The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-01-14

J. F. McC0LLAM, Printer.

s. ceded with Mexico for Kendall and other
It American citizens taken in the famous Santa
e lie expedition; and that in that correspon-
: dence was admitted that New Mexico was
e justly part of the Mexican Republic Was
4 he ignorant of the fact that we had Consul
. residing at Santa Fe, and that by an act Of
: Congress, passed March 8, 1845, in relation
to drawbacks, we provided that goods sent to
: Santa Fe in Aie&ico, should be entitled to that
drawback! Has he forgotten the fact that
: MIR Secretary Walker, in December last,
| speaks of the operation Of that act, and re.
cognlses Santa Fe as a part of Mexico? All
: these facts are well known to him, aud hence
} ne tells us in this very message that General
Kearney had taken New Mexico, and Santa
Ee, its capital, and established territorial
government there. What then, becon es of
his argument, founded on the act of the Tex
an Congress, that the Rio Grande, from its
mouth to its source, was their western boun-
Diary. That argument is just as good on the
one part of the river as on the other; Just as
strong in New Mexico as in TamauGpasas
conclusive at Santa Fe as at Santiago. The
President in one part Of his message admits
its talsity in New Mexico, and hence yields
the whole argument.
All the documents connected with this
whole matter show that the boundary of Tex
40 Coulu HOI nave UeeH TIE mo GTdnue. i ne
Tyler treaty seemed to take it for granted that
We should hold the whole country but Mr..
Calhoun, more sagacious than the President,
was careful to inform the Mexican govern
ment that the boundary scdS open 10 treaty, land
would be settled on liberal grounds. Mr..
Benton, in discussing that treaty, showed
most conclusiyely that Texas never owned
within Il hundred miles of the Rio Grande;
and so torcible was his argument, that, when
the Joint resolution was prepared, the lar
guage was guarded The territory properly
included within, and rightfully belonging to
Texas And it was further provided that,
when created into state, the general gov
eminent will claim the right Of settling all.
questions Of boundary that may arise with
other governments; and the President, in his
war message Of May last, said that he gave
Mr. Sldell full power to settle the question Of
! boundary, and could not consent to have the
question Of boundary separated from that of
our claims upon Mexico.
Now, sir, all these provisions about bounda-
ry are perfectly senseless On the supposition
that the Rio Grande is the true boundary
If we justly own to that river, the boundary
is already settled, and requires and allows 10
negotiation upon the subject Every docU-
ment submitted to the President himself, shows
the incorrectness of his oft-repeated declara-
! ton, that Mexico invaded the United States,
and convicts him of gross Misrepresentation,
The correspondence between Mr. Donel-
son, our Charge in Texas, and our govern
ment submitted by the President in his an
nual message of December 2, 1885, contains
conclusive evidence Of the futility of our claim
to the Rio Grande, the utter falsity of the
Presidents declaration.
Mr. Donelson, writing to Mr.. Buchanan
al dot &c
says: 1t is believed that Mexico is concern
trating troops on the Rio Grande, where Tex
as, as yet, has established no posts.
Under date of June %, 1916, Mr. Donel-
son says to the Secretary: The territory
between the Nueces and the Rio Grande,you
are aware, has been in possession Of both par
ties. Texas has held in peace Corpus Chris
ii. Mexico has held Santiago. Both parties
have had occasional possession of Loredo and
other higher points. Mexico, however, has
threatened Il renewal of war for the whole Of
Texas, if she accepts the proposals for annex-
alton to the Union. If She undertakes such
an expedition, she of course puts upon the
hazard of war the whole claim, and gives US
the right of going not only to the Rio Grande,
but wherever else we may please"
Here, Mr. Chairman, We have the con-
fession Of our own agent, sent to Texas to look
the case, that Texas had 10 posts on the Rio
Grande; that Mexico held Santiago and that
our right to 90 to the Rio Grande would ex-
ist only in case of a successful war with Mex
co,which would in fact give us the same right
to 20 any where else in Mexico.
The same confession is made III his note to
the Secretary, under date of July ?, 1916:
" My position is, that we can hold Corpus
Christi and all other points up the Nueces.-
If attacked, the right Of defence will author
ize us to expel the Mexicans to the Rio
Grande. 1t is better for us to await the at
tack, than incur the risk of embarrassing tho
question of annexation with the consequences
of immediate possession of the territory to the
Rio Grande. You will find that have guard
ed every point"
In letter to Gen Taylor, June 2Sth, Mr.
Doneson uses nearly the same language -
e The occupation Of the country between the
Nueces and the Rio Grande, you are aware,
is disputed question. Texas holds Corpus
Christi; Mexico holds Santiago near the
mouth of the Rio Grande The threatened
invasion of Texas, however, by Mexico, is
founded upon the assumption that Texas has
no territory independent of Mexico You
can safely hold possession of Corpus Christi,
and all other points up the Nueces, and if
Mexico attempts to dislodge you drive her be-
yond the Rio Grande"
Here we have the repeated confessions Of
an agent on the spot, who "guarded every
point" and attempted to make the most of his
case, that Texas had no possessions west Of
Corpus Christi and the other points up the
river Nucces; and that we could riehtfully
approach the Rio Grande, where Mexico was
in possession, only in case of repelling an at
tack and pursuing her defeated forces The
President in his meSsare has referred to tho
offer of Mexico to acknowledge the indie
pendcncc of Texas on certain conditions, and
maintains that act cf Mexico is binding upon
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