The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-12-31

thing Al 'esss, must be admitted by all, even the
bitteIest opponents Of the Administration. and
that Is. that from the time Of the treaty with San
IA Anna. which enspcd from The hattie If San Ia
cin.o Texas has Invariably claimed iha, her rivb,
FIJI supdaries extended To the Rio Grands, from
its mouth to It's source. and that her constitution
expressly 50 defines and declares her limits =
Wei. when In this state of things. Texas was
admitted INTO the Union, she Was ypcrivrd ms, as
she was. with all her actual possasslm,s ariti1b,
fol claims but with the right expressly reserved.
in contemplation &c peaceful negotiations Il, tbis
Government. so settle her boundaries with Mexi
ca. IN exercise OF this right. and discl,aJ. Q or
our corresponding obligation To Texas. hut in a
spirit Of the utmost liarrality To Mexico. we hav,
honestly and in good faith sought naci6c set,I.
ment. OF these disputed bonndsries. Mspnani
mous'y, again and again, with far mare Erhear
ance ihan we wonld have manifested low AID. lb,
most powerful nation Of the earth. have w, mad,
overtures To Mexico for pacific neqo,a,,n, ,pJ
liberal settlement Of territorial disputes Our
ovor'nres were refused. our uff,rs scutn.d. and
our p'enipoteatiary. sent by invitation. denied re
ceptoh. Hence, IN tho war, declared after luny
iorbesrance, one of its leading ends was the sci,
element BY force Of these very boundaries We
were certainly. then. entitled To seize and hold
the territories in dispute. But should they
have been Immediately surrendered To Texas. and
their inhabitants subjected 10 her inrisdiction and
proteclIon1 II may be well doubted, as full pow
er over the settlement Of boundaries has bcen ex
expressly reserved To our Federal Guyetnnen,
whether these disputed territories can he pruperIv
regarded as an asceriained part ef Texas. since
us possible that all. or considerable portions.
may yet. by definite treaty of peace. be res,ored
and confirmed TO Mexico But granting all snch
disputed territory 10 he undoubtedly part or Tex
as. how did II lie with reference to her ponulati,n
and jurisdiction But small portion of 1.-THE
country south OF the Nueces and near the mouth
of the Rio Grande-had been under ,bs ,c,,.i
dominion OF Texas, lay contiguous to her settle.
menls or had been inhabited by citizens acknou
odgl"g her laws. That portion nigh, be readily
brought under her jurisdicinn and it's inhabitants
recognised as citizens. and accordingly we find il
left by our commanders To the control of Texan
authorities and TO the governance of her laws
No provisional government was established there
by military authority. But the residue of The ex
iensye disputed territory was far otherwise si,ua
ted.
Remote, separated from the settled portion of
Texas by immense wastes or rugged mountain
ranges, in the actual possession of Mexican autbor;
ties, and so Tar as inhabited at all peopled by enc
mics, who did not admit the sovereignty of Texas
and would ne' submit To her laws; under such cir
cumstances II was impossible to maintain masses
sion at all except by military ascendancy The
Jurisdiction and authority Of Texas could not have
been extended or exercised over it and To have
pretended 10 surrender il in Difference 10 The SOW
ereignty OF Texas, would have beeu at once a
IN N"ry and forfeiture of our cnnanesis The
necessity of the case. the actual circumstances of
the country, rendered inevitable the maintenance
OF military rule, and allowed il To be tempered
only by the establishment of provisional govern.
meh'. was This nsurpation, or violation of the
constitutional rights of a sovereign State of the
COnederapV2 TayaS ;,l, a..
The war has been declared with her cordial appro
val. Our armies, even before il broke out. were
invited into her territories, and il may confident
~ De assumed that she approves and confirms The
necessary actions of our commanders in these dis
puled territories. Indeed, the Representative here
OF western Texas. the region Immediately concern
ed tells us his Stale and people are we'll content
win their action. Whence. then, the clamor and
complaint on The subject Of the violation Of Texan
sovereignty and the oppression of her citizens
moi from the State itself, neither from lis friends
OF the advocates of its annexation No; from its
worst opponents-he most vehement 6enouncers
OF lis admission to the Union. They, of all men,
nave now grown SO wOndrOUs kind and enrolled
themselves as the special champions of her sover-
eighty and the rights of her citizens. The source
eXn'ois the ponllessness and futiliiy of the com
PAM. Indeed, Mr.. Speaker, this whole subject
may be compressed into very brefcompass. This
disputed territory belonged either to Texas or to
mexico. Tito Texas, it being under the control
OF Mexico, and beyond the possible reach of its
owners dominion and Jurisdiction. we have seized
l, i"I her; and to maintain possession, We from
'ne necessity OF the case, have held itby military
authority. and established provisional govern
men'. Hit belonged to Mexico, why, then we
nave but conquered and held province of the
enemy and accorded TO its people the blessing ola
temporary civil government. Gentlemen may
view IL either way. Is it not clear there has been
no usurpaion by the President Of powers not per
'aining TO him under the Constitution no invasion
OF me sovereignty of Texas, of which she can
complain and no injury or wrong. according to
we laws OF nations, done either to Mexico or neu-
trail Powers?