Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-05-21
The Texas IniGgliiy.

We are now beginning TO see and to reap
The fruits ofthc Texas niqni'y. Wrong has
followed wrong IN quick succession, until
through the folly and mbcciIi,y of Polk and
his miserably inemcieni cabinet. our gallant
little army is coopcd up on .Mricn sai, a
collision has actually taken place, our off
Gers and men haze been killed and taken
prisoners, and, to all practical intents and
purposes, we ere at war. while the President
is yet calling upon Congress for formal
measures to sustain him IN his foregone CON
closion! In order that the people may fully
understand tha matter, we desire to call thel
attention to a few historical facts.
10 the frs, plncc, we cannot omit to pay n
passing tribute to the sagacliy and foresight,
Inf that great statesman, llENar CLAY-the
want of whose transcendent abilities aud
tried patriotism, at the helm. all must now
dc p!hrc, and none more than those professcd d
opponents of Annexation, who yet directed
all their energies against his election. Let
i, be remembered, then, that Mr.. Clay fore
told this state Of things In his first letter.
where lie took ground against Annexation, he
distinctly said
Under these circumstances, if the Govern
mcnt of the United States were To acquire
Texas, it would acquire along with il all the
membranes which Texas is under, and
among them the actual or suspended war be
tween Mexico and Texas. OF that consequence
there can not be n doubt ANNEX NrION
AND WAR WITH MEXICO ARE iDEN-
lTICAL. Now, for one, certainly am not vii.
| ling to involve this country IN torci n war for
the object Of acquiring Texas ''' | regard
all wars as great calamies, 10 be avoided il
possible, and honorable peace as the wscst and
trueSt policy Of this country"
And in recapiula,ing his reasons for oppo.
sing Annexation, Mr.. Clay again sald that it
would involve rs 'ceniainiy IN ,oar ,citi Mrr
Iico-pro6ebly with other foreign Powers.'
We hope that ali those who aided directly
or indirectly, in giving us this Polk admins.
tratlon, now so generally condemned. will re-
member, while lamen,ing the evils Of war,
that some portion OF the responsibility rests
upon them, as they had fair warning Of the
consequences.
The next fact TO which we wish to call
attention, is that the place where the Amer.
lean army is encumped, under The orders OF
the President, is not and neper res Ieras. II
is part and parcel Of Mexico; and for this
assertion we have the authority of Senator
Benton himself. In his speech on the Treaty,
IN May, 1874, he proves concuslvely that n
large tract Of country claimed. two Thousand
miles long aud several hundred broad, inct,..
ding that on phich our troops are encamped,
/ forms parts Of four Mexican departments
noto under .Utrican Governors and Gopern
mtnis. No Itran force has been seen near
IL tcahom being killed or taken 10 The last man.
These are Senator Benion's own words
! The boundary Of Texas proper is the river
Nueces, and not the Rio Gfande. The trnc,
of country between these two rivers belongs
To the Mexican departments OF Tamaulpas
/ I'm which is Gen. Taylor's camp.) Coahuila
! Ichlhuahua, end New Mexico. aud embraces
many large and popuous Mexican towns and
villages, such as Santa Fc, Taos, (where is q
Mexican custom house.l Albuquerque, &c
&C., of which there is no preience that Texa,
ever held actual or constructive Possession.
| Texas might just as well have told us tho,
/ her boundaries extended to the Pacific, snd
sent our troops to over run the whole OF
\ Mexico. as To have them posted where they
are. Well might Mr.. Benton exclaim, as h,
did
II "Will the RE-, prefxcd to the annexation
iegnimOiizs the sisure of tro thousand miles of'
ncighbor's dominioa uih whom hare treaties q
peace ond friendship, and conimeree!'
- wash my hands Of all attempts to dismem
Der N; Merriam Rrpubiic Ly sci.iDg her dominion
m Son MeLico Chihuahua, Coohutia and 1omani
ipos The treaty, in all thai relates to lh,
boundary of the RO Grande, Is An ACT or IN
P,RALLELEp OUTRAGE ON Mexico. Ir rs TIL,
SEIZURE oP Two THOUSAND MILES or HER TERRi
ToRY, without n word of explanation with her
and by virtue Of a treaty with Texas, to whicl
she is no party.
|, If this is true Of the treaty which the Senate
rejected how much gteotcr is the onormli!
when perpe'ratcd under color Of mere reso
lu,ion-anj how much more flogrant IL Prcsl
den, Polk's violation of his duty N orderin!
our troops upon Mericm soil. when ,ha, yer!
II resolution onIy consents 10 the annexation o
Il The territory PROPERLf meiuied wiihin
and RIGH7'FULLY bdongs 10, The R,pub
he IF Itra, "--Sat,m Register