Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-09-01
the 1pMchbmr0 Btr9tmtan.
.MONDAY. SEPTEMBER /, 1916.
Bomdarp betreen .Merico aud 1srns.

adjolnin. Mexican States has ne yer been accurately de-
fined, and tina, there is a dispute as TO The precise line,
the settlement Of which. by the annexation of Texas to
The United States. devolves upon our government. fine
annexation Of Texas had been effected with the co,,sep,
OF Mex'co, or even in q manner less offensive 10 her
pride, there would probably have been no insuperable
difficulty in the satisfactory adjus,men, of this question
ny an amicable negotiation. Bnt under existing circum
stances, there is very lilile probability Of the acquies-
cehce OF 'he Mexican government in the claim set up by
mat oil Texas, (and ahich. for aughl we know TO the
contrary, may be well founded, } and just as little. fhos-
nii''es ensue, that our government, will be disposed to be
very magnanlmons and liberal Though we hope it will
be JUST towards that Of Mexico. The very fact. too.
tia, beiweea the belligerents intervenes a disputed terri
tory, of which both feel authorized TO take possessj,n
may provoke a hostile collision, even in the absence of a
declaration Of war by either of them. The Jfni,ed
States troops already occupy a position beyond the line
which Mexico declares 10 be The territorial limi, or
Texas. And if the Mexican argument be true, our Ex-
eculIve has moi only employed its force in The legitimate
duty Of defending The new State about to enter into The
''"'oefacy' nut II has usnfped the power, wisely with
heid from 1t by The constitution, OF making war IMAM a
neighboring Republic. II, on the other hand, the bound,rv
line claimed by Texas be The true one. then III. Mexi.
ca" troops have no right 10 occupy any portion of the
territory east Of that line. and if they do 50, they will bv
that act invade our territory. and render il incumben,
upon our army 10 expel Them BY force. In this stale of
lungs, i~hedanger of a conflict between The forces on the
border is greatly increased. even though the GOVERN
Tenis should abstain from a declaration of w,r-;,,s.
much as we cannot suppose Ina, either the American or
Mexican Generals will hesitate, fcircumst,ncrs ,.o,;,.
II, to take position in any part Of The territory. which
the one asserts Ia be an American, but which The o,be,
claims as a Mexican possession-And w, ils occuna,ion
by the American troops will be deemed an act Of ago,es
sion upon Mexico, while lis occupation BY Mexican
troops will, on The otter hand, be regarded. "a equally
m attack upon The u. States.
Should. there be no such collision, however. and
should war be averted by the .sober second ,bouob,u IF
N'es'co' under The influence Of the pacific counse,s
which we have no doubt will be given 10 her bv no, II,
ropean allies. who have so strong and obvious an ip,ere.,
IN The preservation Of peace upon this continent "a
well as on their own side Of the Atlantic. we booe
That the govern" ent ofthe United States will. in tho
hnai adjustment OF this question, pursue towards
mexico q course characterized by that generosity
which, under all circumstances, SO well becomes the
strong IN Their Intercourse with The weak, and which. in
me present Instance, IL is alike IFS duty and its true in.
'e'es' 10 exhibit Let us not initiate the graspinp and
'yrannical Petitioners OF Poland, in the remo,esi deores
we have the strongest and %sharpest sword, i, is true;
nut let us sco!n to employ it, not in maintaining oar
Just rights. but in slicing off large and rich portions
OF our %neighbor's soil. for the purpose of annexioo
IL TO the United States, even ,bouyh I, NAV =.
deemed necessary 10 round of our fron,,er." or. wh,,
10 sui more important, essential 10 its defence. L.,
US mol become The The overshadowing Despo, of the A
mPTlcaO continent or uhich Az, ,,ot, =. 49,
and thereby incur the hatred, as we become the tern, .,
our SISTER Republics, whom we ought rather TO teach BY
u eAa"P'e the benefits as well as the glory Of a popu-
al u nee government, Tor which they have so long
lolied and bled in vain. four mission, as a natiop h.
'ne OF P'opag"nd'sm, The sword Is not the weapon by
"n'en me doctrines OF civil liberty ard the rights Of
man are TO be most certainly and extensively diffu.ed,
"o' are 'he people who WELD it. As conquerers and 90.
pressor' Of the weak. likely 10 be their successful KIM, !,
defs. Liberty never follows the car Of Conques, and
ofoliat'on, even though the banner Of the victor, NAV
proclaim dellverance 10 the captive. Il more frequent
y ,'an otherwise happens. indeed, that they who cum.
mence such a crusade, instead of breaking the chains of
o'hefs' ias'en them ultimately upon their own limbs
But III return. The MeXicans contend thai the R;o
Neuces Is The Iimi, OF Texas on it's western border and
mat the territory east of that river furm, a mar, If III.
Stale oil lamaulipas in other words. that all The cov
Try between the Rio .Nueces and the Rio Cro,Js ~.
longs TO Mexico. The Texans, on the CONTRARY. co,,s,d
t"at Inc Ro Grande is their western boundary. and
though they have never been able to possess l,em.slvss
OF a foot OF the soil between those rivers. thew sill mai,
tam their right 10 HE whole. As we remarked ,b,v,
The duty OF adjusting this grave controversy now devo,vs'
upon The government, Of the u. States. And we find Inc
washington Union, Che organ of the Executive whose
sentiments 1t doubtless speaks } ''claims The Rio Grand,
as The western boundary" OF Texas, 'as we have ev.,
claimed II since the treaty Of 1903. and as il bs. been
GAINED by every administration by Jefferson. Mad.
son, Monroe. Plnckney, Adams, Clay, &C.. Scu Ths
Union declares that Texas 10 the Neuces was mn, laid
uo""o y Mexico until she had separated herself from
opa'n' long after our acquisition in 1903, and until she
deranged not only Texas, but TamauIipas, Coahuila and
New Mexico itself. Tell us not, then, Ut adds) of tn.
Texas OF Mexico. We claim the Texas az originaIIv
claimed by The United Slates-and as since setiLed bv
Texas herself"
senator Benton. however-who. on the Texas ques-
non, we take to be decidedly better authority than the
Executive or2an-regards the subject in a very diferen,
point OF view. lie declares that Gen. Jackson. in his a,
tempt to purchase Texas from Mexico, never did set nm
. claim TO the Rio Grande. The celebrated re,ec,ej
treaty negotiated with Texas by Nj. TYLER. il is lrue
recognized the Rio Grande as The western boundary Of
texas. But this was one Of the strong grounds of oppo
s''lon to that treaty, 81 torcibly urged by Mr.. Benton
ana diners, oeca use OF the fragrant wrong thereby perpe.
trated, as he alleged, upon Mexico. Mr.. Benton de,
c'ared That the proposition Of Gen. Jacks,n did not 10 the