The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-15

taken the advice Of some OF the "true and distin-
gnished members Of the wing party" before it was
guilty Of making the extraordinary msrepresenla-
ton which stains the second paragraph Of this
mornings article. IL says: at seems We have ex-
cited the indignation of the government editor, be-
cause we Northumberland is a mere truism in IN
ternotional lawtha if our forces passed the actual
limits Of Texas, and entered upon Mexican terrific
ry it would be nothing more less than act
Of war on part, for which there was prstencs
Of necessity to justify the Executive" This not
the issue made by the National Intellgencer in its
article of "LEvYNo WAR IN Texas" In that article
it thus defines its own position:
Gwen under our view Of the extent which
cessity would for the moment and until power be reg
the President Is quite INDISPENSABLE IT, exceeding the meas
of the necessity he keep not strictly on the defensive
lation merely and not its territorial preensions is
necessary defend But il s apparent that Texas has
claimed and fear il is equally apparent that the Execu
has granted the occupation OF rythDg TO the
Rio Bravo; which occupation T. nothing short las every
and not the necessary defence of Texas And should
prove think will that the President has gone this
additional ength the President will be
in the full Of the word on his own authority and be-
yond all plea Of need, and even without any thought OF
asking legislative leave"
We are aware that, from the very first moment
that the National lnteigencer took position which,
for the first time for long period past, seemed to
throw its foreign predictions and its party cacu-
ations behind it, and assumed American ground, it
has been attempting to back out, and give up It's
own, ''to stand on foreign ground" 1t has attempt
ed to retreat from its poston-to modify its state
mcnts, by shading and shifting its expressions, and
gradually to approach the unenvied platform on
which the New York Courier and Enquirer had
placed itself We are not surprised, therefore, to
find the Inleigencer dropping the "setiied limits,
with its proper population" and nterpolatng the
phrases 'actual limits of Texas" and our enter
ing upon 0.Merican territory" 1t is possible that
the National Intellgencer may have made, of itself,
the discovery of its cutter ignorance of the topog-
raphy and photography ofthe country" It is also
possible that il may have discovered how very small
proportion of the country, of which "the settled
limits" of the Mexicans and their proper popula-
ton" may entitle them to claim possession.
But, if it has not made these discoveries we shall
attempt, tomorrow evening, upon the authority of
gentleman perfectly acquainted with that country, to
show that the Mexicans have senied-with very
small population, too-but an infinitely small proper
ton of the banks of the Rio Grande; that the Tex
posScosioh
Nueces, where Mr.. Kinney the representative ofthat
district in Congress, has for some time resided; that
at Bexar in the interior, west also Of the Nueces,
the Mexicans as well as the Texans vote for rep
resentatve to the Congress Of Texas; that at SAM
tiago, near the mouth of the Rio Grande, the Next
cans have but few scattered hamets and very
sparse OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES not over 100 men; that
several hundreds of miles above, the east side of
the river, not one Mexican settlements to be found
and that the first settlement is the residence of a
few miserable Mexicans; and that it is only when
you ascend to the region Of Santa Fe, that you APP
proach any considerable amount of the Mexican
population. IT, therefore, we take the rule of the
National Intelgencer the guide for the conduct
of our troops, what shall prevent them from march
ing boldly to its banks, taking possession of the
territory which we claimed since 1909 and which
the Texans have claimed their frontier
provided we do not interfere with the Mexican
settlement at Santiago, and the settled population
several hundred miles above, or the denser popu-
lation in the vicinity of Santa Fei Nothing, in
the name of heaven, except TO satisfy the scrupes of
the National lntelligencer TO justify the unfounded
claims of Mexico, and to brew another war about
boundaries between the United States and with for
eign powers.
II is true therefore, that have felt some "sur-
prise" and little ''indgnation' when we have
seen the National lnelligencer orturng, and twist
ing, and mystfying the simple question Of bound
airy, to make some little political capital of it,
and again harrow up the feelings which were in
dustrousy excited by that paper, in this country,
as well as in Mexico, in the midst Of the pending
discussions Of the Texas question. We did indulge
the hope that the National lntelligencer would
have fairly and impartally discussed the question
of limits and boundary; and, for this purpose,
we have quoted the able speech of Mr. Clay on The
Spanish treaty, in the House of Representatives,
in 1920. Our contemporary certainly does not ex-
actly do us justice this morning, in saying that we
made long quotation from the speech of "quar.
ter Of century ago." to prove the Intelligencers g
norance, and to prove, too, that Texas has "a fer
tile SOIL and most delicious cmate.' Let any
read the following extract from the speech, and
he will see at the gist of the quotation, in the
words of Mr.. Clay himself:
"He presumed the spectacle would not be presented of
questioning in this branch of the government title
Texas which had been constantly maintained by the Exec
administrations was at the same time ready and pre-
pared to make out our title, il any in the House
fearless enough 70 controver H. He would Tor the
emit briefly state that the man who familiar with
the transactions Of this government-who largely parci
paed In the formation of constitution ali that has
been done under who besides the eminent services that
he has rendered his country principally contributed
acquisition of Louisiana must supposed from his
various opportunities best to know its limits declared fE
teen years ago that title to the Rio del Norte
well founded as it to the island Of New Orleans
We had supposed that Mr.. Clay's authority
would have carried some weight with the National
lnteligencer but it appears that other gods are now
worshpped, or that his testimony has no weight,
because il was given quarter of century ago,
although it was enforced by the fifteen years claim
maintained by "three several administrations" All
these authorities, however, in behalf of our claim to
the Rio Grande-thc strong positions of Messrs
Jefferson Madison, Monroe, Adams, and Clay
now prove unavaing with the Intelligencer. We