Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-12-24

'coun''f oe'"etn thab Tiver obo the oa-
b'ne which acknowledged the iurisdic-
ton OF Texas. lfthe lower part of that
stream was the boundary OF the United
States, on the annex alton Of Texas, ac-
cord'og To his own position the river was
conI'noaflon of the -shpe boundary line
To ''s source. II he was bound as Pes
ldent TO assert the jurisdiction Of the
United States, and execute their laws
nj Santiago, was he not under stronger
obligation 10 expel foreign Govern.
men, from Santa Fe, and to reduce that
capital and all It's dependencies under
p our. laws and authority: YET this he
never attempted or dreamed Of until
Congress recognised the unc onstituiona
war which he had commenced. In such
difficulties does departure from princi-
ple involve men.
Texas, as cedcd oihe United States
by France IN 1903, has been always
claimed as exie ending west to the Rio
Grande or Rio Bravo" says the Mes
sage. Now France never ceded I'eras
10 the United States az all she ceded
D Louisiana, which Tho United States con-
tended included all the country between
The Mississippi river and the Rocky
Mountains, from the sources Of that
river TO the Rio GraDde. The state
mem thM France ceded to the United
States Texas 60 nomine can have no
other effect than TO produce false i'm
prrssi"n upon the public mInd. Spain
always coDirovened tho position that
Louisiana extended TO the RIO Grande
But that is neither the main nor COLA
trral question in this matter f; il is only
thrown IN 10 distract and to cad the
mnd from the irue points. Louisiana
and Texas once bad a common rccog-
nised boundary, and that was the river
Nueces. The query, however, is as to
the boundary Of Ttras Spain owned
and was possessed of Louisiana, which
she ceded TO France by The treaty Of
October, 1900 Before ,bis cession she
was ond'sputed sovereign Of Louisiana, +,
Of Texas, New Mexico, and all the
other provinces Of Mexico. She held
aud possessed them all by certain and
definite boundary, and the western line
Of Texas, in which she made settlements
more than centnry ago, was the river
Nneces. Her ancient, first, and only
capiinl of New Mexico continued to be
had the province OF Louisiana extended
tu The Ro Graudr. After she ceded Louisi
ana 10 France, dining the whole period Of
us pnssrss,on by TINT Power. aud after It's
,rnnsirr by her TO the United States, Santa
f. continued 10 be The undlspuied capital of
New Mexico, where us government was
lully and unIut"rrupiedy administered. The
right Of IN" Un'ed States to Texas was
ccdtd 10 Spa'u by the treaty Of 1919 and
frnm that lime bnhl Mexico revolled she
held aud governed Texas by the Nueces as
ns Western boundary and Tamaulipas, a.
mother province, as running across the Rio
Grandr Ia The Nneccs for It's Eastern boun-
dary in 1921, Mexico having achieved her
independence, established Federal Repub-
'c. constituted Of several States, upon the
m"dcl Of our Unnu and constitution. Under
thIs system New Mexico was one OF the
States, C"ahuha was another, and Texas
third The Two latter did not unite and form
one Slate 81 the Republic, as he Message
states. They were established and existed
ps separate and distinct political geographi.
mon Legislature and one common State
government They existed az separate
territories, having distinct and separate
ouwdnries. nnG each by its known aud
mutually recognised boundary. and by the
nsIoe of CoahuIla aud Texas respectively.
The same river Nueces was a common boun
Diary between them, being the western line
"f Texas and the eustern line OF Coahuila.-
n al nj A 10 pnr did ha han clair
to, extend further west than the Nueces ;
a"d as To The reaching aiar up, and compre-
hcuJlng all of New Mexico east at the Rio
GTande, including her capital of Santa Fe,
such an exlravagance had not then entered
into any mans Imagination Things remain
ID III tins state until Texas. in 1895, declar-
cd her Independence but Coahuila remain
sd II State ot Mexico. Texas declared her
sell IpdrpeDdent by name. and did not define
her boundary. She Intellectually endcavored
~ prevail WIN Coabulia TO take the same
step, aud then left her IN undlspnteJ posses.
rlon aud in the exercise Of her separate
jurisdiction and oulhorlty up to the Nncccs.
No question Of boundary had then arisen
briwecn tlIrm. What, then. becomes of the
Pr,ldenrs position, Texas, as ceded to the
UnGcd States by France IN 1903, has been
always claimed as extending west to the RIO
Grandc ~
in April, 1886 Santa Anna was captured
by The Texan army, and whilst II prisoner Of
war he entered into and signed certain arti.
clcs With some oi the prime ,pal officers Of the
Tcxan army. II was provided expressly IN
one oi the articles that the whole arrange.
IHcni Should be Submitted respectively to the
Governments of Texas aud Mexico and
.h- latter rejected II. Santa Anna had,
from The tune of marching to invade Texas,
ceased TO be the President Of Mex CO, aud a
President dd interim had been appointed,
aud was invested with, aud was then
exercising, the powers of that Of
flee. Santa Anna was only General
inchlcf, aud also a prisoner Of war
One OF the articles OF this arrangement s,lp.
uluted that "ibe Mexican army should retire
west Of the Rio Grande," aud this is the on
iy provision bearing upon the point Of cession
Of territory or boundary. IL neither attempts,
nor. BY any terms which might have been
adopted, could II have settled boundary, or
ceded any of the territory cf Mexico. BE.
cause, first Santa Anna wus but a military
commander before be was taken captive. aud
could not as such make treaty to bind Mex
t.n Goo 1t,, a L.. ,1 4