The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-06-15

United S.aies
Delivered in the Senate of the United States May
%, IS4i
Mr. McDurrIE rose and addressed the Senate
nearly as follows
In proceeding, Mr. President, to discuss this great
| .onal question, ] shall commence by laying down
a fundamental proposition which will cover the
whole ground of controversy affirm, then, that
not only the right, but the duty of the President
of the United States 10 initiate tins nchoae treaty
for the anne xaton of Texas to these United States,
and it both the right and the duty of this Sc
nate 10 ratIiy and confirm It. In saying this, have
exposed the whole Of our line of battle. Before,
however, | proceed to defend it against the direct
assaults Of the adversary, shall attempt to dislodge
the honorable Senator from Missouri Mr. Benton
from position, a diminishing position, which he has
assumed upon our flank The honorable Senator,
if aggravate the eBormy of the atrocious viola
ton of our national faith which would be involved
in the ratification OF such treaty, has gwen us
learned geographical disquisition the question OF
boundary intended TO show that in receiving Texas,
we have not taken the Republic Of Texas only but
also large portion Of New Spain shall not enter
upon any geographical discussion to what the
true boundaries of Texas, because ! consider that
whole question as having been perfectly exhausted
be the able and conclusive argument of the honora-
BILE Senator from Mississippi, Mr.. Walkerl But,
ba the boundary what 1t may, far as the argument
Of the honorable Senator from Missouri is
ed II IS perfectly immaterial to the issue. What is
his argument That this treaty conveys to the Uni
ted States large portion OF New Spain, under the
general name OF " the territories Of Texas, and he
then proceeds gravey demonstrate that this terri
| tory not embraced under the denomination OF
| Texas Why, sir, Texas processes, and the treaty
processes, in lis very terms to convey to US all the
| territories Of the Republic Of Texas, and nothing
more" Bat the Senator from Missouri has disco,
cred that by some incomprehensIble juggle, she has
| actually conveyed more than herself! Now, IL is
seli-evident, oil Inspection, that the treaty neither
does convey, nor Is intended 10 convey one solitary
square foot OF land which does not rghtiuly belong
TO Texas The honorable Senator, to strengthen his
assumed position, introduced an Illustration most I'M
fortunate Tor ms own purpose but admirably adapt
ed 10 mine. lie presented the of a land owner,
who has good and valid title 10 portion OF his
1 tate, and pretended and unfounded claim to
the residue and sells the whole by a general desig-
nation specifying boundaries. And he ma inla los
that the purchaser in this would take not only
the land covered by good title, but also the land
! yered only by false claim. This may be Ia " in
Missouri, but 1t certainly is not in South Carolina.
| The question here l., What has Texas conveyed
TO the United States And the true answer j., all
the territory belonging 10 the Republic. We take
Texas she is aud whatever she Is, and no more
| II the honorable Senator has succeeded in showing
that the true boundary OF Texas is not the Rio del
Norte, he has only shown that have not made
quito good bargain some gentlemen may have
supposed Yet 1t Is to be trumpetcd through Inc
Union that, 10y this treaty We have seized upon
great part of New SPAN.
| But this Is not all. The Government Of the United
States IN this treaty with feeling bscoming regard
| TO the rights of MEXICO as well as those OF Texas
has not designated the territory conveyed by specified
boundaries, but has lett the whole question Of bour-
Diary open question. The boundary Of Texas Is
not referred 10 In the treaty at all while at the same
time the correspondence which accompanies it clear
| ~ shows the animus-the true intent and purpose
with which that matter left an open question :
IL Is, that II s. oud be subsequently settled on eaua-
BILE, just and liberal terms with Mexico. From this
view OF the circumstances, 1T is evident that no addi-
tional a,rocy is gwen to our imputed violation Of
good faith IN this Transaction, from an attempt 10
purchase what we know Texas bad no right TO COZ
vey.
| ] come to the positions assumed by honorable
Senators on the other side, IN direct opposition to
the ratification Of the treaty.
And first, /, has been commended with all the va
Iiaons Of phrase, all tie 6oursbos Of rhetoric and
all the emphasis of denuDciaton, that should this
treaty be ratified, the government and people Of the
United States will he obnoxious TO the charge OF
gros- violation cfibe public faith and will maxi then
selves the object OF universal scorn and dee.tsop
throughout The civilized world. VIII, sir have hon.
| orsbe Senators forgotten the history of our own
county the origin of these States and the achieve
| meni Of their indei endcDcel What was our conJi-
| ton In i71sl We were wsring unequal war with
| he most powerful nation OF the world her feet.
dsIkened our coasts her armies dcsoated our fields
and distant nations, while they witnessed with won.
der the bDIdness OF d.fapce looked with conf
depc~ 10 the hour when should -nk in the conflict
and be completely suhjueUed by the gigantic power
Of Britain. Al that dark hour pregnant AZ II wa.
Nth our future fsle, France generously stepped for
ward snd rendered 10 the hand OF ffcndship At
an hour when we were no, rec, gnised by the other
nations of the world and were Scarcely known 10
some OF ibemi and IN the very act OF fecognon sb.
sthe same time frmed with our infant States ,rr,
~ OF alliance, offensive and defensive And do So
majors Ind, IN any historian who has mentioned tbs
eveniu uansacton, the smallest ipputaton upon m.
government or people Of France q. ha wing been omit
~ OF breach of national faith and an obnoxious
violation OF her treaty obligations with Gtest Rri,.n7
DO they charge her with having furnished her 90.
cuicheon by an act Of public per6ly7 | have seen No
such charge. On the contrary, bel eve the pct wa.
regarded as magnaninous and riahtful by the com
mon consent Of civilized nations France clea, hal
me right TO enter into such treaty, without incur
mig The slightest mputaton Of bad faith tell thes.
Senators they are talking about a question which "a
not involved IN this tres,y at ALL Their ebarg. in
wolves fetal misuse Of words and is founded an /.
total misoonoePii,n oflhisas Ifihi. pov,romen, nd
even contracted an alliance, offensive and J.,.p,..
with Ieras, at the time that SANTA Anna ,,s ,n..,
ing to meet disastrous and dsgracefuI defe, a, S,
1ae'n'o, abe would have violated no prioc,pe M
tonsi hih, nor any dictate Of ipterns,ional ,,v
She would have done that, and thai onlv ,h;eh ~.
bad an Indispensable right TO DO snd which :, IN,
une many among Ne (of whom wa. not ope) held
DC ss much our duty As II would be that Of p,ren,