The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-08
BOUNDARIES OF TExAS--DUTIES OF THE
UNITED STATES.

BOUNDARIES OF TExAs-DUTIES OF THE
UNITED STATES.
The National Intelligencer insists upon the Elk.
ecutive OF the United States standing upon The desn
on tho present OCCASION The Integencer insists
upon it, that unless the President keep ''withn the
settled limits Of the land, whose proper population
merely, and not its territorial preensions, it is now
necessary to defend !" he transcends ''the measure
of the necessity" and usurps powers not conceded
by the constitution. "But it is apparent (adds the
Integencer) that Texas has claimed, and we fear
it is equally apparent that the Executive has grant
ed, the occupation Of everything up to the Rio Bra
vo which occupation is nothing short Gas every
body knows) of an invasion of Mexico. Il is often
sire ,oar, and not the necessary defence ofTexasn
Does the Intelligencer intend to dispute the right
which Texas Claims" and which we shall have
acquired by her consent to the territory to the Rio
Bravo del Nortes This is the first questions; and we
think it necessary to show, in case the language of
the lntclligencer may have cast some suspicion
upon her and our title, that the Rio del Norte does
properly constitute her western frontier that il is the
legitimate boundary, which we acquired when Lou
isiana was obtained by Mr. Jefferson in the treaty
Of 1903; that we maintained it to be the true bound
airy, SO long as we held Texas, down to 1919; and
that il is, moreover, the boundary which Texas,
Stree, sovereign, and independent" claimed in her
organic law, and in her congressional aotments, as
the western limit Of her empire. We wish, by this
proposition, to show that We now rightfuly occu-
Ply with our troops any portion of the intermediate
territory between the Nueces and the Rio del Norte
which is not directly occupied by the Mexicans 1t is
ot necessary for us, however, 60 into any historic
cal and geographical researches Of our own to estab-
lish the position. The work is already done to our
hand by master-mind, which has looked over the
tite-papers consulted the maps, and pored over the
pages of ancient hstorians--by a man whose very
name and reputation are now identified with the name
and the glory Of Texas---n other words, Robert J..
Walker, esq, from whose celebrated letter of jan
nary, 1884, and his able speech in May of the same
year, we supply the following conclusive extracts
Extracts from The letter Mr.. Walker, Of January 1874
"ls il expedient to reannex Texas to the Amer
tcan Union This is the greatest question, since
the adoption OF the constitution, ever presented for
the decision of the American people. Texas was
once our own; and, although surrendered by treaty
TO Spain, the surrender was long resisted by the
American government, and was conceded to be a
great sacrifice This being the case is it not clear
that, when the territory, which we have most re-
luctantly surrendered can be reacquired that OBJ
ject should be accomplished Under such circum.
Stances to refuse the remuneration is to deny the
wisdom of the original purchase, and to reflect upon
the judgment of those who main,sined, even at the
period of surrender, that it great sacrifice of
national interests .
'Texas, as Mr.. Jefferson declared, was as clearly
embraced in the purchase by us of Louisiana as
New Orleans ITSELF and that it was part Of that
region, is demonstrated by the discovery, by the
great Lasale, of the source and mouth Of the Mis-
sissippi, and his occupancy for France west of the
Colorado. Our right to Texas, as a part of LOUISE
ana, was asserted and demonstrated by Presidents
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and John Quincy
Adams. No one of our Presidents has ever doubt.
ed our title; and Mr. Clay has ever maintained it
ms clear and unquestionable. Louisiana was ac-
quired by treaty with France, in 1903, by Mr.
Jefferson; and in the letter Of Mr.. Madison, the
Secretary of State, dated March 81, 1904, he saws
expressing his own views, and those of Mr.. Jeffer-
son, that Louisiana extended westwardly to the
Rio Bravo, otherwise called Rio del Norte Orders
were accordingly obtained from the Spanish author
tiles for the delivery Of all the posts on the west side
of the Mississippi And in his letter of the 81
January, 1904, Mr.. Madison declares that Mr..
Laussat, the French commissioner who delirered
VpsStSStDH announced
del Nore as lis true boundary Here, then, in
the delivery of the possession of Louisiana by
Spain TO France, and France to US, Texas is in
Guided In the letter of Mr.. Madison Of the 9Th
July, 1904, he declares the opposition Of Mr. Jefer-
son to the reiinguismen of any territory whatever
eastward of the Rio Bravo. In the letter of James
Monroe of the 9th November, lSO3 he encloses
documents which. he says prove incontesfaby' that
the boundary Of Louisiana is the Rio Bravo to
the west; and Mr.. Pinckney unites with him in a
similar declaration. In subsequent letter--not to
u foreign government, but TO Mr. Madison--of the
both April, 1906, they assert title unqueston
able. In Mr. Monroe's letters as Secretary of State,
dated January 10, 1876 and June 10, 1916, he saws
none could question our title to Texas;' and he ex-
presses his concurrence in opinion with Jefferson
and Madison, that title to the Del Norte was
as clear as TO the island of New Orleans In his
letter, as Secretary Of State TO Don Onis, Of the
18th March, 1918, John Quincy Adams says: sThe
claim Of France ai,oays did eriend ,Ueshcard to The
Rio Brapo;' she aitcays claimed the territory which
you call Texas as being within the limits and FORM
ing part, OF LOUISIANA After demonstrating our
title to Texas in this letter, Mr.. Adams says well
might Messrs Pinckney and Monroe write to M.
Cevaos in 1906 that the claim of the United States
to the boundary of the Rio Bravo was as clear as
their right to the island Of New Orleans Again,
in his letter of the 3lst October, 1918, Mr.. ADAMS
says our title to Texas is established beyond the
power of further controversy
Texas, as part Of Louisiana, by LasalIe, for
France, in 1885; by the delivery of possession to us
in 1909 by Spain and France; by the action of our
government, from the date Of the treaty of aeuusi-
ton to the date of the treaty Of surrender (avowed
ly so on its face0 by the opinion Of all our Presi-
dents and ministers connected in any way with the
acquisition, our title to Texas was undoubted. Il was
surrendered to Spain by the treaty of 1919; but Mr.
Clay maintained, in his speech of the Sd April,
1920 that territory could not be aienaied merely by
treaty; and consequently that, Notwithstanding the
treaty. Texas still our o,cn. In the cession of
portion of Maine, il asserted, in legislative
resolutions, by Massachusetts and Maine, and con-
ceded by this government that no portion of Maine
could be coded by treaty without the consent of
Maine Did Texas assent to this treaty. or can we
cede part of territory, but not Of Slater These
are grave questions; they raise the point whether
Texas is not now part Of our territory, and wheth-
er her people may not now rightfuly claim the pro-
lection Of government and laws. Recollect this
was not question Of settlement under the powers
Of this government, Of disputed boundary. The