The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-05-21
TERMS OF ADVERTISING.

/ tages But the righe of Texas To the country
west 0f the Nueces does not rest ON this treaty.
! and the preceding acs ah,ne. She has had local
| possession OF. and exercised jurisdiction over It,
! from that day to this. When the people Of
! Texas assembled in 1886 To form the constitution
| OF The republic. the inhabitants residing between
The Nusces and the Rio del Nur,e had their rem
| resen,arve there. Jane. Powers, citizen and
| resident of that part Of Texas was de,spa,e IN
that convention. Colonel Kenny. fprinerly a cit.
zen ~ my own State. has for many years resided
west oi the Nueces. and represented that county
IN The Texan Congress. He was a member Of
The convention which formed the constitution of
me o'a'e ut IeHas, preparatory to her admission
into the Union, and is now a member of The
Senate at that State. Besides all these facts.
Texas has had Counties organized, and cuurts es-
'abshed there for years, and has successfully
maintained her jurisdiction, not only against tho
Cumanchs Indians but against all the ma raj diny
parties that Mexico has been able To send across
the Rio del Norle.
There is still another item of information which
l can give the gentleman, 10 show that Mexico
mas al recent dale, recognised the Rio Del
Norte as the boundary The members of the las,
Congress will recollect that much was said in
debate on the treaty and resolutions for the an
nexa'ion OF Texas about an armistice W hich had
been entered into between Texas and Mexico
Tor The cessation of hosliliies. The propnsition
was proposed and accepted; and in the proclama-
ton OF the President of Mexico announcing it's
existence, the Mexican troops were directed TO
retire from Texas to the west bank of the Rim
Del Norie, and did SO in pursuance of that arm
ls,ice. Here we find clear and unequivocaI
recognliion of the Rio Del Nurte as the boundary
by Mexico as late as IS43 What STRONGER evi
dence could we have of the establishment, of a
boundary line than this train of facts, reaching
back as far 1885. and all tending 10 two
P"lnis-frst. that Texas has always claimed the
country west of the Nueces. and exercised iurs-
dc'ion over all sections Of IL occupied by her peo-
pie; and secondly. that Mexico has. on al! &C.
casions. recognised the Rio Del Nor,e as the
boundary
WI Adams. i wish to ask the gentleman from
Illinois 1t the last Congress did not pass law
regulating commerce and trade to the foreion
province Of Santa Fee =?
Mr.. Douglass. believe there WINS an NJ.
passed regulating trade between indie pend.nce.
missouri and Santa Fe. do not now recollect
It's exact provisions. Nor is il important, mas
much as that was before Texas was annexed ia
this Union. Of course Santa Fe was foreign 10
rs at that time whether it belonged to Texas or
MeXico. Bnt as the venerable gentleman from
Massachusetts has called my attention 10 an ACT
OF Congress, which he supposes bears upon the
point at issue. will reciproca,e the compliment.
oy asking his attention To one for which he voted
at the present session. Will that gentleman in.
iurm US why he voted at the present sesson of
Congress for bill establishing collection dis
iIic' In Texas. and in it included the couniry be-
tween the Nueces and the Del Norte and in tho
OIL Itself provided for the establishment of a poYt
OF delivery west of the Nueces, and the appoint
ment OF surveyor of the port 10 reside there.
and 10 superlnend the execution of the United
otates revenue laws, over the very country which
he now asserts belongs to Mexico7 The present.
Inn
force over the country in dispute, and the gen
lleman from Massachusetts,, [Mr Adams. I and
1t my recollection serves me right, eyery osntls-
man of this House who is now denouncinu The
PRESIDENT Tor sending the army there, voted for
that law My friend from Ohio, who sits nea rest
10 the, says that the gentleman from Massschp-
setts made speech for it-a fact which had es-
capped my recollection. A surveyor has been an
P"'hted oy Inc President and confirmed by the
SENATE and, am informed has been engaged for
months in the performance of his duties under the
law. Tor which all these especial guardians Of
Mexican rights voted Now, sirs / ask in all
harness and candor. what right these gentlemen
nave to abuse the President for sending the army
into that country to protect The lives Of our Gill
zens, after they voted to take legal possession of
1t by the extension of our laws2 Tbey had as
serted our right TO the country by solemn act of
Congress; they had erected it into collecti,n
to appoint the officers, and see the laws fitbfnlv
executed He has done so; and for this simple
discharge Of duty, under law tor which thew
voted. he is now denounced in the coarsest terms
known to our language, as having done an act
nnhoiy, unnghteous. and damnable.
And this denunciation is endorsed by the ZEN
iIeman from Massachusetts, who in 1919. declar-
ed that our title to the Del Norte was az perfect
as to the island Of New Orleans
Mr.. Adams | never said that our ,itle iva.
good to the Rio Del Norte from its mouth to tia
source.
Mr.. Douglass / fully understand the mint.
Of the gentleman's denial. He denies thai bs
claimed the Del Norte all the ,Udy 10 its so,,ycs
know nothing of his mental reservations H.
claimed the Del Norte as the boundary, witbont
specifying how far il extended up the river He
will not deny this fact for have The official evil,
1ence over his own signature. 1t is true cannot
prove the hand writing, for it is printed in the
State Papers, and is his same celebrated despatch
10 Don Ons, the Spanish minister.
Mr.. Adams. wrote that despatch as Secre,,,v
IT State and endeavorsd 10 make out the best cas-
could for my own country, as il was nv dntT
Bot utterly deny that I claimed the Rio Dsi
Norte in its whole extent. I only claimed il "a
he line short distance up, and then took lina
OTt nd Diet, ~ f.