Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-06-14

our recognition, if il did moi admit that she pos
sesscd all the functions and rights incident 10 So
vereianty Snch. then j, Texas-Republican
! Texas-bv our own recognition, rishtfuilv made
5, both BIZ The laws of God and nations. Blu! we are
not alone in this solemn acknowledgment. Great
! Britain. France, Holland, ana Belgium have all
! concurred in the recognition: and Great Britain
| state ii Ia show how unfounded are The Svmpa-
thies here manifested for MeXico-Great Britain
I has very clearly indicated that she never will al
I low Texas to Ike sublugatcd hy Mexico She has
| in;eIposed as a mediator, out Of humanity, and
from regard 10 the general interests ~ The world
/ and from an ayowed regard IN her own CONNER
/ cia interests. It may he said that in this, She is
( governed by he dictates oi n selfish policy. This
NAV IL 50: and would like To know by what pu-
! rcr OF holicr motive States are usually actuatcd
/ than by an enlightened seii-inicrcst Go not
! complain OF Great Britain for this course, prori-
ded She does not Tread npon ihe toes or interfere
! with the rigits of the United States She has an
lndouhtcd right 10 do all she can To- advance her
/ own commercial interests.
Slich then is now the condition otTeXas. Her
sovereignty has been acknowledge by five Of Tie
! leading commercial Powers OF this civilized
world She possesses all the attributes OF nation
/ al sovereignty and all the elements and instiill-
! tons nf seli-government, in tu and quiet opera
ton more So. by far, tlian Mexico. II a compa-
ris0n bc Instituted between them. il will be found
that her existence and pcrpetuiiy as nation. and
! her stability as Government are by far more
firmly established than those OF Mexico herself
/ Can there bc 4 question. then. whether Texas has
/ all the rights ot IN independent Power? II -hc
ha, achieved her rGH TO Independence, AMI nov
holds il bv thai highest Of all titles the unanimous
, hearts and brave arms OF iIremcn. should like To
hear IN what subtle metaphysical distinction any
man will undertake Ia say that, though she Is IN
/ fact independent, ye. thai there is some dc jur"
! phantom Of Mexican divine right in The way,
/ which preclndes her fromdona what sovereign
( State, NAV OF right do" This idea Of "c jnrc
Independence and dc tdrt0 independence is ingc-
niouS beyond all comprehension: certainly ii is be
{ volid mine.
( will now inquire whether Texas has not Il
leh, 10 enter. if she chooses into 4 treaty of All
ncxaiion? Does the Senator from Missouri de-
! ny h.r right! am sure 10 un" o HE Senators
4 Oh tire other side will venture 10 deny il. ask.
is Texas riahtiuly entitled 10 the disposal other
own dcsiinie>! Can She do rs her sovereign will
max dictate? II Size Isl sovereign power she
certainly possesses the right to dispose 81 herself
as she p!eases; and if sic has this right and may
/ lawfully annex herself 10 the L. States, docs il
not irrcsishy follow a u coroary that the L.
States have corresponding and equal right TO
receive her! What means the right ut property,
Of Tie proprietor 10 sell and he cogrela,ivc right
of every other person 10 purchase! Can any one
conceive ofthe one right without the other! They
, cannot be- separated. even in idea That then Is
now The naked question: ami yet il Is >a!i that II
would IN Il ilagrani uuiraoc uron the ne 1Hf.
claims of Mexico >hould the 4. States enter into
hi; treatv Of annexation with Texas, by which
we receive nothing more than lie has an I'M
doubted right 10 convey
think il must he arraront hy This time that
the notion of the United States being guilty. ~ 4
violation either OF thu good faith or he rights OF
Mexico. is a mere phantom, and founded in to-
tai mi>conceplion Let us again take the analogy
of a CONVEYANCE Of landed estate. The Senator
from Missouri would say suppose, that II me
land 10 he conveyed he subject Ia the claim Of
tIird party however frivolous. no person can law
fully purchase from the ri"lliul owner III ocfhat
gosscsSioE. The honorable Senator will perhaps
say. that purchaser, under these circumstances,
would buv law su The thld party has been
actually ous,ed and has failed 10 bring his action
al law for eight years. the most prudent man
would not hesitate to purchase, particularly If he
knew the adverse claim 10 he merely vc$atlons,
and ke;, M Tor the sole purpose Of inducing the
true oWuer 10 buy his PEACE. And this brings me
10 The question involved in one OF the resolutions
moved hv the Senator from Missouri, VIZ: DO
We. in taking Tcxas take also war with Mex
leo
We are. in M Judgment, in the precise condi-
ton of one who has bought tr:ct OF land
against which there is fictitious paper claim
We take Texas as She is: Is a man takes ms
wiie-'tCr better or Tor worse, ana with all her
pellections and imperfeclionS on her head. We
ale prepared 10 take her on that CONDITION.
