Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-01-10

'Oi fixing boundary previously e4lstihS. y was
on The contrary, the case OF an avoWen cessuon
of territory from The United States 10 SPAN. =
Although, then, The government may DC coihpe'
tent 10 fix disputed boundary, BY ascerIa'hihs
as near as practicable where il Isl although, also
Stale with the consent OF this government, as
in the case of Maine, may cede portion oil mel
terrilory-yei il BY no means follows mat this
| government, lv treaty, could cedc territory OF
! The Union Couid we by treaty cedc Florida u
/ Spain, especially without consulting The people
OF Floridal and, if moi, The treaty by which Tex.
as was surrendered was as Mr.. Clay commended
ial0peraiirc.
aBy the treaty Of 1903, by which, we have seen
Texas was acquired by US from France We
pledged our faith 10 France, and 10 The people ol
| Texas never 10 surrender that territory. Inc 81
article of that treaty declares: 'lhe inhabitants OF
The coded territory shall he incorporated in The
Union Of Tie United STATES, and admitted as soon
as possible according to The principles OF The re
dcral Constitution, 10 The enjoyment Of all the
rights advantages and immunilies OF eiii-ens o.
tie Taited States; and in the mean lime they
shall be projected in the free enjoyment oil lheir
liberty property and The religion which they pro-
irss' Such was our pledge 10 France and 10 The
people otTexas, by the treaty OF purchase ana II
our subsequent treaty oi cession 10 SPAN was
not unconstitutional and invalid, it was gross
inraciion of a previous treaty, and oi one OF The
fundamental conditions under which Texas was
acquired.
"Iere, then, are many grave questions OF CON
stitu,ional power. Could the solemn guaranty 10
France and 10 the people Of Texas, be rescinded
by Treaty with Spain Can this Government,
bv lis own mere power, surrender any portion Of
lis territory Can il cut off territory without
the consent of its people, and surrender them and
the territory 10 foreign power Can It expa-
triale and expe from the Union its own citizens,
who occupy that territory, and change an Ameri-
can citizen into citizen Of Spain or Mexico =
These are momenious questions, which il is not
necessary now 10 determine and in regard 10
which | advance al this time no opinion. Ger
tain, however, il is, that with the consent OF the
people Of Texas, Congress can carry out the
solemn pledges OF the Treaty OF 1902, and admit
one or more States from Texas into the Union.
"The question as 10 Texas is, in any aspect
a question OF the ra.cs,ablishment OF our ancient
boundaries, and the rc-posseSsion Of a territory
most reluctantly surrendered. The surrender Of
territory, even if constitutional, is almost uni
versay ineIpedicnt and unwisc, and, in any
event, when circumstances may seem TO demand
such a surrender, lie territory thus abandoned
should always he rc-acquired whenever IL may
Ire done with justice and propriety. independent
ot these views, We have the recorded opinion oil
John Quincy Adams is President, and Henry
Clay IS Secretary of Stale, and also OF General
Andrew Jackson as President and Martin Van
Ruren as Secretary Of State, that Texas ought 10
be re-anncxed 10 the Union. On the 10Th OF
March 1925, Mr. CLAY, in conformity with his
own views, and the crprcss d,ruiions Of DR.
adams as President, directed letter TO Mr.
poinsct our Minister al Mexico, inslructing him
10 endcavor 10 procure from Mexico a transfer 10
Ms of Texas 10 the Del Norlc. In this letter Mr..
CLAY saws, "lhe President wishes YOU to effect
that object" Mr. Clay adds: The line of the
Sabine approaches our great Western mart nearer
Than could be wished. Perhaps the Mexican
Government NAV mol Inc unwilling 10 establish
that of the Rio Brassos de DioS, or the Rio Co
dorado or The Snow Mountains, or The RIO del
Noie. in lieu Of it," Mr. Clay urges, also, The
Importance Of having entirely within Our limits
the Red river and Arkansas, and their respective
tributary streams"
"On the 18th Of March, 1897, Mr. Clay again
renewed the effort 10 procure the cessioH OF Texas
in his letter of instruction, ol That dale, 10 our
minister al Mexico, he says: sThc President
has thought The present might be an suspicious
period for urging 4 negotiation nj Mexico, 10
settle the boundary of the Two republics" III we
could obtain such boundary We desire, The
government OF the United States might he dispos-
ed 10 pay a reasonable pecuniary compensation.
The boundary We prefer is that which, beginning
al the mouth Of the Rio del Norlc IN the sea- shall
ascend that river 10 the mouth OF The Rio Puereo,
thence ascending This riverto lis source, and from
its source by line due north 10 strike The Arkan
sas thence following the southern bank Of the
Arkansas to is source, in latitude AZ degrees
north; and thence 10y that parallel Of latitude 10
the South sea-" And lie adds, the treaty may
provide "for The incorporation of the inhabitants
into the Union"
"Mr. Van Buren,, in his letter, as Secretary Of
State, TO our Minister at Mexico, dated August
o5. 1929, SAYS: at is the wish Of the President
that you should without delay, open negoia-
ton with The Mexican Government for the pur
chase Of 50 much Of the province Of Texas as IS
hereinafter described" ole is induced, by dep
conviction OF the real necessity OF the proposed ac
quision not only as a guard for our Western
frontier, and the protection Of Neic orleans, but
also 10 secure forever to the inhabitants of the
valley Of The Mississippi the undispued and un-
disturbed possession OF the navigation of that ri
yer" "The territory, Of which cessiun is de-
sired by The United States is all that part OF The
province Of Texas which lies East OF line be-
Ginning nj the Gulf Of Mexico, in the centre Of
the desert, or grand prairie, which lies West of
The Rio Nueccs" And Mr.. Van Buren, adds,
the treaty may provide "for the Incorporation Of
The inhabitants into the Union" And he then
enters into long and powerful argument OF ms
own, in favor Of the r.-acquisition of Texas.
"On the Goth OF March, 1888, Gen. Jackson
through Mr.. Livingston as Secretary OF State, re-
news 10 our minister al Mexico the former Sin
slructons on the subject of the proposed cession.
On The 2d Of July, 1895 Gen. Jackson. through
Mr. Forsyth as Secretary Of State, renews The in
slruclions 10 obtain he ccssion Of Texas, and ex-
presses Gan anxious derrc 10 secure the very de-
sirable alteration in our boundary with Mexico
On the 9th Of August, 1895, Gen. Jackson, through
Mr.. Forsyth as Secretary OF State, directs our
minister at Mexico 10 endeavor 10 procure for Us,
from that Government, the following boundary,
beginning at The Gulf Of Mexico, proceeding
along The eastern lank 1t tie river Flo Bravo del
Norle 10 The 37rh parallel Of latitude, and thence
along thai parallel 10 The Pacific This noble
and glorious proposition Of Gen. Jackson would
have secured 10 us, moi only the whole Of Texas,
but a $50 the largest and most valuable portion OF
upper California, together with the bay and har-
Dor Of San Francisco, The best on the western coast
of America, and equal 10 any in the world If
then, it was deemed, as il is clearly proved, most
desirable 10 obtain The remuneration of Texas,
down ic period as late as August, 1885, is il
less important al this period?'