Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-10-29

lsrier--i could no, place the country in he, pO.
stion."
Thn q the lsnglage Of eminent democrats
OiiOn the question Of the Texan boundary. |
PuPosely shs'an frUm collsling the opinions Of
eminent WhiEs 10 the sane point. because ] de-
ere 70 cDnftoni Mr. Polk. rot with his adverse.
Fi.ss. bu, With bic political friends.
think yea will now be satisfied, from the
s7Sschcs sRd documents ] have quoted that
aisssrs. Benieu, Wright and Calhoun, all three,
hsvr distinctly aVowed sirconyietiOn that Tex
~ had no right ~ eCde 10 us the territory which
bordsrs upop The Rio Gmnde. and that eonse.
susnilv by 20 cessiOn frum Texas could We Ob-
tain anv lusl claim TO thar territory.
In these lellers | have shown YOU the ohjec.
iions taken by certain prominent leaders Of The
Democratic parry sgains, the treaty Of unnexa-
,On, and that these objectons rrierred exclusive
ly to the extent Of Ierriiury claimed by Texas.
Icu will see, from what am now about 10 lay
ksiore you, than before Texas could b. annexed
she Administration aud its friends were compel.
I'D 10 disavoW any purpose Of taking more Icr'
Titory than was included in the old boundaries
&c TeRas unless by The consent Of Mexico her.
'sll; M ether words. that Congress would not a.
eree 10 annex Texas with her boundary Oh The
Rio Grante.
The trrs,y Was rejected, us have said, on the
9th Of June, i944. On the ilth Of June the
President sent message TO the House of Repre-
ssrIalIves, infunning them Of the fact OF the re-
jcc'ion by the Senate, and in effect, asking them
O. TAX up The subject in the way Of ordinary ls-
gislaiion. This message was referred TO the
CoWmuce on Foreign Affairs, and nothing was
done during the remainder Of that session. 10
this message The President refers 10 the boundary
QUE slion, BRd says Of il that il was "purposely
l;i open lnr ncgoraiion with Mexico, as afford.
irg the best opportunity for the most friendly and
pacific arrangements"
Aiihe next session Of Congress, in December;
1914, the question oG annexation was immediate
~ resumed.
On the Ilh of December, Mr.. Benton reported
bill for the annexation, in which he provided
tha, the Government should be "auihoriZed and
advised TO open negotiations with Mexico and
Texas for the adjustment Of boundaries" and
for the annexation Of the latter amongst others,
on the following terms rs regarded boundary:
'lsi. The boundary Of the annexed territory
10 be in The desert prairie west of the Nueces,
and along the highlands and mounlain.heightS
which divide the waters Of The Mississippi from
Ihc waters Of The Rio del None, aud 10 altitude
+2 degrees NORTH"
This is what Mr. Benton proposed that we
should open negotiations 10 obtain from Mexico.
This boundary Of Ihe desert prairie between
she Nueces and The Rio Grande Mr.. Benton had
previously brought to the nouce Of the Senate ms
that which was recommended by General Jack.
soR in 1929. In his speech upon lhut point he
said:
THAT proposition of General Jackson did not
ID. If tht [tbo ,c
ution, upon which he ewnSspcuking) by TWO thou.
sand miles. Ii stopped at the mountains which
lie at The head Of the Red river and the Arkansas,
mud which divide the ancient Louisiana from New
Mexico aud the desert praries which lie To the
west Of tic Nueces. His proposition included
no part Of Now Mexico, Chihuahua, Coahuila
or TnmaupaS. 1t extended to no part Of The
river or even of the valley Of the Rio del Noue
NOl drop of the water Of that river, not an incl
az the soil Of ilS valley did he propose to dirup
from il old possGssor und ~ incorporate into oul
i'non."
w accordance with these views Of the respec'
tive rights 0f Mexico aud the United States in
Ihs matter of boundary, Mr.. Benlons bill pro.
pos d, as you have seen, that we should negotiate
fnT boundary in the desert which lies mmCdi.
ely west of The Nntces. OF course he was
T Ias had no actual right beyond the Nucces.
A vas desert lies hctwcon that river and tho Rio
Cel Norle, which Mr.. Benton thought a good
natural boundary, aud worth negotiating for with
Mexico.
Is ahe same time. or the next day after Mr.
d mon Offered this proposition in the Sennte, the
CommiuHe on Foreign Relations in the House
BY kh Charles J. rgcroll, their chairman, re-
porIcd isnl resolutions Gorlhe annexation. These
wore lhOwed Ly Il number Of propositions loI
she sunle purpose, which were offered. aImOs
daily i,S several duys, by different members. A
long debate took place, in the course Of which
Mr.. Chi4es J. IngersolI, speaking on the subec
of tho bOundnry-which have shown you pro
duced 80 much objection 10 the trea,y-toOk oc
Casion 10 explain the views OF The Committee Of
Foreign Relations and Of tho Executive on lha
point. lie said:
"The territorial limits are marked in the con
hgurallon Of this continent by an Almighty
hand. The Platte, ,he Arkansas, the Rcd, ant
Ihe Mississippi rivers are naturally our waters
with their estuares in the BAY of Mexico. Tn,
slunend0us deserts between the NuecFs and ihG
Rio Bravo the Rio Grande) are the naura
boundaries between the Anglo Saxon and the
Manri,anian races. There ends the valley Of tbs
West There Mexico begins"
In The same speech he SpPrzeS the IIous" rhu
h has authority for saving that there will be- M
difficulty with Mexico hat we should be able Il
by her consent TO The ccslon wa desired
Il am happy" is his largnnCe, ''to be author
izei ,o assure this House that lhoSe hest aequaln
S,G 9Th he true state Of things NppreScnd l'''I'
OE no danger of war. The main slnew of war
money. will heal he breach aud cud the cOni!o
yer amicaby."
This quota'ion from The speech Of the Chair
man of lhe Committee On Foreign Relations vii
sbable yOu To understand Prcclscly what Mr.
Calhoun meant when, on The 10Th OF September