The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-01-14
I Coacluded from first panel

the arbitration Of umPiTeS."
This preliminary treaty, signed by the
Texan Secretary Of State, and approved by
their President, does not presume that the
western boundary Of Texas is the Rio Grande
On the contrary, it admits that the boundary
is in dispute, and is q fair subject for refer
ence to an arbiter.
But let us see the comment of Mr.. Donel-
son on this subject. Texas wished to have
the United States take military possession up
to the Rio GrAnde but Mr. Donelson, in his
note to Mr. Buchanan, dated July IL, 1916,
says:
1.-THE proclamation of a truce between the
two nations, (Alcxico and Texas founded on
propositions mutually acceptable to them,leav-
ing the question Of boundary not only an
open one, but lcrico IN possession Of the east
bank ofMc Rio G,ande, seemed to me incon-
sistent with the expectation that, in defence
Of the claim Of Texas,ou troops should march
Immediately to that river. What the execu-
tive Of Texas had determined not to fight for,
but to settle by negotiation, to say the least Of
it, could be as we'll left to the United States
on the same conditions"
But the proof Of the falsity of the Presi-
dents position does not stop here, Not only
the documents submitted with his annual mes
sage, but the document submitted with his
war message in May last, contain a perfect
refutation of his declaration. The following
general order shows so cOnclusively that
Mexico was in possession in the valley of the
Rio Grande, that | will give it notice.
"lVar Department, July 8, 1915.
SIR: The department is informed that
lferlco has some military Establishments on the
east side Of the Rio Grdpdc, uhich are, and for
some time hare been in the actual occupancy
Qfhcr troops, In carrying out the %instruc-
tons heretofore received, you will be careful
TO avoid any acts Of aggression, unless an &C.
tual state of war should exist. The Mexican
have hecn SO, will not be disturbed as long as
the relations Of peace between the United
States and Mexico continue.
WIN, L. MARCY.
Brig. Gen z. Taylor"
General Taylor, in his official despatch to
the Department Of War, under date of Feb
ruary &c, 1916, says:
" have taken occasion to represent to some
citizens OF Alatamoras that the United States
government, in occupying the Rio Grande,
has no motive of hostility towards Mcxico,and
that the army will in no case 90 beyond the
river, unless hostilitieS should be commenced
by the Mexioans themselves; that the Next
cans living or this side will not be disturbed :
in any way by the troops that they will be I
protected in all their rights and usages and {
that everything which the army may need {
viii be purchased from them at fair prices =
l also stated, that until the matter should be :
finally adjusted between the two govern J
ments, the harbor of Brazos Santiago would /
be open to the free use of the MeXicaus, as q
heretofore. The same views we're impressed 4
upon the Mexican custom-houso officer at v
BTazo3 Santiago by Capt, Hardoe, who com @
manded the escort which covered the recon- +
n~oissance of Padre Island" i
Gen. Taylor, il his subsequent letters, in +
forms the executive that on his way from Cor v
pus Christi to the Rio Grande, he was met 6
ny the Mexican cavalry, whose commander
informed our officers that our crossing the c
Arroyo Colorado would be considered as an !
act Of hostility that he was also met by a 7
civil deputation, protesting against his occu- a
pylng the country that, in approaching |
Point Isabel he found the place in flames '
that the pori captain committed the act; that I
they " found ttUO or three inofsnyiVe lIcricQns |
there, the rest hayjng left for Maiav0ras." t
These dispatches from Gen. Taylor leave 5
no doubt as to to the possession of The c0un- s
try in the valley of the Rio Grande. The /
Executive says that Mexico has military posts !
there, and Gen. Taylor says that he found n
Mexican soldiers in the country that there G
was Il Mexican custom house at Brazos San n
tlago; that the Mexicans had free use of the r
port and harbor that the port captain at Il
Point Isabel had fired the town; that the i
Nexlcans living on the east side of the Rio h
Grande should not be disturbed; and finally, I
that they might understand his policy, he is !
sued his proclamation to that effect: and. as =
they were lfericans, he issued his proclama- +
ton in their lanqun1e.
All these facts show, beyond a doubt, as it +
seems to me that our claim to the whole coun- /
try, to the Rio Grande, is based on no solid {
foundation. All these facts were of course ,
known to the executive, for they are found )
in submitted by himself to Con- +
.gress. And yet the President, trampling up s
on the rights of a coordinate branch Of the
government, and so violating the Constitution
he had sworn to support, orders the army in
to the country OF II nation with whom we are
at peace, and the commanding general, act
ing under his orders, erects a fort and mounts
his cannon within the reach of a Mexican
city blockades the Rio Grande, so as to cut
off the supplies from the Mexican army at
Alatamoras sends ont u force under CAPTAIN
Thornton, which / is believed to have commence
ed the attack; and then to turn public atten- /,
ton from his own acts Of usurpation the Pres
ldent comes before Congress, in message, APP
poaling to the sympathies Of the American
people. and declares that Mexico has invaded
the United States, and shed American blood
upon American soil ,
Now, Mr. Chairman, is it not humiliatino-
does not every American blush for the honor {
OF his country, when he sees the executive t
put forth a documcn like the message before t
us,not only unsustained by facts, but in direct |
opposition to facts, as a justification of the |
war IN which we are now engaged "The t
MoXlcans invaded the United States p Let {
the President, or let the Presidents friends !
nave it under the most favorable c~ircumstan- f
ees the facts will admit. Allow, ifyou please, ,