Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-06-20

have but that conquest And DID she her
conquest up the Rio Grande Nothing like ii every
tempt made proved signal failure. The population upon
the Rio Grande rebeed against Mexico neye
conquered by Texas submitted TO Texan law authority
Texas made several attempts to plant her standard upon the
banks of that river but in every attempt her forces either
captured or driven back With what propey then can we
maintain that the wilderness desert country between the
Nueces and Rio Grande belonged to Texas large
strip of country the left eastern bank Of the Rio rande
has been in possession OF Mexico and have acnow
lodged that possession both before and after At
the last session Of Congress passed allowing
drawback upon foreign merchandise imported into this coun-
try, and ported 10 Canada and Mexico and among the
places mentioned in Mexico Santa Fe And during this
session Mr. Secretary Walker in his report on the finances
says THE act Of March 3d. 1915, allowing drawback on
foreign imports, exported from certain of ports to Canada
and also Santa Fe and Chihuahua in Mexico has gone to
some extent into effect and is beginning produce the
happy results.
Here sir have the positive recognition on the part
OF Government that Santa Fe belongs to Mexico and is
included within her lawful territory But every one knows
that Santa Re is on the east side of the Rio Gande How
then be pretended, for single moment that the whole
country that any part Of the country bordering upon that
river, belongs to Texas and hence is part of the United
States There Is authority at all for that plea not
particle proof that the Rio Grande true boundary
except the act of the Texan Congress- and that we have
tessed to be invalid by admitting Santa Fe town on the east
side OF that river to be part Of the Mexican territory AT
that place we have consul there have been paying du
ties on merchandise and when the expedition Fe
captured Government nteceded with the Mexican
Government for the release of citizens admitting in the
correspondence itself that Santa Fe ghuy belonged to the
Mexican Republic.
Though Government had by public acts acknowledged
the country bordering upon the Rio rande on the east to be
part of the Republic of Mexico the treaty got up by Pesi
dent and his Secretary of State attempted candesney
to obtain all the territory OF that river The language of
the treaty general provided that the Republic
as with all Its territory should be ceded the United
But sir, though this language general and seemed to
imply that the country coded was nothing than Texas
H.. ~.
when the President pressed by the Senate to furnish
map and description of the country be annexed he laid
fore them map of the country the Rio Gande with the
clause OF the act Of the Texan Congress claiming all the
try east OF that river But Mr. Calhoun the Secretary of State
though he had affixed his name that sleahy treaty. and
the maserspr in the whole transaction feeling con-
sous as would that the act of the Texan Congress
had validity in his note to Mr.. Green Charge
Mexico enoned upon him to the Mexican Govern
men that the boundaries fixed and that this Govern
ment would exercise liberal policy relation that subject
His words these You ejoaed ALSO by the Pre-
sdent to the Mexican Government that his desire
to settle all questions between the countries which may
out of the treaty. any other cause the liberal
and satisfactory TERMS including that of boudary; and
with that vew the Minister who has recently appointed
will be shortly sent with adequate powers" In the
note he directs Mr. Green to the Mexican Government
that the Government Of the United has taken every
precauon to make the terms of the treaty little obectiona
BILE to Mexico possible and among Others has left the
boundary Of 1eras without specification, that the bounda
and settled according the rights of each and the mutual
teres and security Of the two countries"
Now, sir, does not this full confession the
part of Mr. Calhoun that the Rio Grande was not the boun
Diary OF Texas If he relied upon the act of the Texan Con-
grcss why permit the line to be drawn question: and pro-
pose to submit to negotiation The fact is that the Of
the Texan Congress is perfect nuity Noma knows bet
ter than Mr. Calhoun that boundary is question be
tied by two nations, and any declaration by is entirely
void Settling territorial limits is be regarded in the light
OF contract and necessarily implies parties any
other contract whatever. Hence the very perfection of
absurdy to rely upon the declaration of Texas deciding
tins question IL Is, therefore, matter Of profound astonsh
men that the President, in his late message, should pre-
sumo upon the Ignorance OF Congress present that
pafe OF Texas having any bearing upon this question
But the treaty rejected by the Senae and objection
ing that attempted carry the boundary of Texas
to the Rio Grande, far beyond the true limits of Texas.
The distinguished Senator from Missouri, (Mr. Benon
when speaking against the treaty, said
The half of the department Of New Mexico with its
capital becomes the property of The United States angle
Chihuahua also becomes part Of the department Of
Coahu not populated the left bank which take but
commanded from the right by Mexican authorities the
OF Tamaulpas which both sides Of the from its
mouth tor some hundred miles up, and all the left bank Of
which is the power and possession of Mexico These,
addition to old Iexasthese parts OF four Staeshese towns
and vages-hese people and erIitorythese Aocks and
herds this slice of the Republic Of Mexico two thousand
miles long and some hundred broad this President has
It ours till the Senate rejects il ~
"he treaty, il all that relates boundary of the Rio
Grande of unparalleled outrage on .Herico II is the
seizure OF two thousand miles Of her territory without
explanation with her. and by virtue Of treaty with Texas
to which she is party.
iIaying shown the effects Of the treaty on the Rio Gande
frontier, take up the treaty ITSELF and under all aspects
and in It's whole extent, and four positions relation
to it, viz:
a. That the ratification of the treaty would be- of ITSELF
war between the United States and Mexico
"2 That il would be N unjust war
"3. That IT would be nnc0nshtuhonalv made.
ca That il would be upon zoeak and gro,mdess
preter.'
Thereaty failing, the subject the session was brought
forward in form to obvate in degree this objection
the Senator of Missouri The joint resolution of annexation
provides that the "terrory property included ith, and
rghu belonging 10 the Republic of Texas may be erected
into State, &c But the first condition imposed upon
Texas in the resolution this "Sad State to be formed
subject to the adjustment by this Government of all questions
Of boundary that may Nth 0her Governments"
Here, sir, have full recognition Of the unsettled
OF the western boundary of Texas The language selected
with cauon-"th territory property included ,citin aud
righfuty belonging 10 IsrGs" and this is followed with
provision that all questions Of boundary ,cic may arise c
other Governments shall be settled by the United States and
that other Government These provisions can have no sgn
cancy the supposon that the boundary mentioned by
the Texan Congress is valid Not only the resolutions Of
nexaton implied that the boundary of Texas did not extend
to the Rio Grande, but Mr. c. j. ngerso the chairman Of
the Committee Foreign Affairs, who brought the subject
before the House and opened tie debate gave the fullest
assurance that did not approach within hundred miles of
that rlvcr. His declaration this "Thc territorial limits
of Texas marked in the conguraon Of this continent
BY Almighty hand The supendous deserts between the
rivers Nueces and Bravo Ro Gande) the natural boun-
dares between the AngoSaxon and the Mautanan
There ends the valley of the West There Mexico begins
While peace is cherished that boundary will be sacred Not
till the spirit OF conquest RACES will the people either side
mIyy dmifct