The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-12-25
CONT ned from first poge.)

an independent State, with an or
ganized government, defying the
power Of Mexico TO overthrow or recon-
quer her, fnr more u an ten years before
Mexico commenced the present war
aglins, the United States. Texas had
given such evidence to the world Of her
ability to maintain Ter srrara'e existence
as an independent nation. that she hid
been formally recognized as s,ch. not on
ly by The United Siaics, bul by several Of
the principa! powers Of Europe.
These powers had entered into treaties
Of amilv, commerce. and navigation with
her. They had received ard accredited
her ministers and other diplomatic agents
al their respective couts, and they had
commissioned ministers and Diplomatic
agents on their part to The government of
Texas. II Mexico, Notwithstanding all
this, and her utter inability to subdue or
reconquer Texas, sill s,ubborn|y refused
to recognize her as an Independent ma
lion. she was none the less so on that ac-
count. .dexco herself had been rerog.
nzed as an Independent nation by the
United States, and by other powers, ma
ny years before Spain, Of which, before
her revolution, she had been colony,
would agree To recognize her as such ;
and yet Mexico was at tina, time, in the
estimation of the civilized world, and in
fact, none the less an Independent power
because Spain still claimed her as q colo
ny. II Spain had continued until the
present period to assert that Mexico was
one Of her colonies in rebellsD against
her, this would not have made her 80, or
change the fact Of her Independent. exis-
tence. Texas, a, the period Of her an
nexation 10 the United States. bore the
same relation 10 Mexico that Mexico had
born to Spain for many years before Spain
acknowledged Ter Independence. with
this impor!aa, dil,reuce-iha' before the
annexation Of Texas to the United States
was consummated, Mexico herself by
formal act Of her governments, had ac-
knowledged the independence of Texas
as nation. Il is true that in the az, Of
recognition she prescribed condition
which she had no power or authority 10
impose, that Texas should no; annex
herself to any other Power; but this could
not deiraci in any degree from the rccog-
nlion which Mexico then made Of her
actual independence. Upon this plain
statement of facts, il is absurd for Mexi.
co to alIedge, as pre,cS, for common
cling hostillIes agains, the United Safes,
that Texas is still part Of her territory.
But there are those who, concedng all
this 10 be true. assume the ground that
the true western boundary Of Texas is the
Nueces instead of the Rio Grardc; and
that, therefore, in marching our army to
the east bank Of the latter river, we pass.
ed the Texas line, and invaded the terri.
tory Of Mexico. A simple statement Of
the facts known 10 exist, will conclusive
ly reluie sach al assumption. Texas, as
ceicd to the United States Ivy France, in
1903, has been always claimed as extern
ding west, 10 the Rio Crande, or Rio
Bravo. This fact is established by the
authority of our most eminent statesmen
alta period when the question was as well,
# not better understood than il is at pres
eni.
During Mr.. Jciitrson's administration,
Messrs. Monroe and Pinckney, who had
been sent on special mission to Madrid,
charged, among other things, with the nd.
jusiment of boundary between the two
countries, in note addressed 10 the Span
ish minister of Foreign Affairs, under
date Of the twen,y.eighth of January,
1905, assert that the boundaries Of Lou.
isiana, as cejed to the United States by
France, 'are the river Peydido on the
east, and the river Bravo on the west
and they add that the facts and princi-
pies which Justify this conclusion are so
satisfactory 10 our government, as to con-
vince il that the q. States have not a bet
ter right TO the Island Of New Orleans,
under the csssion referred to, than they
have TO the whole disiric, Of territory
which i; above described Down to
the conclusion Of the Florida treaty, in
February, 1919, by which this territory
was cede TO Spain, the U. States assert
ell and maintained their territorial rights
10 this extent. In June, 1918, during
Mr.. Monroe's administration, informa.
ton having been received tina, number
of foreign adventures had landed at Gal
weston, with the avowed purpose of form
ing a settlement in that vicinity, special
messenger was despatched by the gov
ernmen, Of the U. States. with insiruc-
lions from the Secretary of State 10 warn
them 10 desist, should they be found there
or any other place north Of the Rio Bra
70, aud within the territory claimed by
the U. States lie was instructed, should
they be found in the country north Of
that river, to make known TO them the
surprise with which the Presilen, has
seen possession thus taken, without au-
,horiy from the U. States, Of place with.
in their territorial limits, and upon which
no lawful Settlement eau De made w;thou,
their sanction lie was instructed TO
Al.