Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-02

District OF O0lh f0IltcdE FdffLeS.-l Continued
In these letters have shown you the objections taken by
certain prominent leaders OF the Democratic party against the
treaty Of annexation, and that these objections referred
clusvely to the ertet Of territory claimed By Texas.
You will see, from what about lay before you
that before Texas could be annexed the Administration and
its friends compelled virtually to dsavow any purpose of
taking territory than included in the old boundaries
of Texas unless by the consent Of Mexico herself in other
words that Congress would not agree to Texas with
her boundary the Rio Grande.
The treaty rejected have sad on the sth Of June
1874 On the th of June the President sent message
the House of Representatives, informing them of the fact
the rejection by the Senate and, in effect asking them
take up the subject the way of ordinary legislation This
message referred to the Committee Foreign Affairs
and nothing done during the remainder of that session.
In this message the President refers the boundary gues
ton and says of that it "puposely left open for
gotation with Mexico, aordng the best opportunity for
The most friendly and pacific arrangements"
AT the next session Of Congress, in December 1884, the
question Of annexation Immediately resumed.
On the llh of December Mr. Benton reported bill for
the annexation, in which he provided that the Government
should be "auhozed and advised open negotiations Nth
lMrco and Texas for The adjustment Of boundaries and
for the annexation of the latter amongst Others the fol-
lowing terms a regarded boundary
ls The boundary of the annexed territory to be The
desert praie west Of he Nueces and along the highlands
and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS which divide the of the Mssis-
spp from the of the Rio del Norte and to latitude
Ago north"
This is what Mr.. Benton proposed that us should open ne
gotiations to obtain from Merico
This boundary of the desert prairie between the Nueces
and the Rio Grande Mr. Benton Independently brought
the notice of the Senate that which recommended by
General Jackson in 1929. In his speech upon that point he
said
"That proposition of General Jackson did not go the
length of this treaty he treaty of annexation upon which
he speakng) by thousand miles. 1t stopped the
mountains which lie the head Of the Red river and the Ar
kansas, and which divid, the ancient Louisiana from New
Mexico and the desert pares which lie the west of the
Nueces His proposition included part Of New Mexico,
chihuahua, Coahuila, Tamaupas II ertended to no
part Of the rrer Of the oay Of the Rio del Norte.
Not drop of the of that river inch the soil
Of its valley, did he propose 10 disrupt from its old possessor
and to incorporate into our Union"
In accordance with these views of the respective of
Mexico and the United States this of boundary,
Mr. Bentons bill proposed you have seen, that should
negotiate for boundary in the desert which lies Immediately
cest Of The Nueces OF he satisfied, before he
made this proposition that Texas had actual right beyond
the Nueces vast desert lies between that river and the
Rio del Norte, which Mr. Benton thought good natural
At the same time, the next day after Mr. Benton offered
this proposition the Senate, the Committee Foreign Re-
atons in the House, by Mr. Charles J. ngerso their chair
man, reported joint resolutions for the annexation These
followed by number of propositions for the same pur-
pose, which were offered almost daily for several days, by
different members long debate took place, in the
of which Mr. Charles Ingerso speaking this subject
the bounday-which have shown you produced SO much
objection TO the treayook occasion explain the views OF
the Committee Foreign Relations and of the Executive on
that point He said
The territorial limits marked in the conguraoh of
this continent by Almighty hand. The Platte the Ar
kansas the Red and the Mississippi naturally our
waters with their esuares in the Bay of Mexico Thu M
Rio Grande the natural boundaries between the Anglo
Saxon and the Mauranan There ends the raev of
the West There Merico begins"
In the speech he appzes the House that he has au
horty for saying that there will be no difficulty with Mexi
cothat should be able buy her consent to the cesson
we desired:
81 am happy" is his language, 10 be authorized 10 as
sure tbs Huse that those best acquainted ,oh the true state
o. things apprehend little danger of war. The main
sine,o Of Dar, money wH heal tie breach and end the con-
troUersy amicabiy."
This quotation from the speech of the Chairman of the
Committee Foreign Relations will enable you to under
stand precisely what Mr. Calhoun when on the 10th
of September Previous he this language Mr. Shan
non, our Minister in Mexico
Ycu instructed to renew the declaration made to the
Mexican Secretary by Charge dAaires in announcing
the conclusion of the treaty. that The measure adopt in
no spirit Of hostility 10 Merico and that, il should
be consummaed the United States tcH be prepared ad
Just all questions grocing out Of it, INCLUDING THAT OF
BOUNDARY, on the most liberal terms"
Can any doubt after reviewing these facts that our
Government had pledged itself to abstain from claiming any
boundary that would be offensive Mexico and particularly
to make claim founded the limits forth the Texan
act OF Congress- Can any doubt that Congress -
willing insist upon the Rio Grande Cor Del Norte) as
rghtful boundary
We shall the determination Of Congress- in reference to
this question, more fully developed in what eventually took
place.
Of the several propositions for annexation which were offer
ed in the House Of Representatives. that OF Mr.. Brown of
Tennessee, finally adopted On the 18th of January
ls45, Mr. Brown offered his resolutions a substitute for
those Of the committee. They began in this way :
Resolved That Congress doth consent that The terru
property included ,ofhia and righuHy belonging 10 Tie
and that the foregoing consent is given the following
conditions, to wit;
"Sad State shall be formed, subject TO The adjustment by
This Government Of all questions Of boundary that may arise
cith other Governments" &c.
On the 25th of January these resolutions passed in the
House of Representatives by of 10 81 and on the
day passed the Senate without alteration in any material
point.