Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-10-14


1exas--tiese parts of Jour States--thes
towns and ylages--tliese people ard terrific
ry--ihese hocks and herds--lhis slice Of ii
Republic OF Mexico, ttco thousand miles Le0i
md some hundreds broad--all this our Pres
dent has cut off from its mother empire. an
presents 20 Us and declares il is ours until til
Senate rejects Ili He calls il Texasl and tn
cutting off he calls remuneration! Humbo
call IL New Mexico, Chihuahua, Coabuila
and Nneyo Saniander, (now Tamaulipas,
and the civilized world may qualify this u
annexation by the application Of some odIou
and terrible epithet"
In the course Of his speech, he goes turtle
and says:
1.-The treaty in all that relates TO the boun
Diary Of the Rio Grande, Is an act Of mlpara'
Leted outrage on .uerico."
These extracts are made from copy of MI
Beuton's speech delivered 10 the Senate OF tn
United States on the l6fh, 18th and 20ih 0
May, lS44. as revised by himself and publish
ed in the Congressional Globe.
Mr. Calhoun, the Secretary Of State attemp
ted 10 repel these charges brought against hi
treaty, by referring 70 his dispatches both L
Mr.. shannon and to Mr. Green, who were
the agents Of our government, at that tune, II
MPxco--to show that rec nercr meant 10 clam
The fey1ilor7, enlLraccd III He act Of he Congress
ofJeras. but that, Oh the contrary, we were
very DESTROYS 10 open friendly negotiation
with Mexico Tor the purchase Of such boun
dairy as would be most convenient. To ex-
press this purpose TO the Mexican Govern
nent. Mr. Calhoun wrote to Mr.. Green on
the 10Th Of April, Io44--
"You are enjoined by The President, 10 as
sure the Mexican Government, that il is bis
desire 10 settle all questions between the two
countries which may grow out Of this treaty
or any other cause, on the most liberal and
satisfactory terms, INCLUDING THAT or BoUN-
DAIRY"
This declaration, however, did not satisfy
the Senate. They were not willing 10 give
any sanction to such a claim as the words O
he treaty covered. Mr.. Walker endeavorel
topursuade them, and so did Mr. Woodbury.
that the treaty could only convey what actu-
ally belonged to Texas, and, therefore, that i
would be void as regarded the territory IL
which Texas had no right. Bul both OF these
gentlemen made Arguments ~ tauor q he
claim 10 The Rio Grai,de, thus foreshadowina
what Mexico might expect II the treaty should
be ratified: and SO the Senate rejected the
treaty by the decisive vote have mentioned.
In the course Of these proceedings upon the
question Of annexation, Mr.. Benton still more
explicitly expressed his views Of the character
OF the act by offering the following resolu-
ton -
THAT the incorporation of the left bank Of
The Rio del Norte into the American Union
virtue OF a treaty with Texas, comprehending
n the said tUo,tl1 dn M al
the Mexican departments OF New Mexico
Chihuahua, Coahuila and Tamaulipas, would
be an act u d;yeet aggression upon .herico, for
all the consequences of which the United
States would stand responsible"
MIR. Wright took no part in the debate upon
this question in the Senate. He voted with
Nlr. Benton against the treaty, and upon his
return 10 New York after the close of the SEES
sion, he made a speech at WATERFOWL, in
which he stated his reasons for his vote -
81 felt it my dLty"-he remarked in that
Speeeh--"to vote against the ratification OF the
treaty for the annexation. believed that the
treaty. Rom the boundaries Mdt must be implied
from d,--embraeed country to piich Teas
had no clam, oger ehich she had neutr asserted
jurisdiction, and achich she had no right to
cede.' at Appeared 10 me lhen"-ke con-
tmued--''li Mexico should tell US, we don't
know YOU, we have no treaty TO make with
you, and we were left TO take possession by
force, We must take the country as Texas had
coded II 10 us, and IN dong Hat, IRE must do
injustice to .nerico, aud take large portion Of
.Nep .herico, the people Of ,chieh hare nerer
been under the Jurisdiction Of Teas. This to
me ,cas IN, nls,amo,a,tabie 6a,rier-I could not
place The country ~ that position"
This IS the language OF eminent democrats
upon the question OF the Texan boundary.
purp0sely abstain from colating the opinions
OF eminent Wings TO the sans point, because
/ desire to confront Mr.. Polk, not with his ad-
versares, but with his political friends.
think you will now be satisfied, from the
speeches and documents have quoted, that
MesSrs. Benton, Wright aud Calhoun, all
three, have distinctly ayowed their conviction
that Texas had no right TO cede to us the ter
ntory which borders upon the Rio Grande,
and that consequently by no cession from
Texas could we obtain any just claim to that
territory. ......
In The next letter will show you upon
what grounds Texas was finally admitted into
the Union J. p. KENNEDY.