The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-05-30
Thomas II. Benton and the Tex
an Boundary.

Thomas H. Benton and the Tex
an Boundary.
When the Tyler Treaty was under consid-
Grafton in the Senate in 1874, Mr. Benton made
Al speech denouncing the claim of Texas to a
boundary as far west MS the Rio Grande to
which Mr. Polk ordered our army. The fol-
lowing is an extract OF his speech on the oc-
,casion. t
Benton is thoroughly informed on every
point relating to Western boundaries and his
tory. He says:
"These former provinces of the Mexican
Niccroyalty, nOt0 departments Of The .MerIcdn
Republic; lying on both sides 9fhe RIO Gralde
from lis head 10 us mouth, we now propose to
incorporate, so far as they lie on the left bank
ofthe river, into our Union, by virtue ola trea-
" ofrt-annexation with Texas. Let us pause
aud look al our new and important proposed
acquisitions in, this quarter. There is the
department. formerly the province of .NeV
Marco, lying on both sides of the river from
its head spring TO near the Paso del Norte-
that is 10 say, halfway down the river. This
department is studded with towns and villa
ges--is populated, well cultivated, and COW
nred with flocks and heards. On its left bank
liorl only speak ofthe part which we propose
10 re-anneX) is first, the frontier village Taos,
5000 souls, and where the custom house is
kept at which the Missouri caravans enter
heir goods Then comes Santa Fe, the cap
ital, 1000 souls; then Albuquerque, 5000
souls then some scores of other towns and
villages--all more or less populated and sur
rounded by tlocks and fields. Then come
the departments of chihuahua, COGhllld and
TamauLipaS, without settlements OIL the left
bank ofthe river, but occupying the right bank
and commanding the left. All this--beng
p1rts Of four .Hertcan departments, nOC under
,HericaR Governors and Goper1mentS-is per-
Inaueniy re-anneXed to this Union, IfiAis trea-
~ is ratified, and is actually re-anneXed from
The moment ofthe signature ofthe treaty, ac-
cording TO the Presidents last message, TO re-
main so until the acquisition is rejected by re-
iccting the treaty. The one half of The de-
partment ofNew Mexico with its capital, be-
comes n territory of the United States: an an
gle of Chihuahua, at the Paso del Norte, IA
NOUS for its wine, also becomes ours part
orthe department of Coahuila, not populated
on the left bank, which we take, hut comnIan-
ded from the right bank by Mexican authori-
tics; the same ofTamaulipas, the ancient Nu-
evo SHntandar New ST. Andrew and which
covers both sides ofthe river from its mouth
for some hundred miles up, and all the left
bank of which is in the power and posses
sion of Mexico. These, in addition 10 old
Texas; these parts offour States-these towns
and villages--thGse people and territory
these f1ocks and herds-thiS slice Of The Repub-
he of yHerco, ttCO thousand miles long and some
hunired broa,i-all this orr President has cut
offfrom its mother empire, and presents 10
us, and declares it ours till the Senate rejects
it! He calls it Texas and the cutting off he
calls re-annexation Humboldt calls it New
Mexico. chihuahua, CoahuIla and Nuevo
fnnvy To, liDo nd tho civiliz-
ed world may qualify this remuneration by
the application of some odous aud terrible
epthet. Demosthcnes advised the people of
Athens not to take, but to re-take certain
cty;and in that RE laid the virtue which saw
ed the act from the character of spoliaton
and robbery. Will it he equally potent with
us? aud will the RE prefXed to the annexation
legitimate the seizure Of tCo ttOnsdnd miles Of a
neighbor'S dominion ,oith lctom zoe hDue treaties
ofpeace and friendship and commerce. viii it
Legitimate this seizure, made by virtue ola
treaty with Texas when no I'erdn force-wit-
ness the disastrous expeditions TO Mer and to
Santa Fe-hdUe been seen near 1t ,cithom beng
killed or taken 10 The last MANI"
81 wash my hands of all attempts to dis
member The .MericaniRepubI,c by Seizing her do
minionS IN, .NetC .Merico, Chihuahua, COahuLd
and TdnauIipds. The treaty, IN ALL THAT
RELATES TO THE BOUNDARY OF THE RIO
GRANDE, rs AN ACT OF UNPARALLELED OUT
RAGE ON MEXICO. IT is THE SEIZURE OF TWO
THOUSAND MILES OF HER TERRITORY, without
II word ofexplanation with her. and by virtue
of u treaty with Texas by which she is no par
~. Our Secretary of State, i'll his letter to
the United States Charge in Mexico, and sew
en- days after the treaty was signed, and af-
ter the Mexican Minister had Withdrawn from
our seat ofGovcrnment, shows full well that
he ,CdS conscious of THE ENoRMITY OF THE OUT
RAGE; knew it was war; and proffered volun-
teer apologies to avert the consequences
which he knew he had provoked"
81 therefore propose, as an additional reso-
luton, applicable to the Rio del Norte boun-
Diary only-the one which will read and
send to the Secretary's table, and on which,
mt the proper time, / shall ask the vote ofthe
Senate. This is the resolution,
"ResolDed, That Heincorporation Of the left
bank ofH,e Rio del .Norte into the american u
MON, by Uirtte Of a treaty aoih I'crns, comrne-
bending, as the said incorporation ,co,tld do, a
part Of the Mericdn departments Of .Neto JMerico
Chihuahua Coahuila and Tdmaulipas, aoould be
ANACT OF DIRECT AGGRESSION ON MEXICO for
all the consequences of which the United
States would stand responsible"
This territory, the taking possession of
which Benton declares would be aggression
is now occupied in part by Gen. Taylor in O.
bedience to the positive orders of the Presi-
dent.
0~F~A letter from N. Orleans says: "The gov
eminent have not dollar of funds here-are
buying every thing on credit, and paying E.