The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-03-18


"The climate OF Texas, the most sou,herly part
Of which lies within Two degrees and half OF the
tropic is varied as the productive qualities OF The
SOIL and Is perhaps, on the whole superior 10 that OF
i any other portion of North America. la Texas
proper, IL is neither SO cold in winter hot IN
summer, In the northeastern section OF the United
| States"
! MIR jefferson. in writing to Mr.. Monroe, concern
log this country, 10 1920, says
i "To US the province OF Texas will be the richest
State OF our Uoion, without any exception. The
southern part will make more sugar than We con-
sumo, and the Red river IFS north is the most lux
urinnt country on earth"
And Mr.. Clay, 10 speech made in the same year,
upon this subject, bears testimony as follows
| " All accounts eoncurred in representing Texas TO
be extremely valuable. Its superficial extent was
three or four times greater than that of Florida
| The climate was delicious the soil fertile the mar
gins OF the rivers Astounding In lye-oak and the
country admitting Of easy settlement. IL possessed,
moreover II he we're cot msnormed one of the finest
ports in the Gulf Of Mexico. The productions OF
which II was capable suitable TO our wants.
He would not give Texas for Florida IN a naked ex.
4 change
Her free white population number 10000, mostly
from the United States, besides "a 900 slaves. She
has President, Congress, courts Of Justice, instu
tons Of religion and learning and lhiry five organ
lied counties. She has, too, a charter Of freedom,
sealed with the hearts blood Of her own gallant sons
and witnessed and approved by all the leading pow
ers of christendom.
| Let US glance (sad MIR. D. al her political his
| tory.
| This country, the subject Of so much agita-
uon, discussion and contention, discovered by the
French IN 1855. IL subsequently ceded 10 Spain,
and receded To France In 1900 II was ceded by
France 10 the United States Ia 1903 and one Of the
/ articles the snlsmnly and ratified
| as follows:
1.-THE inhabitants OF the ceded territory SHALL BIZ
INCORPORATED INTO the UNION THE UNITED
STATES, and admitted soon possible according
10 the principle Of the Federal Constitution TO the
ENJOY ment Of all the rights advantages and immunI-
ties Of citizens Of the United States and the
Tine shall be protected in the free enjoyment OF their
liberty property and the religion which they profess
| The western boundary Of this ceded territory was
declared at the time 10 be the Rio del Norte evil
dence of which have the concurring testimony Of
| MIR. Jefferson, Mr.. Pnckney, MIR. Madison, Mr.
Monroe, Mr.. Adams, General Jackson, and Mr. Clay
Mr.. John q. Adams, Secretary of State, under the
administration Of Mr. Monroe, in the summer Of
| 1918, learning that settlements were forming a
portion Of this territory, and, he believed, by some
authority OF France, or to promote the views or in
leress OF that government, sent a special agent
there, with directions TO proceed TO the Rio Bravo,
(now called the Rio del Norte) and 10 give warning
ted States, DhO wouid s6r permanent settlement 10
be made there under any other authority than their
And he was further directed to manifest "lhe
prise io ehieh the President has seen possession thus
iaken, tsithoi authority from the United States Of
place oiua their territorial Limits and upon ,chieh no
tartI settlement can be made toiLtout their sanction
Mr.. ID. said he desired to call the attention Of the
Senate especially 10 this article in the treaty of 1903
as also TO the convincing evidence OF the fact that Tex
as was alter the treaty, regarded belonging 10 the
United States.
He was thus particular, for the reason that the
justice and morality of fayoring annexation in a
| tional view, had been seriously questioned. He
would eDdeavor TO show to those who would patient
ly follow him through the history of this territory at
whose door lay bad faith and broken covenants.
This territory was partially settled in 1903, when
1t was coded to us by France and by reference to
the article OF the treaty just cited il would be seen
that It's inhabitants were entitled TO be admitted into
The Confederacy as soon as they should have repre-
sentative population and in the time they were
to be protected IN the enjoyment of their Hberiy pro-
perfy and the religion they profe ssed
The residents OF this territory, looking at this guar
anty, and believing they at distant day to en-
Joy ITS fruiton as reward for the hardships, dangers
and priyations of border life, continued to occupy
and improve the country and the poor and adventu
rous from the United States, from the green hills of
New England, the Empire, the Keystone the young
and fertile West and chivalrous South continued to
flock to this territory, under the hope and
pectaon, until 1919
Here (Mr. ID. sad) he would pause to make
point ~ The morality as well the law Of the case
chiefly for the of those who seemed to suppose
that the inhabitants of Texas in desiring admission
into the Union, and those who willing to admit
them, were about to commit act of great national
wrong.
But while they were thus awaiting the happy pe-
Rod when they should be fully restored to the ns
tutons OF the land of their fathers and enjoy again
the priceless boon of American citizens, treaty
negotiated by Mr. Adams, and subsequently perfected
and the territory of Texas, with its inhabitants with
out their knowledge or consent, ceded to Spain
And this is the manner in which our brethren in Tex
as have been protected in the enjoyment of their lib
erfy property and religion and admitted to the priv
leges of the Union transferred, with heiI homes
their families, and all they held DEAR TO capricious
weak, and erocous despotism--alien in fact and 10
name, in sentiment, in language, in education, in
habit, pursuit and religion.
This (said Mr.. d. is the history of this territory
and of this people, in plain English, which has bee
ingenously glozed over for a quarter of a century,
to conceal the blunders and the gross injustice by
which sentence Of national ou,lawry was attempted
to be enforced. And he desired no better argument
in favor of the justice, expectancy and importance
of remuneration than the fact that every Admins
raton since It's cesson to Spain, had endeavored to
regain il at almos, any price But, was this unhal
lowed transfer ever binding upon the inhabitants of
Texas? He denied that it was. Ii was fraudulent
and void upon those principles of natural and eternal
justice which were paramount to all human auhori-
ty, and which constituted according to Vattel, the
foundation of national law.
BY statute of most Of the States of the Con- |
federacy, no could alien real estate of which an
other held possession claiming title. All transfers.
or agreements to transfer, we're null and void and
the parties to such instruments guilty of high
misdemeanor Although such rule had no legal ap-
picaon here, he would submit, that the transfer of
this people TO foreign government, under the cir
CumstanCes, violation of the sprit n iua-
tice IN which II was founded, IN the sight of Heaven
and an infection which none but ame spri,less,
and degraded race would endure.
Nor did the inhabitants of Texas ever for mo-
men submit to this humiliating transfer Upon the
publication OF the Spanish treaty, they assembled |
M sOlemn COnYe ntion. and in lanpllane hold indiar-