The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-12-15
.f,,. the act Of annexation toek place.

Terms az annexation to the Caited States,
PROMISED by our Congress, were Representa-
iatires residing west Of the Nueces, who took
part in the act OF anueIaiion itself This
WAS The Teras which. by the act OF our Con-
sress Of the 29th OF December, 1915, was ad-
mihrd as one of the States ofour Union.
That the Congress Of the United States un-
derstood the State OF Te:ras which they
admitted into the Union extending beyond
the Nueces is apparent from the fact, that on
the 3lst day of December, 1912, only TWO
DAYS after The act Of admission. they passed
n law TO establish collection district in the
State of Teras,' BY which they created a port
of delivery at Corpus Christi. situated west
OF the Nueces, and being the same point at
which the TeTas Custom House, under the
laws Of that republic. had been located. and
directed that a surveyor 10 collect the reve-
nue. should be appointed for that part by the
/ President, by and with the advice and CONSENT
of the Senate.
A surveyor was accordingly nominated, q
confirmed BY the Senate, aud has been ever
since ia the performance OF his dnties. All
these acts OF the republic of Te.ras. and OF
Congress, preceded the orders for the advance
of our army TO he east bank of the Ris
Grando. Subsequently, Congress passed an
act establishing certain post routes e.riend-
ing west Of the Nueces. The country west
of that river now constitutes part of one of
the Congressional districts of Tc.ras, and is
represented in the house Of Representatives.
| The Senators from that State were chosen by
| Legislature in which the country west Of
that river was represented.
] In view Of all these fac Is, IL is difficult TO
conceive upon what ground ii can be main
tanned that, in occupying the country west OF
The Nueces with our army, with view sole
to is security and defence, we invaded the
territory of McI'icO. But il would have been
still more difficult TO justify the Executive,
whose duty il is 10 see that the laws be faith
fully e.recutcd, if in the face of all these pro-
ceedings, both Of the Congress Of Tea'as and
of the United STATES, he had assumed The re-
sponsibity OF yielding up the territory west Of
the Nueces TO Me.rico, or Of refusing TO de-
lend and protect this territory and its inhab-
itants, including Corpus Christi, as we'll us
the rest of Te.ras, against the threatened
Merican invasion.
| But Mr1icO herself has never placed the
war which she has wased upon the ground
that our army occupied the Intermediate ter
ritory bcrM cen the Nueccs and The Rio Grandc.
|
in fact an independent State, but rebellious
province, was obslinately persevcred in; and
her avowed purpose in commencing war
with the United States was 10 re-couquer
Te.ras, and TO restore MericAn authority o.
yer the whole terrltory-not 10 the Nucces on
Is but 10 the Sabine. In view OF the pro-
claimed menaces of Me.rico to this effect, ]
Judged il my duty as a measure OF precauIIon
and defence. to order our army TO occupy a
position Oh our frontier as military post,
from which our troops could best resist and
repel any attempted invasion which Me.rico
might make.
Our army had occupied position at Cor
pus Christi west of the Nurces, as early as
August lS45, without complaint from any
qaar,er Had the Nucces been regarded as
the true western boundary of Texas, that
boundary had been passed by our army many
months before it advanced TO the eastern
bank of the Rio Grande. In INV annual
message Of December last iniUrmed Con
gress that, upon tho invitation Of both the
Congress and Convention of Texas, had
deemcG it proper To order a strong squadron
to the coast of Mexico, and To concentrate an
efficient military force on the western frontier
of Texas, TO protect and defend the nhabi
tants az ainsi the menaced invasion of Meri-
CO.
Ia that message informed Congress that
The moment the terms OF auneration offered
BY the United States were accepted by
Tcras, the latter became 50 far part of our
own country as TO make il our duty To afford
such protection and defence and that for
that purpose our squadron had been ordered
to the Gull, and our army TO take posi-
ton between the Neuces aud the Del Noric
or Rio Grapde, and TO repel any invasion ol
the Texas territory which might be attempted
by III, Merican forces. IL was deemed
proper To issue this order because, soOn after
the President Of Teras. in April. had issued
his proclamation convcnng the Congress CT
that republic for The purpose Of submitting
to tina; body the terms of anneration proposed
nv the United States, the government of Mer-
leo made serions threats of invading the Ter
ian territory.
These threats became more imposing as il
become more apparent, in the progress Of the
question, that the people Of Texas would de
eide in favor of accepting the terms Of an
nexation; and. finally, they had assumed
such formidable character, rs induced both
the Congress and Convention Of Texas TO
request that a military force should he sent by
the United States into her territory for the
purpose Of protecting and defending her
against the threatened invasion. Ii would
have been a violation Of good faith towards
the psople Of Texas 10 have refns cd To al
ford the aid which they desired against =
threatened invasion. to " fich they had been
opposed by their free determination to amer
themselves 10 our Union, in compliance with
the overture made 10 them by the joint reso-
luiinn Of nuI Congress.
Accordingly. portion of army was
ordered to advance into Teras. Corpus
Christie was the portion selected by General
Taylor. He cncampedat that placcin Au-
gust. 1916. aud the army remained in that
position until the eleventh of March, lSl6,
when it moved westward, and on the twenty
eighth Of that month. reached the east bank
Of the Rio Grande opposite TO Matamoras.
! This movement was made in pursuance OF
orders from the War Department issued on
the thin icenih Of January.
Before these orders were issued, the des-
datch Of our minister in Me1i o. transm 1 ing