Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-12

/ any extent Of sea coast, lnat possesstou -
stood as extending into the interior counIl' ~ 80.
sources Of the rivers cmpyins Within ,iia' ia
to all their branches, anu Inc county, =" IT, :.
Tins 10 The same" 2l That, whenever one
European naticn makes discovery, ana taxes
possession OF apy norton OF TINS continent, anu
another afterwards does the sar ne at some as
lance from IT, where the boundary IS no, ae'g'-
mined by Inc principle above mentioned ,ns1 VIZ
middle distance becomes such o. coaise. WV
when we apply these principles TO Inc und'spa-
ted facts, that the Mississippi was discoVeieu y"
its whole length 10 The ocean, by ishch suolee..
from Canada, in 1GS3 that La sane, d. aiieday
stated, settled the country Wsst OF inc >oiciaIo
with commission and authority lon Loui' ms ,..s
l4!h, the right Of France formerly 70 lhe no
Grande is manifest: especially is II SO by the ap-
plication of the second principle; Tor me mo
Grande wa. the middle distance between Inc pay
OF st. Bernard and The nearest spanish setIie-
ment, which was in The province OF Sanuco.
That The Rio Grande was the Western boun-
dary OF Louisiana when owned b. France, IS
supported by the testimony Of most writers oil any
note who have written on Inc SUBJECT. ne au.
thories. as collected BY Mr.. ADAMS, IN ms hote
10 Don Onis in 1873, are as follow Inc his'ori,
cal authority OF Du Pratt and ChampiSny, ana
OF the Coun, de Vergennes The geographical au-
u LIS
The map OF Don Thomas Lopez, geographer 10
the King Of Spain. published in l762; mappub-
lished by Hermann. at Nuremberg, in lIl2;
geographical work published in lIl7, al London,
entitled Altos GeosrapiieMs, or complete system
Of Geosra phy Ancient and Modern, in which
the map OF Louisiana marks lis extent from The
Rio Bravo 10 the Perdido an official British
map, published in 1853, BY Bowen, intended 10
poinl out The boundaries OF The British Spanish
and French colonies in America; the geographic
ca work Of Don Antonio lie Acedo, a Spanish
geographer OF the highest cnnnencc. Tins
work saws Mr.. Adams, "haying been publish
ed aer the eession Of Louisiana 10 spain, IN
l763 affords decisive evidence OF what Spain
herself considered as the Western boundary oil
Louisiana, when she had no interest in contest
ing il against another Stale"
Such is the strong and incontesllbie eVileDce
that the Rio Grande, or Rio Bravo as II IS some
time called, was The Western boundary OF Iexas
rs part Of Louisiana when owned BY France. in
1903, Mr. Jefferson, by treaty with France, pur-
chased Louisiana. Whatever rights then France
previously had 10 louisiana, were vested 10 Inc
United states BY the treaty OF 1903 That me
United States strennously claimed The Rio Grande
as the Western boundary Of Louisiana territory,
and OF course as The Western boundary OF Texas
% 10 the time the later country was ceGed 10
Spain, cahno' b. disputed.
Nj. Walser, IN his Texas letter, says: Texas
as Mr.. Jefferson declared, was II clearly embra-
cei in Inc purchase By Us OF Louisiana IS New
Orleans ilsell; and lha! il was part Of that re-
sion is demonstrated BY The discovery by The great
In Sale. CT the source and mouth of the Missis-
sppi, and his occupancy Tor France West OF The
Colorado. Our right 10 Texas as Part OF Lou
lsiana, was asserted and demonstrated by Presl-
dents Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and John q.
Drnc IL hac or dom n
cd our title; and MIR. Clay has ever maintained
il as clear and unquestonable. Louisiana was
acquired By a treaty with France in sos by Mr..
