the people themselves ?
that there is one faith for the governors, aud another for
the governed that we must pause, and serupie, and hes
itate, before we venture TO irespasS, even one HAIR :
breadth, upon the royal prerogatives of a court, yet may
barter oil, without thought or doubt, unheeding promise
or pledge, the sacred rights of a nation !?
The question, then, surprising all these treaties siill
valid, Is one of IA complicated character. If the treaties
of 1919 and ISIS forbid Us to annex Texas, The treaty of
l5U3 commands Us TO do 1t. Bur, IN point OF fact, arche
treaties Of 1919 and ISIS, IN 50 far as they regard Texas,
aor r0iidP
By the treaty Of 1919. we ceded Texas to the King of
then declared ii, his property Certainly not on the
contrary, by the treaty of lo25, we acknuw ledge II 10 be
the property Ol Mexico. HOW 90 We TtCoDcllt lNtse " -
conflicting treaties? We say. that war, the stern arhiicr
of the fate of nations aud the ultimate declder OF their
rights, had iniervcned u successful war of revolution 4,
then seven years old, had transferred to Mexico the title,
which, in 1919, we granted to Spain, TO the territory of
Texas. Very well. Another war of revolutions, equally
successful, and now eight wears old. has, in like manner
transferred the Texan title from Mexico 10 Texas her
sell. And, IN the very same manner and upon the very
same principle, as the stipulation of the Spanish treaty of
1919 was abrogated by the first war, Is that OF the Mex
lean treaty of ls2S also abrogaied by the second.
TIp nuIv rsrfv that can 70 u1afp and thai winch IL e.
iually made, To this reasoning, l., that, while IN ISIS,
Mexico had fully achieved her independence, Texas IN
IS44 has not. In 1S25, not only had Spain not relin-
pushed her claims to what she called her province OF
Mexico, but was then actually preparing a powerful ar
mamenI To conquer those whom she still termed her re-
VOTED subjects and IN lc29, as we have seen, she al
tackled Mexico by sea and laud. In the course of six
weeks, five battles were fought, before the invaders were
repealed by Santa Anna.
And how stands the case now, in regard 10 the war be
tween Mexico aud Texas Upwards of eight years have
elapsed since the time when The battle of San Jacimio,
and the consequent articles of agreement with FflIsosd,
freed the Texan soil from the tread of hostile invaders.
In these eight years, rs | have shown, the troops of Mex
leo have maintained for hardly three ,eeeks IN aH-scarce-
" half the Time occupied by the Spanish invasion of
Mexico in le29-even ioothold in the territory Of Tex
rs. The war. with the paItrv exception of these three
weeks, has been, as MIR. Van Zandt well expresses IT, a
war OF "braggad0cia bulletins and gasconadlng proclama-
tons But a war, to justify its being entitled even To
the name Of a war of reconqnest, must be carried on tciti
an amount ~ force and a measure Of PoSererdnee, m
some degree commensurate icih the end proposed. Now,
ii IS absurd 10 pretend, that Mexico, during these eight
wears, has ever, EVEN for a day, employed a force which
deserved any other character than thai of a mere maraud-
ing party or which gave her "A chance. even the most
remote, Of re-subiugating Texas. Mr.. Webster, opposed
as he Is to annexation, appears to have taken this view OF
the war In his despatch of The oth July, lo42- addressed
through our minister To the Mexican government, pub
lished in Nlles's Register of July %, 1922 he says,
speaking of the Texans:
"The hattie Of san Jacinto, fought on the 2st Of Ap1l. 1896,
achieved their independence, III, rp from that time rds al an end"
That he, and others of our cabinet since. and the Tex
ans themselves, have repeatedly spoken, and still speak,
OF the war as aOw existing am well aware. And II
must, IN siricinesS, be admitted, that "A sort of quasi war
exists AT tins moment, Ina>much rs II has not beeu Oticl-
ing war OF paper menaces - not entitled To consideration
as a war of re-conquest; nor, as Will show by and by.
eau II be Justly deemed sufficient to perpeiuaic or prUlong
Nexicos right over Texas
Ia the same despatch Of Mr.. Webster to which | have
Just referred, occur some very strong passages, defining
to the complaint of the Mexican secretary of State. Mr.
Bocanegra. that The United States treated Texas as an m
dependent aud sovereign State, Mr.. Webster boldly de-
clarcs
nrm, - I'll. a.. n,,,,ncs ~, a. ,r.y - - aIrry, - -
different rier dfhemauer. From the time oi the bat IL 1T san Jaeini0
l." the present moment. Tsras hs srtt.hd tAe same eternal sgps n ma.
government PnetcslI, ire and independent Acknowledge a. a po-
ltieal sovereign by the principal pwes of the world, ma hostile foot
finding ra in her Tertiary ft sa Or seven ,ear-. aud -ue,o rgra~
orR authority Sc.
Again. vi. Webster says:
are Al reace with Mexico, they ae ao at peace with Texas: that
ROM STAND on rHr SANE FOOTING; that. snce 1888. the United
states hare regDasd ItHas Is IN mdPeaaeat sOeerega'y l. ~1et as
These are Mr. Websier's opinions, sir good authority
my friends on the opposite side will admit, on questions
of international law. IL IL true Mr.. Bocanegras captou>-
ness NAV have stirred up the lion spirit a little. lie GER
taniy did write boldly and ,igor us.y but not the less
T truly on that account.