Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-01-01

Under this system New-Mexico was one of the
a.es, Coahuila was another, and Texas third. |
| The two latter did not unite and form one State
of the Republic as the message states. They
were established and existed as separate and dis
tnct political geographical divisions, but were
united under one common Legislature and one
common State Government They existed as
separate territories, having distinct and separate
boundaries, and each by its known and mutual
| ly recognised boundary, and by the name OF
Coahuila and Texas respectively. The same
River Nueces was common boundary between
them, being the western line of Texas and the
eastern line of Coahuila. Texas did not in fact
nor did she then claim to, extend further west
than the Nueces and as to the reaching afar up,
and comprehendng all OF New-Mexico east of
the Rio Grande, incudn; her capital of Santa
te, such an extravaganza mad not then entered
into any mans Imagination. Things remained
in this state, until Texas, in 1885, declared her
independence but Coahuila remained State
of Mexico. Texas declared herself independent
by name. and did not define her boundary. She
Intellectually endeavored to prevail with Goa
hula to take the same step, and then left her in
nndsputcd possession, aud in the exercise of her
separate jurisdiction and authority up to the
Nueces. No question Of boundary had then
arisen between them. What. then, becomes of
the Presidents position. Texas, as cedod TO
the United States BY France in'lS03, has been
always claimed as extending west to the Rio
Grando p
In April, 1896, Santa Anna was captured by
the Texas army, and, while a prisoner of war,
he entered into ard signed certain articles with
some of the principle officers Of the Texas army.
1t was provided expressly in one of the articles,
that the whole arrangement should be submitted
+ espectively to the Governments of Texas and
Mexico and the latter rejected it. Santa Anna
had from the time OF marching to invade Texas,
ceased to be the President of Mexico, .1a Pre-
sdcnt al interim had been appointed, md was
invested with, and was then exercising The pow
ers Of that Office Santa Anna was only Gone
ral-n-Chiet, and also prisoner Of war. One of
the articles of this arrangement stipulated that
''the Mexican army should retire west ofthe Rio
Grande.' and this is the only provision bearing
upon the point of ccssion Of territory. II nci-
,hcr attempts, nor by any terms which might
) have been adopted, could it have settled boun-
dairy, or ceded any of the territory of Mexico
Because. first, Santa Anna was but military
commander before he was taken captive, and
could not, as such, mi Ike treaty to bind Mexico.
: Secondly, if he was clothed with such power,
its total suspension ensued Immediately upon
his captivity and reverted to Mexico. Thirdly,
the arrangement itself provided for its ratiiica-
: ton or rejection by Mexico and Texas, and Mex
leo rejected it This is what President Polk
terms Il Treaty made with Santa Anna in
may, 1886. by Texas, in which D." he recognise
ed" the Rio Grande as her western boundary.
1t is difficult to decide whether the President
bunders most in his idea of treaty, or in the
statement of the facts of the case. This COM
pact between the prisoner SaEta Anna and his
) captors had no effect to diIest Mexico of the
country between the Nutccs and the Rio
Grandc or to invcs: Texas With It; and yet it is
; the first beginning and the only foundation OF
, her claim |! Never before had She set up any
: claim for any portion ofthc country between the
: two rivers. In December toilo,cing, indeed, her
: Congress passed an act to define the boundaries
d of the Rupublic of Texas. in which the Rio
Il Grande from its mouth to its source. was declar
$ ed to be her western boundary. All the while
. the whole country on both sides Of that river
o continued to be studded by Mexican towns anc
cities. to be held and inhabited by Mexican peo
pie, to be governed b. MeXcad laws and officers
IL and TO know no others and matters so remained
o until they were subverted by the invasion of thu
[, American army. 1t is the extreme of absurdit,
= to say that this act of the Texan Congress ex
II banded her boundary to the Rio Grande. Con
e quest and treaty are the only modes by which
y territory can be transferred from one nation t
d another. II it should be done by the mode adopt
+ ed by Texas, all her territory would now belon!
a to Mexico has ciaimeda Thousand times, in ever,
e possible form, and still does, the whole countr,
IS knownas Texas.
n These observations are equally applicable t
l. our acts of Congress, passed since annexation
y establishing port of delivery at Corpus Christi
10 and post-route or two west of the tueccs
> This legislation did not interfere with the Mex
i can people ana authorities seated east OF the Ri
'r Grande. But, ii our Congress had passed an ac
l. in the words of the previous act Of Texas, dc
g clarng the Rio Grande to be the western b0ur
N Diary OF Texas. it would neither have strengthen
ne ed the right of the United States nor have veal
III encd that of Mexico. The question of rigl
at would have been left Just where it was, and as
IN stood before Such is another of the broke
e, reeds upon which President Polk leans in tn
n great strait
us But the President is so hard pressed that b
II rather unwlttngly, it would seem, quotes h
ch language in reference to Texas, from the di
patch of our Secretary of State in 1912 to OF
Minister in Mexico:
by Practically free and independent acknow
as edged as political sovereignty by the prime
10 pal Powers Of the world, no hostile foot resin
er pihin her ieraS territory for sir seren yea'
he and Mexico herself retaining for all that peril
m from any farther attempt to reestablsh her ov
he authority over that territory, &c.
IN This is testimony adduced by the Preside
he himself and although it may prove that Tex
les was independent. it establishes conclusive
an that, in the Judgment of the then Administr
nc ton, Texts did not extend to the Rio Grande,
on include all tha Mexican towns and people ca
de- OF it, from Santiago along its whole course to d
raj cities of Santa Fc, Taos, and upward.
to But the President, in this Message, protes
ne that he could not assume
m the responsibility cf yielding up the terrific
The west of the Nueces 10 Mexico, or refusing
to protect and defend this territory and its nhaI