Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-06-20
MIR. BENTON's TEXAS BILL.

MIR. BENTON'S TEXAS BILL
The bill submitted by Mr.. Benton to the Sen.
ate for the annexation Of Texas presents the oues
ton in new aspect, and one in which il NAV
be fairly and honorably entertained by the conn.
try. The assent Of Mexico is made primarv
condition, and the original province of Texa. !.
lone is embraced by it. In This form the quesionfs
resolved into one Of policy and expediency merely.
unembarrassed by the momentous considerations
which were in the way of tho consumma,ion OF
MIR. Tyler's project; and the country will be al.
lowed full time to make up deliberate Judgment
upon it. Whether the Texan Republic will con.
sent Ear to abate its extravagant pre,ensions 10
territory, however, to accede to the proposition.
we regard as rather questionable Indeed we an
ticpate almost much opposition TO it in that
quarter, as we do from Mexico.
The following are the terms of MIR. Ran,or,.
bill;
"Be it enacted that the President of the United
States be and he hereby is authorized and advised
to open negotiations with Mexico and Texas for
the adjustment Of boundaries and the annexation
OF the latter TO the United States on the follow
ing basis, to wit:
1. The boundary of the annexed territory TO be
In the desert prairie of the Neuces, and along
the waters OF the Mississippi from the waters of
the kio del Norte and to latitude ~ degrees North.
III. The People of Texas by Legislative act
or by any authentic act which shows the will of
the majority, To express their assent TO said an.
neXation.
Ill. A State to be called ..,he State of Tex.s, >,
with boundaries fixed by herself, and an exten.
not exceeding that of the largest State IN the H.
mon, to be admitted into the Union by yir,us of
States. s"''
Nv. The remainder Of the annexed territory "a
be held and disposed of by the United States an
one oil the territories, and be called "the Sonth
Western Territory" ''A
V. The existence of slavery to be forever n,o.
hoited In the northern and north western part of
said territory, as TO divide as equally a. NAV
De' the whole of the annexed country betwe cen
Slavehoiding and non Slaveholding States.
vi. The assent Of Mexico TO be obtained bv
treaty TO such annexation and boundary, and to
be dispensed with when the Congress of the II.
ned States may deem such assent 10 be unnc.
cessary.
VII. Other details of the annexation 10 he ada
Justed by treaty, so far as the same NAV come
within the scope of the treaty -raking power"
The Washington correspondent of the Bal,i.
more American gives the following sketch of the
remarks made by MIR. Benton on submitting ,ba
bill:
Mr.. Is. spoke of the controversy of 1906 in
Congress growing out of the annexation of Terris
tory at that tlme He took the position OF JefIsr.
soE, and the resolutions adopted in the House of
Representatives. With Mr.. jefferson he Vac IN
iavor OF securing all the Country for the United
States, whose streams fall into the Mssissippi. or
hat watered the streams that fall into that RIVER
Mr. Is. went on TO show how things were done
In the earlier and purer days Of the Republic In
view oil them nc had brought forward his bills
tie proposed the annexation Of Texas with the
consent of Mexico. If that could not be had he
was at least in favor Of having that Appreciation
OF the two Houses of Congress, which wopld
make all smooth and clear, and which would bn
proceeding IN constitutional way. lie regarded
such treaty nugaiory unless sanctioned 6y the
two Houses of Congress.
Mt: benton went on 10 say that he proposed
negotiation with Mexico and Texas for Texaa,
and while he did not say that this assent sbobld
ne absolute on the part of Mexico, he maintained
mat II 1t was sought in the right spirit il would
be obtained. The assent of Mexico was necessa.
ry because the question was one of Boundary and
one OF Sovereignty. Mexico claimed Texas al
part and parcel of herself, was at war with her,
hau never acknowledged her independence, and
DIS matter OF right 1t WINS right and proper for IA
to consult Mexico. We have treaties Of amity
and commerce with her. We have diplomats
and social intercourse. AS matter of right This
is due TO her, and as matter OF Justice il shoun
be done.
do not make the assent of Mexico an abso,b,s
condition of annexation, but seek il clearly y.
Peniy and above board. l seek it openly, man.
July, In the face Of the world, and if Mexico
should still persist In her REFUSAL then pronosa
That the subject shall be referred TO the Cougress
OF the United States. / refer it 10 the Cons,;tn.
ilonal powers Of the Government Then if war
comes 1t will be made by the constituted author.
tiles of the land.
Every wise man could see that Texas and Mex.
leo could not naturally be united. Texas BELONGED
naturally TO the Valley of The Mississippi Mex.
ico mad made no use Of il for three hundred wears.
MI Benton gave some account of Mr. Austen's
visit TO Texas to prove the position that Mexico
placed no value upon Texas, because reopraphs
s,;II ,mey were disconnected. They became
sun more disconnected by The character of the
feoPle who went to Texas. The people of Mex.
leo and Texas were wholly unlike. There must
oe an everlasting separation between Texas and
mexico. III our Government had acted upon
principles of justice and wisdom, they would
have seen these differences between The two conn.
tries and been governed by them.
Mr.. Benton said he was for preserving The NAT.
oral limit between the two countries, (ihe rivers
and the mountalns,) upon The Rio del Norte. He
took the same boundary indicated in the Resoln.
ton OF 1906. lie wanted no boundary beyonA
this natural one. Texas should desire no Other,
Secondly, he proposed that by virtue of this
act OF his that State should be admitted into
inc U mon TO be called The State Of Texas In
LOOKING over the natural boundaries, he found A.:
bout 100000 square miles, just about room es
nongh Tor four States. He was for having tho
question Of Slavery settled before Texas came
into the Union.
He wished. as he desired to preserve The DER.
peiulty OF the Union, 10 avoid another Missouri
agitation. lie would admit one-fourth of Texas.
comprising The mass of the present population, as
Slave State. The rest he would have called
the South Western Territory, and have divided
into two paris part Given In tho Creo S,,,oa