The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-01
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF MR.. KAUFMAN,

The bill providing for the reduction OF the tariff TO
\ revenue standard being under consideration IN the
Committee Of the Whole on the state OF the
Union .... .... .r..
Mr. KAUFMAN addressed the committee as fol-
lows " ..s .
: Mr.. CHlIHMAa | congratulate the friendA oil the
revenue principle on the favorable auspices under
which they have eutered upon the discussion Of this
bali. IL isknown 20 you and the country, that one
ofth. hyorite arguments Of the friends Of the pro-
itectye policy at the NORTH has been that u would
be suicidal IN the UnIted States TO permit the INTRO
ducton Of British manufactures into thus country,
while England closed her ports TO our grain and
breadstufs. This argument, which has done more
than all others besides to make protective tariff
popular with the farmers Of the north has been
lately sienced; for We have Just received the graft
fyng intelligence that the Old and aristoeratc corn
laws OF England have been repealed, and that hence
forth our farmers will find market for the pro-
ducts of their soil in ports hitherto closed to
them. To preserve that market, IL Is evidently
our policy TO reciprocate as far as we can, and 10
remove all restrictions upon imports from abroad,
80 far as is not incompatible with raising the reve-
nue. necessary keep the wheels Of the federal gov
eminent IN notion
q But, Mr.. Chairman, fruitful and inviting as is
the question lsgiiinaisly under consideration,
and deeply interested my constituents are IN its
proper disposition, do not now propose TO discuss
A. In the wide range allowed 10 debate, when the
question has been raised by members in their dis-
,csssion Of this bill, which demands my first and
especial attention. | alude, SIR, to the Mexican
war. While every patriot in the land feels deep
and abiding interest in its vigorous prosecution and
speedy and successful termination, yet opinions
have been advanced in this debate which peculiarly
concern the people whom have the honor IN part TO
represent on this floor. In the hasty zeal Of certain
gentlemen TO attack the President for ordering the
United States troops TO march TO the Rio Grande,
(the western boundary OF Texas, as defined by the
constitution Of my State, they have struck blow
ut the integrity Of her soil which must attempt TO
parry and which, if their opinions were correct,
would eurtail the once "lone," but now "brght
and particular starr Of one-half her fair proper
lions. ...a
. shall FIRST endeavor to show, Mr. Chairman,
that the Rio Grande rightfuly the western bound.
airy Of The State of Texas and in the second place,
that IL II was matter Of DOUBT yet, under the cir
CU,ns Stances IL was the bounden duty Of the Presl-
% to act as he has done, and protect every inch
Ill clairra- by Texas sxss in her Fundamental law,
eas under her Independent org.as.siioi, IRON the
Jsgil ,ton of foreign invaders. B.. NJ E. f. d..
confess SIR that Il sounded strange 10 my ears,
10 hear upon this floor, the right OF Texas CUES
toned 70 The eastern bank of the Rio Grande With
a residence OF upwards Of nine years in that coun-
try. mingling in its legislative councils, and among
i,s citizens, many of whom had on the "tented
feldp contributed 10 her independence, | say TO
YOU and TO this committee, that have never heard
her right questioned to the soil between the Nueoes
and Rio Grande, and to have done 30 would have
been considered treason to "the republic OF iexas
NAV il be owing to the fact, they have not had the
benefit of that "bookish" information afforded the
representatives here, TO those other facts, that
they have mingled in the fray which made Texas,
throughout her wide limits, sovereign and ndepen-
dent, and that they have been accustomed to pay
no regard to the expositions of Mexican diplomacy,
which claims, AT Ibis day, the whole OF Texas to
the Sabine. .-l.'
4 The honorable gentleman from Georgia, Mr..
SrspHENs,1 thinks the Rio Grande sought to be"
the western boundary of Texas; and what he thinks
ought be, I will eDdeavor 10 show sis, and always
has been 1.-THE rightul boundary of Texas.
That Texas extended to the Rio Grande, and be-
longed to the United States, previous to the transfer
TO Spain in 1919, presume will not be questioned
lift were, could produce, in proof OF IT the concur
ring testimony of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and
indeed all our leading statesmen who have been on
the stage of political action from the purchase OF
louisiana, in 1903, to the present day MIR. John
Quincy Adams, In letter to the Spanish minister,
Don Onis, dated March 18th, 1918, says "The
claim Of France always did extend westward to the
Rio Bravo She always claimed the territory tchieh
yo, call Isras as being within the limits, and form
ing part Of Louisiana" He (Mr. ADAMs) goes
on to reterate declaration made by Messrs Mon
roe and Pnckney in 1903, "that the claim of the
United Statea to the boundary Of the Rio Bravo was
as clear as their right the island Of New Orleans
And again on the 3lst October, 1918, he says: "Our
title to Teras is established beyond the power OF
further controversy" .......-... ...ly.. ....
Mr.. Clay, also, in his celebrated Raleigh letter,
previous TO the last presidential election, says "Ihe
United States acquired title to Itras extending as
Ibeiere to the Rio del Norie by the treaty Of Lousi-
ana. They coded and relnquished that title to
Spain by the treaty of 1919, by which the Sabine
was substituted for the Rio del Norte, as our west
ern boundary" might here also quote the decla-
ration Of the celebrated British statesman, Mr. Hus-
H., I.,,a N
signs are entertained by the people of the United
States to get possession of the fertile and extensive
Mexican prornce Of Teras They look 10 all the co,l-
y5si,oeen the Sabine and Brapo del Norfe as terri
tory that must ere long, belong to their Union "
Speech Nav 80, 1880. (The Rio Grande, Rio Bravo,
and Mel Norte, are different names for the same
river.) ..
Enough has been read to show, conclusively that
the ancient limits and boundary Of Texas was
the Rio Grande.s But this country was ceded In
1919 to Spain. However binding this treaty may
have been considered by the United States, yet its
being made without the consent OF the people OF
Texas it was palpable infraction OF that provision
ofthe Louisiana treaty of 1903, which declared mat
"the inhabitants Of the coded territory shall be moor
porated into the United States, and admitted, as
as possible according to the principles OF the
federal constitution, to the enjoyment OF all the
rights, advantages and immunties Of citizens OF the
United States" and therefore, according TO reason
and authority, null and vod--at least, il was not
binding, exceptby the power of force, on Aspisran
chised citizens of Texas. Not only did fHt people
not this surrender, hut they sent forth, a
"od and tme-honored Nacogdochcsn an eloquent
protest and remonstrance-pr onuncia,nento ---and
declared that they would not consent to be the sub
Iects Of the priest-ridden monarchy Of Spain, and
they never did submit to that degradation That
protest was in the name Of all Texas, throughout
its ancient limits and il is fully worthy of being
copied length. 1t isas fellows:
DECLARATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF
TEXAS
The Louisiana Herald contains copy Of declaration
issued on the 2ad June 1912 by the supreme council Of the
The following extracts from standard geographica
works conclnsiyely establish this position and must gnie
every doubt Texas IL bounded by the Gulf OF MeNt
CO. west and southwest by the Rio del Norter- MorSs'
sographieai Dictionary edition 1871 Texas, province
Mexico, bounded s4W by the Rio Grande del Norte"-
Brooks Unrsrsai Gazstsr, EDITION 1929 Texas, claimed
ny Spain part Of the internal provinces and bodsc
psd bg I'VE Del Norfer &c, Woressteys Gareter, edition
ls9s Texas province Of Mexico IN the former prorfnci
,nf,rnos bonnded southwest by the Rio Grande de-
Durbys Gartfeer EDITION 1897. Texas provinc,