The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-30

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They ceded and ulnquished that title Spain by the treaty
OF 1919 BY whchthe Sabine substituted for the Rio de
Noue as our western boundary"
| request the clerk also to read an extract from
Mr.. Clay's speech Of the Sd of April 1890. In rela
lion to our title to Texas, he says.
Mr.. SEVERANCE here interposed and asked Mr.
T. II he considered that the treaty of 1919 had any
binding forcei
Mr.. TIBBArrs replied, certainly. But my obec
Is to show what we claimed to be the boundary o.
Texas before that treaty was made.
The clerk then read the extract from Mr.. Clay'i
speech referred to, as follows:
This involved an Inquiry into our claim to Texas,
not his intention to enter at large into this subject H
presumed the spectacle would not he presented Of quss
Texas which had hssn constantly maintained by the
ulye for than fifteen years past under three
administrations. He was the time ready and pre-
pared TO make out our title, any in this House
fearless enough to conlroysF IT, He would, for tht
present briefly state that the who Is most familiar will
the transactions Of the goyemmentwho largely patci
Psted IN the formation OF the constitution and In all that hal
that he has rendered his country principally contributed
TO the acquisition OF Louisiana and who must be sup
posed ron h s ysloas opPonnIi.s' best , to know 10
| Orleans ~
Mr. Chairman, CONTINUED Mr.. IT, these au-
thorites, to which have referred, show incontest-
ably that by no patriot OF any party in this country
was our tide to the Rio del Norte ever doubted
prior TO the cesson OF that territory to Spain.
have, sir referred TO these authorities 10 show what
was the ancient boundary Of Texas; and at that
time It never disputed, among Americans al
least, that the lower Del Norte was the western
boundary Of Texas. Well in addition to this, in
1886, the Texans themselves declared, in their or
ganic law, that the Rio del Norte was their west
ern boundary; and after Santa Ana captured, in
the agreement between him and the Texan govern
ment, 1t was conceded by him that the Rio del Norte
was the western boundary Of Texas, and that the
r ~ l.. Al
that country TO the west OF the Rio del Norte.
Mr.. SEVERANCE again interposea and inquired
if that act Of Santa Ana was not disayowed by
Mexico,
Mr.. TlBBArrs replied, just in the same manner
in which Spain disavowed the act Of O'Donohu, the
Spanish general, by which the independence of Mex
leo had been acknowledged but the Mexicans in
sisted it, and claimed that acknowledgment to be
sufficient.
BY the Sd article Of the treaty of May IA, 1896,
Continued Mr.. IT, between Santa Ana and the
Texan government, it is declared;
"AErrcLr The Mexican troops will evacuste the terri.
tory of Texas Pasng the other side Of the RIO Grands del
Nortt."
And they did evacuate that country, sir, (said
Mr.. T., and they have never reoccupied it, and the
Texans have held that country from that day to
this.
The country between the Nueces and the Rio
del Norte composes a county, or part Of a county
"a part VI ClNH OTRhHlIbllOn VI inc Othlc Oh
Texas. 1t is part Of Senatorial and is also part
ola congressional district that will shortly be repre-
sented on this hoor-the member to represent
which is already elected The Congress of the Uni
ted States have themselves recognised this fact by
the passage Of act establishing port Of entry at
Corpus Christi, in this very territory and by the
extension, by this very Congress, without dissent
ing voice, Of the revenue laws Of this government
over that very territory.
Then, sir. I ask, has the President Of the United
States brought on this war; Has he, by giving
orders to General Taylor to occupy the left bank OF
the Rio del Norte, transcribed his constitutional
duties to his country And has he by this act, i'm
properly brought a war upon this country Or has
that been brought upon us by the invasion of
this the territory Of the United States by Mexican
forces This is the question: and it seems to me, in
the face Of these facts gentleman doubt for
moment as to who has caused this war;
What, then, is the state Of the caseI We are in
vaded by the Mexican army-our territory is In
vaded, and our citizens put to the sword. Is Mex
leo in state Of war with us, Why, no man can
doubt it; no can doubt from the declarations of
her government, in all its departments and from the
subsequent action Of her army, that she is in state
Of aggressive war towards us. And will gentlemen
contend that war can exist as far respects
Mexico, and that there is no with us' This
would be a strange anomaly Mexico is at war
with us, but we not at with her! Sir, the
President Of the United States had the constitutional
power and was his constitutional duty to go into
state of defensive war, and that without the aid of
Compress
The next question is, has the President Of the
United States done all he could do to avoid war; 1t
seems to me that no man can doubt this when he
looks al the correspondence between TINS govern
ment ana tne government OF Mexlco. All that
have TO say Is this were IL not Tor the crippled and
unfortunate situation OF the Mexican government,
the PRESIDENT OF the United states mas gone great
deal further than ne could nave been Justhed, or
would have been lust'hed by the people OF this
country IN gong. IL ne had gone as far to AVOID
war with Great Britain or france as ne has to avoid
war WIN MeAieo' nc Woold nave received |ne con,
domination OF the American people he Is JUSTIFIED
IN what ne mas done 10 AVOID war only by the TACT
that Mexico IS weak, anu we are strong.
-. Inc committee resumed inc consideration OF the
bill making appropriations for me support OF the ar,
my Tor ,he year enung on the 'olh june lo4'' ana
the penang amendments
Mr' iiBbATrs was ehuueu 10 me moor, ne sen.
up 10 inc clerk tapie 'he noa,neu a,nehumeh,
which ne proposed IN lieu Oh 'hat formerly onered
by him ana Withdrawn last evening Inc amend
ment was Teau, as IOlI0WS: