Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-06-11
From the Richmond Wing.
THE BOUND AIRY LINE.

party in Congress insisted upon retaining the pre-
amble 10 the bill granting to the Executive the sup
plies Of men and money required for the prosecu-
ton of the Mexican war, although thoy knew that
by 50 insisting they would compel many members
to place themselves in false attitude before the
country, either by voting against the supplies or if
voting for them, subscribing by inference to an as
sertion of fact the truth of which they denied salts
fled us then that the Administration regarded the
vindication Of ITS own conduct, by which the war
was, to say the least ofit needessly precipitated
as OF hr more consequence than the defence of the
country 1t needed the money and the men, and il
asked Tor unanimous vote OF Congress in favor of
the bill aPpropriating tho one and authorizing the
organization Of the other but, as an indispensable
prerequisite, its friends, speaking in it's name re
qured that those who voted for the bill should con-
sent, at the same time, to decide another question
seriously involving the conduct of the Administers
ton. required that they should acquit Mr.. Polk
ofall censure in advance, by voting for preamble
asserting fact which did not exist, or which. il
1t did exist, could not have been known either 10
the Executive or TO single member Of Congress-
I'VE refer to the declaration of the preamble that
''war exists by the act of Mexico''-a declaration
which might have had sufficient truth in il To au-
thorlze its use, if indeed the Rio Grande had been
the ascertained and acknowledged boundary ofTex
as, but which, that not being the case, was wholly
destitute Of foundation.
Influenced by the same leading design, many of
the presses devoted TO the Administration following
Washington, are now. even in the very act of de-
precang the party aspect sought to be given to the
Mexican question by few Wing journals endea-
voring with untring assiduity to toresta public
opinion In regard TO the Western boundary of Tex
as for the obvious purpose of procuring i'm advance
of the proper period for the arragnmen of the Pres
idents conduct, verdict of acqutal from the peo-
pie, as, ny like means, they eXtorted it, 'under
protest" from Congress. And yet, if the Wing
presses, reluctant while the war lasts to discuss
hfc txPi>
IS at least matter of great doubt whether the Texan
boundary did extend to the Rio Grande, and there,
tore that the President, In ordering the American
army to take position on its eastern bank, invaded
territory in dispute. and made war upon Mexico of
his will, and without the sanction OF authority
0fthe war-maklng power, we are promptly reproach-
ed as deficient In that very cheap commodity pa-
trlottsN, and mpudenty charged even with s.moditi
cd treason" At the hazard however of subecting
ourselves to this reproach and of mourning this
guilt, with the punishment which we suppose will
soon be inflicted upon those who are daring enough
to discriminate between the allegiance which they
owe to the administration and that due to the
co'nffy-which, in our vocabulary are by no means
synonymous terms-we shall not hesitate, while
eXerting whatever influence we may possess to
stimulate our countrymen to uphold the honor of our
flag, at the same time to them not to be mis-
led, by their patriotic impulses, into even tacit de-
renee OF an act OF the Executive, which, indeed If il
be one of aggression upon Mexico, is far more inn
Porlant TO us I'm another point of view-we mean
as assupdtion Of the acar-pO,cer by that branch of
the government, with which all the intractions of
the Constitution since its adoption put together.
are not to be compared in magnitude or i'm danger
we would most willingly postpone this discussion
70 future day; but the Administration presses
VIII not permit 1T; and we proceed therefore now, ,
and shall hereafter, as leisure may permit continue
to show, that if the Rio Neuces be not the true
Western boundary of Texas, the authorities which
indicate 1t to be SO at least numerous and pollen
tial enough to involve the question in SO much
doubt, as 10 have rendered its seizure, under exist
ing circumstances, utterly indefensible and justified
Mexico in looking upon il as an act of war;
The first ground taken by the defenders of the
Executive, is, that when Texas proclaimed her in
dependence in 1886, she declared that her bounda
ry extended to the Rio Grande 1t is conceded
that she did but let us suppose, that on the 4th
July, l776 the authors of the Declaration of our
own independence had embraced the Canadas with
IN the limits OF the American Confederacy-NVould
that claim have established our right to those Pro-
yinccs? We did, indeed, send an army to storm
Quebec, under Montgomery and Arnold and Tex
as sent forces TO Santa Fe, and to other points East
or the Rio Grande TO reyolutionze those portions of
Mexico and to Induce the people TO rally under her
nag. But our army was defeated and driven back
and the Texan forces We're to man captured
and sent prisoners to the interior of Mexico. We
failed to conquer the Canadas, or to induce their
people to unite with in 1875, and they remain
to this hour British Provinces: The Texans, in
like manner, failed TO make the slightest impression
on the border States of Mexico and they conse-
quently still lcgitimately belong to Mexico. But.
as an entirely conclusive reply to the preposteruus
argument based upon the mere paper ciain, of the
Texas Convention, which Texas endeavored i'm
vain to make good by arms, we will adduce an au-
th0iity ~hlch not even our opponents wlllhave the
holiness to discredit. We mean ROBERT J.
WALKER, Esq, Secretary of the Treasury, and
member of the very Administration which now
asserts that the Rio Grande is the Western boun-
Diary Of Texas, and by whose advice and consent it
Is 10 be presumed the President ordered Gen. Tay-
lor to advance our army TO that river-It will be
remembered that Mr.. Benton in opposing the rati-
ncaton OF the Tyler treaty for the annexation of
texas, In 1914, took precisely the ground for
winch we are now contending. One of his princi-
pal objections, indeed, to that treaty. was, that it
extended the limits Of Texas to the Rio Grande. by
winch he said we would seize upon ga part of the
Mexican departments of New Mexico, chihuahua,
Coahuila, and Ianaulipas," which he then affirm
ed-and II 1t was true them it is no less true now
-"tcoaad be an act Of direct aggression on .Weri-
co, TOR all the consequences Of 1cIiich the United
or, then Senator from Mississippi, among others.
replied to Mr.. Benton. Did he DENY the facts
stated by the Missouri Senator or dispute the accu
racy OF his deductions from those facts? Not at all
On the contrary he ngeniously endeavorcd TO eyade
them. "it is said, Remarked Mr. Walker.) that
Texas, by act of her Congress in 1886. claims Ia
the Del Norte, (another name for the Rio Grande.1
and, therefore, the cession of Texas necessarily ey
tends that boundary. But Tie boundary of % nation
depends ON something more than its o,cn claims
THESE NAY EXTEND BEYOND ITS RIGuTFUI
LIMITS. Most heartily do we concur with Won in
this opinion, Mr.. Walker; and we hope that YOU
r.rAv ,r<.1,