Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-06-11


the act of the Texan Congress, which
made the RIO Grsode, through rs whole
rourse, the boundary, when he himself
through his Secretary Of the Treasury,
has Told us that Sanie Fe, on The cas-, Vi
that river, is included in The Republic oi
Mexico.
But, sir, while arm upon this subject
! ~ish To- pay my respects 10 the gentle
'nsn from Illinois, (Mr. Dough-s, who
favored us with his views upon this sub
ject Yesterday. The gentleman gave
us as rare u specimen Of advancing and
rctren,ing, Of playing of and on, ms we
often witness. la the first place, he at
tempted To subsianiIate our title 10 the
whole country east " The Rio Grand-,
by referring to the early boundaries oil
Tryns. But, after he had demonstrate d
iha, 10 his own satisfaction, he confessed
that these old boundaries, and conse.
quentIy his argument founded upon them,
was nothing 10 his purpose. The qucs.
t,on, he said, was not how the Province
of Texas was bounded, bu, how the Re.
public OF Texas was bounded In this
way he yielded all arg uments drawn from
the boundaries prior TO 1886 /; and then,
TO show iha, he had no settled principle
upon the subject, he returned To The Ques
tion oi the enrly boundary, and referred
To the argument Of my venerable col
league, Mr.. Adams,) when he was
SeetSlGIy of S'es. This vncilIaling
course, this employing and rejecting
alInos, every argument ~ succession,
H.. l..n l,.,, l.t,l. D..
pity. There are, however, u few points
which drmand passing notice. the
geotiemRn told us that there were some
soldiers IN the revolutionary army Of
Texas who came from the country west
of the Nueces, and from this he argued
that all that country fell within the Re-
public Of Texas. But does not every
one see the utter faliacy of this reason
inR? | presume there might have been
some soldiers in the Texan army from
the country ives, Of the Nueces, but to-
every one west of That river there were,
/ presume, ten from the country east of
the Sabine. Aud If this fact proves that
the country between the Nueces and the
Rio Grande is included IN Texas, the
snme argument would prove that u large
section Of the United States was right
fully included in that republic But, sir,
the question is not from what country or
section Of country The soldiers came, but
over what county did they extend their |
arms. And ! say, without fear Of con-
iradictioD, that they never were able IT,
extend their conquesis to The Rio
Grande. They have at different peri
DDS made attempts at conqnering the
country, but have always been repulsed
or captured. H
The gentleman has snid that one member
OF the Texan Congress had resided West Of
the Nu.ccs, and hence he inferred that all H
the country to the RIO Grande belonged to
Texas. But admitting the fact TO be- as he
bas stated, the cOnclu>inn does not follow
The distance from the Nueces to the Rio
Graode ia some hundred aud sixty miles, and
even Il II should be- admitted that few men
residing 70 the immediate valley OF the Nue.
ces should cali themselves Texans, nnd con
s"nt To hc governed by Texas laws, this
docs not Justify the inference that the Texans
possess the nb0t country up 10 The Rio
Grdrde. u ~ also true that men residing
""si tho Rio GTsnhe are represented IN H.
the MEXICAN Congress. and that fact Is os
good for them the other ~ for us. H,
Again, the gentleman has told US that this
whole country ~ included IN one of the
congression~ districts IN Texas The State
IL, believe. dyided Into two districts; bu,
u ls manifest ihnt whatever mny be the
nngnagr Of their law, il can include no ter
ri'ury but what IS rlghlfu'ly theirs. Again,
the gentleman saws that this country ~ IN.
cIudud within one oi our collection districts,
aud IS suhj"ct to our revenue laws. This
sfof hnr al I'm q
'hc Pres ldeni, requires great QnalIicallon.-
II Is true that collection district has bcen
established VI Corpus Christi, which happens
60 he az the west ot the Nueces, at IT'S mouth.
Bat that our revenue system is extended Il
~rsi To the Rio Grande Is not true. And Il
though tae message so ms designed tu
give uiat Impression, the documents sub II
united with the message expressly contra
diet H.. Gen. Taylor. IN his despatch dated II
Corpls Christi. F,b rs, 1916. informs the
President that he had taken every opporiun-
~ ot giving The npressIun to the MeXlcans
that the MrxIcaus, living on this side (of the
kio Gr0ndc) wlll not De disturbed IN any way
by our troops that they will be protected ~
all their rights and usagcs and that every II
thlng which lie army NAV need VIII he pur-
chased 'rom them nj fair prices. | also stated
that un'i the matter should be- finally ad
1"Si'b OtNNecH Tue TWO governments, tne Il
hathor OF Braz"s Santiago would be open L.
the free use uf of the sxicans. as hereto.
tore. The seRc views were impressed upon {
The Mexican cus,nm house officer at Bruzos
Santiago by Captain tlardec, who com
manded The escor. @hch covered the re-
connoisSance Of Padre island II,
Here Mr. Chsl'msu. we have the authority
of Gen Taylor for The fact tha, the Mexi
cans were ~ possession on the east bank of
the Rio Grande, that .NCricaus rere Hring
fhtr, that they had the Navigation of the r
harbor of Brazos Sanllngo, and had custom u
bouse nnd custom house officers there. How,
then could The Message declare with propric.
~, 80 even truth, that uur revenue laws
were extended over thr whole country be \ "
tween thr llSsErccs end me Rio Grandc p l
Geo. Taylor further informs ne, that ~ ap
preaching Point Isabel ha found II III flames,
mud Tint on arriving there he learned Mat the u
port captain who committed the aci,' had y
made his escape, and that with The exception
uf two or three inoffcnsyc Mexcans, the res,
4 l. Al.