The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-25
A MARYLANDER.
.wHAT is TEXAS"
For the Union.

Under this head is an article in Saturdays Ma
tonal Intelligencer (l3h inst inviting the Execu-
tive organ to calm discussion OF the rights OF Tex
as as to limits Alter what has been said In and
out of Congress upon this and other questions grow
ing out of the proposition ofannexation, had hoped
that the whole matter would be left to the discus
sion of those to whom il of right belongs; and by
whom, at no distant day, it will be finally settled
However, if il is to be made the subject Of newspa
per discussion, il may not be amiss to examine the
facts upon which the Intellgencer relies, and which
are made the basis of its argument
lst The Intelligencer denies to the President, I'M
der the resolutions of annexation the right OF enter
ing whit it is pleased to call the disputed terri
tory"
3D. It asserts that the "dispued territory" is not,
and never has been, within Texas, as part OF
Mexico
: Sd. That Texas has not acquired it by treaty or
arms; and
Lastly. That the Rio Grande is not the western
boundary Of Texas.
Believing the President competent to judge Of
what he may lawfully do under the resolutions of
annexation, will confne myself to the examina-
ton Of the question Of limit and conquest
In Justice TO the Inelligencer and for the benefit
of those at oil interested, copy from the lntelli-
gencer that part Of Col Juan N. Almontes report,
which defines the limits Of Texas, and which the
Intelligencer has offered as being conclusive on this
point
"'Texas proper is situated between 2So and $50
north latitude, and ITO to $50 longitude west Of
Washington; bounded on the north by the territory
of Arkansas; east by the State Of Louisiana; south
by the Gulf of Mexico and the State of Tamaulpas;
and on the west by Coahuia, Chihuahua, and the
territory of New Mexico Colonel Almonte was
informed by the State government Of Coahula and
Texas, that instead Of the river De las Nueces, as
was generally supposed, and as then appeared on
the map, forming the boundary between Coahua
and Texas, this assumption was founded on geo.
graphical error. The true limit ought, il was al
legged to commence at the smbouchure of the river
Arkansas and followed to its source; continuing
thence, in direct line until il reached the junction
Of the Medina and San Antonio rivers; from which
it ought to proceed along the eastern bank of the
Medina towards its source, and terminate on the
borders of Chihuahua"
From this report, it would seem that the Arkansas
limit Of Texas. So far, however, from this being
the case, the Nueces by decree Of the legislature
of the State of Coahuila and Texas, passed at the
session of 1923 and not in 1884, stated by the
Intellgencer,) was made the western boundary of
the department Of Bexar. So much for Colonel
Almonte's report, and the decree Of Coahuia and
Texas Relying upon its facts as true, the inelli-
gencer thus argues:
aTexas, then, to have made herself something
not territorally the same which she thus defined
herself to be- must have obtained, by treaty CON-
quest, the additions which she claims. But she
claims by neither. Her claim, we have seen, is
founded only on the supposition that zoe had once
such claim for she has constituted herself our resi-
duary legatee. Treaty cannot be pretended as her
source Of right. Conquest she has twice attempted
first in the Santa Fe expedition, and secondly in
that Of Mier, which is on the Rio Bravo In both
these efforts she failed completely. The very fact
of her making such attempts shows abundantly that
the country is not hers for they were avowed enter
prises of conquest. Had they succeeded even
what them Conquest itself, in the eye of all ma
tional law, confers right, until the nation from
whom you take province confirms II 10 you by
treaty"
To settle this question about limits I have shown
what Coahula and Texas have done; and il only re-
mains now 10 show what Texas, a sovereign
and independent State, has done. BY an act of her
first Congress- passed the 10Th December, 1886, she
thus establishes and defines the limits of the repub-
lie of Texas:
"The civil and political Jurisdiction of Texas to
extend to the Sabine, along the Gulf of Mexico,
west to the mouth Of Rio Grande; thence up its
principal stream to its source; thence due north to
400 Of north atitudc and thence, by the line of the
United States, to the beginning"
But this, says the lntellgencer, gives no right,
and also that Texas could only acquire the ter
rtory living between the Nueces and Rio Grande by
treaty or conquest As she does not claim under
the first il remains to be shown what claim she has
under the latter. For this purpose | will briefly
ADVERT 10 Inc SJdtc Oh tnnSS lilut cAIbtcu, III Dot
Mexico and Texas, at and before the declaration of
independence by the latter In the year 1895, Gen.
Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana, then President Of the
republic of Mexico, did by usurpation and military
force, subvert the constitutional government OF
Mexico, and partially established in its stead
central government. To this act Of usurpaton
and force, the States were left no choice but
submission or resistance. Zacntecas nobly re-
solved on the latter, but soon fell prey to
bribery and corruption. The militia of the other
States were dsarmed, and their governments abol-
ished. The executive of Coahuila and Texas was
arrested by order of Santa Ana and held prison.
er for months. This done, it only remained for
Santa Ana to reduce Texas, and his power then
would have been complete Greatly enraged at the
success of the Texans against Goliad, Conception,
Lepantulan, and San Antonio de Boxar, Santa Ana,
at the head of an army estimated at from seven to
ten thousand men, in the month Of February, 1886,
entered Texas, and, by proclamation, declared a
war of extermination against oil who dared TO OPP.
pose him. In pursuance of this proclamation, the
garrison at the Alamo, under the command of Col
Travis, was put to the sword. Col. Tanning and
his command, at Goliad, alter having capitnlatcd,
were by order Of Santa Ana, marched out and shot
down in cold blood. Thus flushed with success,
and still hrstng for blood, he pursued the retreat
ing Texian army, under Gen. Houston, to San Ja-
cinto, where they gave him battle. He was defeat
ed; and, with largo number of his force, made
prisoner. The authorities of Texas still regarding
co but the government ITSELF ESQ far any govern
ment could be said exist) concluded treaty with
him, by which he acknowledged the independence
Of Texas, and her right of territory west to the
Rio Grande. Ee further stipulated to evacu-
ate the country, and march his troops-then
on the Brasos--across the Rio Grandc. In COM
pliance with which, he ordered Gen. Filisoa, (the
second officer in command,) to take up the
line of march for Mntamoras, and to scrupulously
respect both the person and property Of all Tex
ans General Filisola did obey this order, and
marched the troops under his command to Mata-
morns. Il may be denied that General Santa Ana
had the power to treat with the TEXANS, and that
his acts, while prisoner, were of no binding force
upon Mexico. ! will not stop TO argue this ques-
ton 1t is sufficient that there existed no govern
ment, State or federal, in Mexico; that the only
government then known and acknowledged, ceased
to exist upon the defeat and capture of Santa Ana
and his forces at San Jacinto. This being war for
conques-not for territory, but for power, by Santa
Ana-had not Texas clear and undoubted right, as
the conqueror, establish such territorial limits as
she was able to defend and protect And had she
a. IF