Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-12-12


Government Of all questions Of boundary that may
arise with other Governments Here is distinct
recognition that this western boundary was unset
tied, and condition imposed which, in terms, was
acceded to by Texas, that its adjustment with Mex
leo should be made by the Government of the Uni-
ted States. Will any one maintain that the Presi-
dent OF himself can adjust and determine the UNI
settled boundaries of the United States? That can
be done only by the treaty-making power, the Pre-
sident and the Senate acting by two-thirds; and
this true and constitutional mode of settling the
question is provided for by the articles of
ton. To the extent of the dispute in relation to
the true locality of the western boundary line Of
Texas it was the duty Of the President of the Uni
ted States to await the action of the treaty making
power with Mexico. But such constitutional de-
lay did not suit his purposes. He was resolved to
have what he then thought would be an easy,
speedy, and triumphant brush with Mexico and,
as his occupation Of Texas to the utmost verge of
her settlements west Of the Nueces for six months
would not extract the first fire from her, he was re-
solved to make the war himself, although Congress
was then in session. He therefore ordered the
army to march in hostile array to the Rio Grande.
If this position OF his, that the western boundary
ofthe United States extended along from its
mouth to its source, and it was his duty to main
tain the Jurisdiction and to execute the laws of the
United States up to it, was not an after-thought,
why did he not Immediately upon annexation march
our army upon Santiago, break up the Mexican
custom.house there, and drive her officers, laws,
and authority from the soil Of the United States
Why should he delay this work for months, if he
was so urgently impelled by his oath and duty !!
Santa Fe, too, the capital Of New Mexico, was
some miles within the United States, according to
his present position. 1t was the seat of foreign
conflicting Government, which was then maintain
ing an adversary rule over about as many Mexican
towns, cities, and people east Of the Rio Grande
as there were in the entire country between that
river and the Sabine which acknowledged the juris-
dicton of Texas. If the lower part of that stream
was the boundary of the United States, on the an
nexation of Texas, according to his own position
the river continuation of the same boundary
line to its source. If he bound as President
to assert the jurisdiction of the United States, and
execute their laws at Santiago, was he not under a
stronger obligation to expel foreign Government
from Santa Fe, and to reduce that capital and all
its dependencies under our laws and authority
Yet this he never attempted or dreamed of until
Congress recognised the unconstitutional war which
he had commenced. In such difficulties does a
departure from principle involve men.
"Texas, as ceded to the United States by France
in 1903, has been always claimed as extending
N he Rin ia prau >, he
Message. Now France never ceded Texas to the
United States at all ; she coded Louisiana, which
the United States commended included all the coun
try between the Mississippi river and the Rocky
Mountains, from the of that river to the Rio
Grande. The statement that France ceded to the
United States TEXAS go aonline can have no Other
effect than TO produce false impression upon the
public mind. Spain always controverted the posi-
ton that Louisiana extended to the Rio Grande
But that is neither the main nor collateral ques.
ton in this matter; il is only thrown in TO distract
and to lead the mind from the true points. Louisi.
ana and Texas once had a common recognised boun.
dairy, and that was the river Nueces. The query
however, is as to the boundary Of Texas. Spain
owned and was possessed of Louisiana, which she
ceded to France by the treaty of October 1900.
Before this cession she was undispued sovereign Of
Louisiana, of Texas, New Mexico, and all the
other provinces of Mexico. She held and possess
ed them all by certain and definite boundary, and
the western line of Texas, in which she made set
dement's more than century ago, was the river
Nueces. Her ancient, first, and only capital OF
New Mexico continued to be Santa Fe, which il
could not have been had the province of Louisiana
extended to the Rio Grande. After she ceded
Louisiana to France, during the whole period Of its
possession by that Power and after its transfer by
her to the United States, Santa Fe continued to be
the undisputed capital OF New Mexico, where its
government was fully and uninerruptedly admins
tered. The right of the United States to Texas
was coded to Spain by the treaty Of 1919; and
from that time until Mexico revoted she held and
governed Texas by the Nueces as its Western
boundary and Tamaulipas, another province, as
running across the Rio Grande to the Nueces for
its Eastern boundary. In 1924, Mexico, having
achieved her independence, established Federal
Republic, constituted Of several States, upon the
model Of our Union and Constitution. Under this
system New Mexico was one of the States, Goa
hula was another, and Texas third The two
latter did not unite and form one State of the Re-
public, as the Message states. They were esab-
lshed and existed separate and distinct political
geographical divisions, but were united under one