Jefferson; and in the letter Of MIR. Madison, the
Secretary of State dated March 81, 1904, he says,
expressing his own views and those OF Mr.. Jci-
icIsun that Louisiana extended westwardy 10 the
Rio Bravo. Otherwise called Rio Del Nolc Or
ders were accordingly obtained Il the Spanish ~
lho,i!es for The delivery Of all the posts on The
west side Of the Mississippi And in his letter OF
The 3st January, 1904, Mr. Madison declares
that Mr.. Laussai, The French commissioner who
dciircrcd TIC possession Of louisiana 10 US announ
ccd the Del Norte as The true boundary. Here,
then, in The delivery OF the possession OF Louisi-
ana by Spain TO France and by France TO US,
Texas is included In the letter OF Mr. Madison,
OF the 9th OF July, 1904, he declares the OPP
position of MIR. Jefferson 10 the reinquish-
meni Of any territory whatever Eastward OF
the Rio Bravo. In the letter Of MIR. Monroe, of the
Sth Of November, 1903, he encloses documents
which he says prove incontesaby that the boun-
dairy OF Louisiana is The Rio Bravo 10 the west,
ana Mr.. Pinckney unites with him IN similar
declaration. IN Mir Monroc's letters, as SccTc-
tacy Of Stale, dated JAN 10Th, 1916 and June l0h,
1916, lie says none could question 'our tile 10
Texas, AMI expresses his concurrence in opinion
with Jefferson AMI Madison that our title 10 the
Del NoIte was as clear as 10 The island Of
New Orleans" In his letter as Secretary OF State
10 Don Unis oi the l2th Of March, 1878, John
Quincy Adams says "he claim OF France always
did extend westward 10 the Rio Bravo" aud in his
letter OF the 3lst October, 1918, he says our title 10
Texas with The Rio Brave as the western boun
Diary is established beyoad The power OF further
controvcTsy."
We viii take it ther a, admitted, what was be-
You'd ''the power OF controversy" that Tex
as belonged 10 The United States By the
Louisiana purchase and that The Rio Grande
was the western boundary. By the treaty
OF 1919 TeSa, was surrendered 10 SPAIN bul no
Sooner did the brave and gallant Texans hear OF
the violation o.iailh and treaty obligations py me
United States towards them, and tina, they were
abandoned 10 an odous tyranny, than they as
sembed in convention, framed plan OF govern
ment, and like our own pario, fathers OF 40, ae-
clared themselves free and independent In Inc
18th vol. Niles Register, page 81, the whole De
claraiion can be found. make here, only
short extract, 10 show the spirit that animated
'hem-how freedom fred thsir soul andsparklea
in their eyes"
"Thc cilizens Of Texas would have proved
themselves unworthy OF the age in which they
iYed-unworhv of their anceslry-oi the klncrea
Republics u the American coniinen'-couid they
have hesilaied in this emergency what course 10
pursue. s;purning the ietiels OF colonial vassal-
age, di.daining 10 suhini,'o The most aIoci9ui
despo,;sln that ever dsg!accd the annals OF Eu,
ropc-they have resolved, under The blessings OF
God, 10 be iicc"
A, soon IS the Treaty was ratified, Spain I'M
der,ook IA coerce the born citizens OF Texas
il snl,mi, 10 SHE letters Of colonial vassaage."
Hostile operatons were begun. Already had he
momcntous drama commenced. But an over
ruling Providence rescued Republican Texas
from The dangers that threatened her. The FIRE
of liberty which had burst forth in Texas had
swept over the vast plains OF Mexico 10 Inc very
'pasces of the Mon;ezuma-." Goaded Oh by
repeated wrongs and injuries, Mexlco mad again
taken up arms in defence OF her iaallenabe
righ,. The forces that were intended 10 suhju-
gate Texas, were diverted from 'iieiF purpose 20
s,bdue Mexico The contest was proirac,ed
and saneuinarv one; but it al last resulted in
,riun,ph 10 the arms Of Mexico, and Old Spain
was driven from The las, OF her possessions in
North America. No subsequent, efloi was ever
made BY Spain to subjuga,e Texas, and she be-
came consequently an independent nation. The
United States had abandoned her 10 Spain; Texas
had declared herself independent OF Spain; and
Spain having failed 10 subdue her, she owed ale
glance 10 no other nation under Heaven. Now
lc, Us pause for moment and ask where was
the Western boundary otlhis Independent Texas2
Most unqnes.nnahly The Rio Grande. When
Texas belonged 10 France, the Rio Grande was
The boundary; when Texas belongedto the United
States, the Rio Grsnde was The boundary; and in
absence Of ali proof 10 The contrary, is not The
conclusion irresistible, thai when Texas belonged
TO herself, the same river was the boundary
Such was Texas, fee and independent, with
the Rio Grande as her Western boundary, al The
formation oil the Federal Government OF the Uni.
led States of Mexico in 1921. A Constitution
was formed resembling in most respects cur Fe-
dera Constitution 10 which Texas voluntarily
became party And this is the only political
connection that Texas ever had with Mexico :
connection lha, owed its existence to, and was on
lv ro-eristent with The Constitution OF 1921