The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-06-09


any other way made il and them part and
and parcel of Texas, is The boldest of all abb
srd tiles.
In 1920 the British Parliament enacted
that all Oregon was an English possession,
and attached 1t to Canada and is any Amer
lean prepared to admit that such an act dives
ted the United States Of all Oregon? Blu,
an act Of the Parliament Of New Brunswick
the country in dispute between that province
u Maine was declared 10 be within New Brup-
swick, and her civil and political organization
extended over it; and did this de:ach The coun-
try from the State ofMaine, and make it part
OF the British possession Who dare as
sumo such posiIionl And yet both of these
cases are stronger against us than the present
one Is against Mexico. England had settle
ments and Notifications, and her laws and
jurisdiction prevailed in exclusion of our. in
parts of those disputed territories. Texas
herself has admitted, in effect, that her law
had no. such consequence, and it would be
wholly immaterial whether she had or moi
made such admission. In 1899 CanaIes. a
Mexican chief, attempted with the aid and
cOuntenance OF Texas, to establish the Re-
public of Rio Grande, constituted the States
oil Tamaulpas. Coahuila, and Durango. Its
independence was declared, and Canales cleo
ted President. He thereupon marched his
army TO Loredo, small town ofTamanlipas.
on the east bank Of the Rio Grande, and held
possession of it with his army for more than
six months. In April. 1910, he was attacked
and defeated by General Artist, who comman-
ded strong body of Central Mexican troops,
and Canales, with some of his followers, re-
treated into Texas. 10 this struggle rheITex
an fleet and land forces co-operated with
Canales, and the common object Of that Gov
ernment and him was the establishment of
the independence of the Republic of Rio
Grande, composed of the States ofTamau-
liPas, COahuila, and Durango, the army OF
Canales occupying portion Of Tamaulipas
between Texas and the Rio Grande. In the
mean time, he and the Government of Texas
had entered into a secret agreement, of w hch
the three first articles are as follows:
list. The President of The Republic of Rio
Grande General CanaIes) pledges himself
TO declare the independence of the Republic
at Rio Grande, and to declare and establish
the State and Federal Constitution of I842
so soon as he shall have established his head
quarters within the limits of The territory
claimed by the said Republic.
I'd. That the Republic of Rio Grande
shall, Immediately after the said declaration
of independence recognize the independence
of Texas.
Sd. The Republic of Texas pledges her.
ELF 10 aid the FederaIists of Rio Grande, in
their struggle for Independence directly her
independence is recognized by the Republic
of Rio Grande.'
Nearly three years after the act of the
Texan Congress degning her western boun
Diary TO be the Rio Grande, she graveIy and
formally abandons it by acknowledging that
Of another Republic; and, instead of claim
ing my part Of them 10 be her territory.
pledges herself, and actually by her army
and navy aids in the attempt, to maintain The
independence Of that other country of W hich.
section that she had declared before to by
within her limits was an integral part; ane
this is the identical Territory into which Genh
Taylor has marched his army in The execue
lion Of the orders of President Polk. Tha,
law Of Texas had not at any time The leasd
effect over any country Of winch Mx;co as
i'll the possession and continued to hold. or to
any over which Texas did not establish her
jurisdiction and laws; and, after her arrange
ment with CaDales. there is not even pre-
text for the claim that it annexed to her any
territory thus situated. The only title which
Texas has to territory is that of conquest.
All that she had snbdped by the sword, of
which she held the possession, and over
which she exercised jurisdiction at the time
os her annexation, and nothing more, was
r1ghJuily part Of Texas.
The country between the Nueces and the
lower Rio Grande spreads over about one
degree and half in width. Between these
two streams, and east of the river Sal Colora-
do, there is large salt lake and an extensive
desert. Texans, and people adhering to
Texas, had settled between the Nueces and
the desert, and over part of this section she
had extended her political organization
She might be said TO have subverted the
Mexican power betwe the Nueces and the
desert by the extension of her settlement and
laws into it; and, therefore, it might be plaus-
IDLY commended tha- this territory became
p rt Of Texas. Although the question might
he well made, whether j. was rightfuHy a
part of Texas, | will rather concede than
make it. But, in the couHtry between this
desert and the Rio Grande, Texas never had
any settlement or maintained any authority.
She, within the last three or four years. sent
out two military expeditions. one against
Bexar, the other against Mer; but both
sisnaIly failed, and large part of the troops
engaged in them were captured by the Mex
leans. All the country between this desert
and the Rio Granle the Mexicans have
possessed by their people, and have ever
maintained their jurisdiction over it. In it
they have the towns of Laredo, Dolores, San
tiago, and considerable settlements and pop
ulation. These people are Mexcans, and
have known no other laws but those Of Mex
leo; and her authorities held undisputed
and peace able sway until they were over
thrown by the invasion of Gen. Taylor
That the boundary OF Texas can be expanded
over this section of country cannot be main
tanned by any principle OF public law or
justice, by the usage of civilized nations, or
sense. We were at peace with
Mexico, and yet it was into this portion of
her territory that Mr.. Polk, By his own mere
riH, ordered an American army to march,
forcibly to subvert the jurisdiction ofMexico,
and to erect upon its overthrow that of The
United States. In the execution Of his or
ders, Gen. Taylor formed lis camp Oh IIhe
bay of Corpus Christi, at the mouth of the
Nueces, in August oflast year. He occu-