Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-12-04

Congress had with great unanmty by the ap-
proved december o iS45 recognised the country beyond the
Nueces part of territory by including within
own revenue system and officer, reside within
that district, has been appointed by and the advice
consent oil The Senate became therefore, OF urgent
ty to provide for the defence of that norton of country
Accordingly on the 18th OF January last, instructions
issued TO the heeral IN command OF these troops to occupy
the left bank OF the Del Norte
"rhe movement OF the troops the Del Norte made
by the commanding General instructions TO alb
stain from all aggressive toward Mexico Mexican cit
and to regard the relations between that Republic and
the United States as peaceful unless she should declare
commit acts Of hostility indicative Of state lie
was specially directed to protect private property and respect
individual rights"
In his annual message Of December g. 1896 the President
states that Texas ceded the United by France
1903, has been always claimed extending the Rio
Grandc that this fact is established by declarations of
Government during Mr. Jeiersons and Mr. Monroes admin
sraons and that the Texas which was ceed to Spain by
the FLORIDA treaty OF 1919 embraced all the country
claimed by the State OF Texas between the Nueces and the
Rio Grande
He then repeats the of Texas with reference her
boundaries, stating that
During the period of more than nine wears which inter-
vened between the adoption her Constitution and her
alton OF the States of Union
ercsed many acs OF sovereignty aud jurisdiction the
ritoy and inhabitants OF the as organizing
and defining limits of counties extending TO The Rio rande
establishing courts OF ce, extending her Judicial ys-
TEN over the territory establishing custom-house, post
CInces land office, Sc"
The President desgnatcs by the name Of TrQs the ces-
sion Of Louisiana by france the United States and he
again calls the territory ceded Spain by the Florida treaty Of
1919 the Tsras He nmates that the claim of the United
States to the territory between the Sabine and the Rio Noe
was derived from the boundaries of Texas and that by claim
ing as far west as this river the United States did recognise
that ii yss the boundary of the Ieras really do not
dcrstand what is meant by this assertion.
The United States claimed the Rio Norte being the eg
innate boundary of louisiana and of Texas Neither
they France had been in possession Of the country
beyond the Sabine Spain had always held possession, and
had divided the territory into PROVINCES pleased. One
of these called Texas and its boundaries had been de
slgnaed and altered at her will With these the United
States had If their claim could be sustained il
must be by proving that Louisiana extended of right thus far
This had connexion with the boundaries which Spain
might have assigned to her province of Texas These might
have extended beyond the Rio del Nore have east
OF the Rio Nueces. There is not the slightest connexon
between the legitimate boundaries of Louisiana and those of
the Spanish province of Texas. The presumed identity
mere supposion.
1t is necessary discuss the soundness of the preen
sions to the Rio Nore, asserted by Mr. Jefferson and Mr.
Monroe, since they yielded in exchange for Florida and
other Objects by the treaty of sl9-a treaty extremely
popular at the me and the execution of which pressed
with great zeal and perseverance,
Whenever ultimately coded to Mexico that Republic fixed
It's boundaries thought proper Texas and Coahua
declared to form State and the Rio Nueces made the
boundary Texas When Texas declared itself independent
the instruction of only part of State Coahula re
manned united Mexico but the Rio Nueces was the boun
dairy between the department Of Texas and the of Ia
maupas The whole contested territory lies within the limits
of Tamaulpas which under the Mexican Govern
ment, connected In any shape with Texas.
The question under consideration is only that between
the United States and Mexico and in that view of the sub
ect 1t is quite mmaeal whether the acts of the United States
emanated from Congress from the Executive. No of
either recognising the country beyond the Nueces part Of
The territory OF the United States be alleged against Mex
leo proof of their ghto the country thus claimed ANY
such act only assertion declaration but argu
ment sustaining the right 1t however, proper observe
here that the port of delivery Of the Nueces erected by
the act Of Congress establish collection district in the
State Of Texas" at Corpus Christi, place WHICH was
IN the actual possession Of that State.
II must also be promised that in the joint resolution for the
annexation of Texas the question of the boundary between
and Mexico expressly reserved which should be
settled BY treaty between the United States and Mexico
The only arguments in the Presidents Message, which
sustain the right Of Texas territory beyond the Nueces are
contained in those passages which is asserted that the
Jurisdiction OF Texas had been extended and exercised beyond
the Nueces that the country between that river and the del
Noe had been represented in the Congress and Convention
Of Texas had taken part the annexation of ITSELF and
now included within Of our Congressional districts
But it not stated in the Presidents Message h0lc far be-
You'd the Nucces the jurisdiction of Texas had extended
nor W6at part OF the country between that river and the del
Nore had been represented in the Congress and Convention
OF Texas, and then included within Of Congress
siona districts
Now the actual jurisdiction beyond the Nueces never ex-
tended further than the adjacent settlement San Patrcio
consisting of about twenty families That small district
though beyond the Nueces contiguous TO- and in the
actual possession OF Texas On this account it might be
rightfuy included within the limits which we were bound
But what the country between this small settlement of
San Parco, between Corpus Christi and the Rio del
Norte over which might be supposed from the message
that the jurisdiction Of Texas had been extended
included within of our Congressional districts Here,
again. Texas had erected that small settlement into county,
called San Paco and declared that this county extended to
The Rio del Nore This like all other decaatory acts Of the
same KIND only assertion, not affecting the question of
right The State Of Texas might, with equal proprety have
declared that their boundary extended the Sierra Made
TO the Pacific The true question Of right any territory
beyond the Mexican limits of the department of Texas de-
ponds on the facts By whom the territory in question
actually inhabited and occupied and had the inhabitants
united with Texas in the nsurecton against Mexico
The whole country between the settlement of San Paco
and Corpus Christi till within few miles Of the del Nore
is perfect DESERT hundred and sixty miles wide by the
route pursued by Gen Taylor stated by himself and near
one hundred and twenty miles in a straight line.
The only settled part Of it along the left bank of the del
Nore and but few miles in breadth This bsl was settled
inhabited, and occupied exclusively by Mexicans II ncud
ed the town Of Loredo and Mexico had house at
Brasos north of the mouth of the river Till occupied by the
American had been and at the time when
invaded by Gen. Taylor, part Of the department OF Tamau
pas and subject tohe jurisdiction Of the Project Of the north
ern district Of that department
In the Of the between Mexico and Texas incur
sons had been occasionally made by each party into the
tories of the other Mexican officer had once or twice OBJ
tanned temporary occupation Of San Antonio within the limits
OF Texas and the Texans had occasion taken Loredo
ITSELF and more than had carried their arms not only
the left bank Of the del Noc but beyond river
both the aggressive parties repucd and exp
Tho Iaa 'Iayn al Al.