The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-07-03
From the Richmond Enquirer.
THE RIO GRANDE TIE WESTERN
BOUNDARY OF TEXAS.


The violence with which the Wing
press and the opponents generally
of the Administration denounce the
Mexican war, can only be attributed
to a party feeling, the most relent-
less and vindictive. The origin of
the war has been ascribed to Exec
utive usurpation. The President
has been charged with the most out
rageous aggression on the rights of
Mexico; with wantonly and forcibly
seizing her territory and expelling
its inhabitants at the point of the
bayonet from their peaceful homes
and fresides. He has been charged
with gross violation of the Constitu-
ton in undertaking, as it is alleged,
to decide the question Of boundary,
which the constitution vests alone in
the treaty-making power. He has
been charged with taking upon him
self the responsibility of declaring
war without the authority of Com
gress. And what is the evidence of
such monstrous usurpation ? Why,
nothing more nor less than the fac
that General Taylor was ordered o.
the 18th of January last to advance
and occupy position on the east
bank of tie Rio frgande, with in
structions to rep. the Mexicans,
force by force, sho'vll they attempt
to cross that river. This is the
"head and 'front.' President 5
{. offending" AoGoldinr 70
who condemn him, he 5, 3uiu not
have ordered Gen r. D . .hc RE
Grande, beeSu,. 'hey assert,
Texas doesAol eAg' { rive
and it is under cover Of this as
sumed fact that they aim their pigmy
straws at our Chief Magistrate.
4 My object in this communication
is to show, not only that the Rio
Grande now is, but that it has ever
been, from the first settlement o
Texas down to thspresent time, the
western boundary Of that country
I 1t is known to all, who are &C
quainted with the early history o
Texas, that La Sale, Frenchman
with commission and authority
from Louis the Nth, discovered thu
bay of st. Bernard, between the riv.
ers Trinity and Colorado, and form
ed a settlement there in the yea
1885; and the possession of tn
country thus taken by La Sale wa
claimed hy France 70. the ri
Grande, and was generally under
stood to extend to that river. Franc
dcduced her claim from the applica
ton of certain principles founde
not only in justice, but recognize,
by the general practice of Europea
nations who held possessions in A
merica. These principles, as lai
down in the note of Messrs. Pinck
ney and Monroe, to Mr.. Cevallos, i
: 1905, were: LIST. "that when an
European nation takes possession {
any extent of ea-coast, that posses
sion is understood as extending int
the interior country. to the source
OF the rivers emptying wit in tt5
coast, to all their branches, and Il,
country they cover, and t. give 1t
right in exclusion of all otter nation
f to the same.o I'd. /" That, wher
. ever one European nation makes
( discovery, and takes possession {
e any portion of this continent, an
another afterward does the same
some distance from it, where I'll
boundary is not determined by tt
principle above mentioned, that Il
middle distance becomes such
course" Now, when ave apply thes
principles, to theupndisputed fact
that the MississipWwas discovere
: in its whole length to the ocean,
= French subjects from Canada,
1888; that La Sale, as already ST
:, ted, settled the country west of Il
!, Colorado with commission and a,
n thority from Louis 18th, the right
$ France formerly to the Rio Crane
h is manifest: especially is it so by Il
e application Of the second principle
r for the Rio Grande was the midd
n distance between the bay of st. Be
k nard and the nearest Spanish settl
Il ment, which was in the province
= Sanuco.
s That the Rio Grande was the we
It tern boundary of Louisiana whit
" owned BY, Frenee, is supported
IT the testianpny ofmost writer's of al
n note wRo lave written on the su
ject.y The authorities, as collect'
:, by Mr.. Adams, in his note to ID,
IS Onis, in 1918, are as follows IT
Re historical authority Of Du Pratt al
y Champigny, and Of the Count
!; Vergennes the geographical a
It thority of De Lisle's map, and esp
a ciaiIy7 ;thct. of the map of Don Th'
y Lopez, geographersto me A ,"g