But the honorable Senator from Massachusetts
(Mr. Choate) and the honorable Senator from
Missouri (Nlr Bcnon) sax that il You rallly lhis
tcaiv Won rush at once into Il war with Mexico.
That was nv doctrine in 1880: Tor Texas WIS
then in fact what she is now enormously demo
minated. ''rcheliiouS province Eut since The
battle Of San Jacin,o Mexico has not made a
single military movement towards recovering her
lost dominionS Since that battle, Mexico has
done nothing that deserves the name OF war. she
has been able To- make no single effort that rises
above the dignity OF a temporary incur>ion 1ol
the purpose of plumber and raplnc, always con
cluded BIZ prcCipilate retreat She has lo
made nor has She been able 10 make. single eff
fort 10 rc.Subiu9ate Texas. What does Mr. Web
ster say on this point With that correct and ic-
licitous use Of language. for which he is so rc-
ma1fable he saws To Mr.. Bocancgra the foot
nj an invader from Mexico has not "S'cd on the
soil oi Texas since the battle 81 san .ac!nio.' -
This is literally true. The ''*ole> oil unh!e>Sed
feet have found no resting place there. But Sc
majors insist that the war is still raging. Appeal
inc IL the gasconadng prGclamaiolis oi Mexico.
the Senator from Missouri asks. us this peace
Then the honorable Senator went TN Ia illustrate
what constitutes peace Without answering him
ON this Point. propose to show the Senator what
constitutes war. shall not 90 with the Senator
from Missouri 10 a dictionary, either military or
civil Ia settle the question; though were these all-
thori,ics consulted, have no doubt they would
confirm all that am about 10 say. Will inst
show what The Senator from Missouri regards Is
the definition Of war The President Of the L.
Siaies-wh Il precautiou ard wisdom, | must
say. thai will do him great credit, and win 'lrm-
ness worthy cf General Jackson IN his hest days
has nit proceeded in this matter as Il II were a
ra,ne of childreMs play He has boldly. but wise
X and pfudcntv come up la the cner9ency.---
Well knowing the character oi Mexico, ard
aware that Our citizens might be- exposed to pre-
daorv Gets on land. and piracy on sea he has 81
ven suci oliicrs for the movement oi our militia
~ and naval iorccs as the occasion demanded
II would have been downright dwelling 10 have
done less. Bu, if the President had directed these
movements with the Constitution open before
him. and a council of Philadelphia lawyers at
his elbow. he could not have numbed The iine %
his constitutional power more precisely Than ne
has done The orders TO the hoine squadron, ana
the arrav of observation sent 10 the SABINE were
IN watch and ascertain the threatened movements
of Mexico. should any such he made, and prompt
IL repor; them 10 headquarters here, that h9
man BE- as prompW rep'ffed IN C"agfe&s.
Now ON The authority OF these orders the Scna-
Tor from Missouri assures US and with great We
hcncncc. too that I'VE are already at war with
Mexico" In support oil this assertion he gravely
nm ,oa military dictionary and there he finds,
from one OF its definitions that corps of o5ser-
yalion'' is a military corps sem TO explore the
movements. OF an 'enemg." There Gays the Sc
na,orA is war for you! You have called the
squadron soma, ordered off the Mexican coast squad
Jron OF observation and the detachmcnts order
ed 70 The Sabine corps of observation and on
pr,s;ien, has made war against Mexico II to
cmnloy corps Of observation is TO make war
,hai ~. ara. n war with Mexico doubtless ana
no, with Mexico alone but with all the Powers in
The YVES, Indies, on the Mediterranean. and on
rho coast Of Africa; Tor we have squadrons OF OBJ
70