Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-01-08
rom the N. o. Picayunc.
ANNEXATION OF TEXAS

contemplate anPXatlon, they are so dis |
similar as TO be Almost antagonistical) will |
occupy large snre of the consideration
OF Congress, we have thought that brief
exposition of the principles of the two
bills, and an explanation of the effect of
each, would be acceptable to our readers.
Dir. McDuffie's resolutions provided for
the annexation ofTexas by proclamation,
as soon as the Congress- of Texas shall a.
gree to the terms of annexation contained
in the rejected treaty.
Col. Benton's bill authorizes and advi-
ses the President TO open negotiations
with Mexico and Texas for the adjust
ment of boundaries, and the annexation of
the latter 10 the United States.
Here we have a most important dscre.
Pancy IN the onset. One contemplates
annexation by joint resolution; the other
by treaty One provides for immediate
annexation by the action of the United
States and Texas alone; the other in
wolves Mexico in the negotiation, and, for
an uncertain length of timo, givOs that
power veto upon the scheme.
The next discrepancy relates TO bounda-
ry. Mr.. McDuffic's resolutions provided
for the annexation of the Republic of Tex.
as without any reference to boundary.
The amount of territory thus to be &C
quired must be ascertained by the bounda-
ries of Texas as defined by herselE-sub-
ject, of course, to any equitable right
Mexico may have on parts of the coded
territory. Accordingly, the western boun-
dairy (the only one about which there is
any caviD of our acquisition under the
resolutions would be the Rio Grande, from
its mouth TO its source, and thence due
north to the AID degree of north latitude.
Col. Bonton's bill proposes a desert
prairie west of the Neuces, and ridge of
mountains that separate the waters of the
Mississippi and Rio Grande, and line
thence 10 latitude north AZ degrees as the
western boundary of Texas.
The tract of country lying between
these proposed lines is variously estimated
by different parties. At the Gulf of Mexi-
co the lines are not far apart, but they
are thought TO widen as they run north,
and the lands intervening are more valu-
able as they recede from the sea shore.
! According to the accounts of late travel
| lers, however, the difference between the
two lines is not SO great as has been sup
posed; for the Mora river, tributary OF
the Canadian, which empties into the Ar
kansas, and thus finds its way into the
Mississippi. heads within days ride oil
Santa Fe. So that, if all The waters of the
Mississippi be included in Col. Benton's
bill, the mountains that separate them
from those emptying into the Rio Grande
run within sight of Santa Fe; and the
head waters Of the Arkansas are, in fact
a degree west of the springfield of the
Rio Grande, itself. The greatest depar.
ture in the proposed boundaries is at a
point several degrees south OF Santa Fe
where the Puerco, theonly tributary of the
Rio Grande, of any moment, branches of
to the east, forming tongue of land be-
tween it and the main river, six degrees
in length, north and south, and from one
) to three degrees east and west. From
our own knowledge of the country, ant
, the lights thrown upon the subject by re
{ cent explorations, we incline to the opin
, ion that the desert west of the Neuces
spoken Of IN Col. Benton's bill, will prove
a very unsatisfactory boundary, as it run.
: but short distance before it Terminate
I imam arabic and fertile country. From
e this point of termination, for some hundret
: miles, the mountains dividing the water
of the Mississippi and Rio Grande, will b,
t as difficult to find as those that separat,
g the tributaries of the ST. Lawrence AM
e the st. Johns proved to be-which hav,
n not been discovered yet, after sixty years
r search. 1t would be necessary, in carry
t ing out Col. 3enton's bill, to run direc
e line from the end of the desert west of tn
: Neuces to the spurs of the Rocky noun
n tains that cast their shadows upon tn
i town of Santa Fe. To include the water
}. of the Arkansas, the line would have t
run within short distance of the Puerco
IS and parallel with and close to that strear
}. as far as Santa Fe, and straight on to Taos
Indeed, we incline to think that after tn
e matter is thoroughly investigated, it wi
be found that the difference in point
e territory to be acquired under the two pre-
a iects is not so great as to produce seriou
d impediments to the adoption of either, an
g We have very little doubt that public opir
]. ion will settle upon the Rio Grande as tn
/ most eligible and satisfactory boundary
. The line might run from the mouth of IN
Rio Grande to the Passo del Norte in lat
0 tude $40, and along the Sierra Blance,
- range of mountains between the Ri
9 Grande and the Puerco) to within fe
8 miles of Santa Fe; but we must questio
If any point between the Nueces and tn
Rio Grande can be fixed upon from whic
a convenient or safe boundary might bc