Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-12-23

49, 1886, had declared the Rio del Norte TO be
the boundary of that republic. Its jurisdiction
had been extended and exercised beyond the
Nueces. The country between that river and
del Norte had been represented in the Congress
and in the Convention of Texas and thus taken
part in the act OF annexation itsef and is now
included within one of our congressional dis.
tricts. Our own Congress had, moreover, with
great unanimity, by the act approved December
81, 1915, recognized The country beyond the Nue.
ces as part of our territory, by including it
within our own revenue system; and a revenue
officer, to reside within that district has been APP.
pointed, by and with the advice aud consent Of
the Senate. 1t became, therefore, OF urgent ne
cessity to provide for the defence of that portion
OF our country. Accordingly, on the 18th OF
January last, instructions were Issued to the gen
eral IN command of these troops to occupy the
left bank of the del Norte.
"The movement of the troops TO the del Norte
was made by the commanding general, under
positive Instructions to abstain from all Rggres-
slve acts towards Mexico or Mexican citizens,
and TO regard the relations between that Repub-
he and the United States as peaceful, unless she
should declare war, or commit acts OF hostility
indicative OF state Of war He was specially
directed to protect private proverty, and respect
personal rights"
In his annual message of December 6, 1886,
the Presdent states that Texas, as ceded to the
United States by France, 10 1903 has been al
ways Claimed as extending west to the Rio
Grande; that this fact is established by deelara-
tons oil our Government during Mr.. Jeferson's
and Mr. Monree's administrations; and that the
Texas which ~gs.cedeG to spain by the Florida
treaty OF 1872 embraced all the country now
Claimed by The State of Texas between the Nue.
ces and the Rio Grande.
lie then repeats The Acts of Texas with ref.
erence to their boundaries; stating that during
period OF more than nine years, which inter
Vened between the adoption of her constitution
ana her annexation as one Of the States of our
Union, Texas asserted and exercised many acts
OF sovereignty and jurisdiction over the territory
ana inhabitants west OF the Nueces; such as Or
CANNING and defining limits of Counties extend
ing 10 the Rio Grande; establishing courts of
justice, and extending her Judicial system over
the territory; establishing also custom house
post offices, land-0ffice, &C.,
Ire president desgnates by the name of Tex.
as tne cesslon OF Louisiana by France to ,heU
Wiled states; and he again calls the territory ce
ded 10 Spain by the Florida treaty of 1919. the
Iexas. lie IHlmates that the claim of the u
niied States to the terrltcry between the Sabine
and the MO Norte, vas derived from the boun-
daries OF Texas, and that by claiming as far west
as this river, the United States did recognize
that 1T wss the boundary of the Texas. real
Iy do not understand what is meant by this as
sertion.
The United States claimed the Rio None as
being the Legitimate boundary Of Louisiana, and
not of Texas. Neither they nor France had ev-
er been in possession of the country beyond the
Sabine Spain had always held possession, ard
had divided the territory into provinces as she
pleased. One OF these was called Texas, and
its boundaries had been designated and altered
at her will. With these the United States had
r1s,tr no tnip nd
1t must be by proving that Louisiana extended
OF right thus far. This had no connection with
the boundaries which Spain might have assigned
10 her province Of Texas. These might have
extended beyond the Rio del Norte, or have
been east Of the Rio Nueces. There is not the
slightest connection between the legitimate boun-
darles of Louisiana, and those OF the Spanish
province of Texas. The presumed identity is u
mere superstition
1t is not necessary TO discuss the soundness OF
the pretensions TO the Rio Norte, asserted by
MIR. Jefferson aud Mr.. Monroe, since they were
yielded in exchange Of Florida, and some other
objects, by the treaty of 1919; treaty extreme
ly popular at the time, and the execution Of
which was pressed with great zeal and persevef-
anee.
I Whenever ultimately ceded 10 Mexico, that
republic fixed its boundaries as it thought prop
er. Texas and Cohahuila were declared to torn
state; and the Rio Nueces was made the boun-
Diary of Texas. When Texas declared iselfin.
dependent, it was the Instruction of only part
of a state; for Cehahuila remained united ia
Mexico. But the Rio Nueces was the boundary
between the department of Texas and the state
OF TampHlipas. The whole contested territory
lies within the limits Of Tamaupas, which never
was, under the Mexican Government, connected
IN any shape with Texas.
The question now under consideration is only
that between the United States and Mexico anC
in that view Of the subject, it is quite nnaIeri
al whether the acts of the United States emana-
ted from Congress, or from the Executive. Nc
act of either, recognizing the country beyond
the Nneces, as part of the territory of the U
nited States, can be aledged against Mexico, al
proof OF their right to the country thus claim
ed. Any such act is only an assertion, decla
ration, but not an argument sustaining the right
1t Is, however, proper to observe here, that thu
port Of delivery west of the Nueces, erected b,
the act of Congress "To establish collection
district in the state of Texas" was at Corpu
Christi, place which was in the actual posses
sion of that state.
1t mnst also be promised that, in the Joint res
oution for the annexation of Texas, the ques,io
OF the boundary between it and Mexico was ex
pressly reserved, as one which should be sci
tied by treaty between the United States an
Mexico.
The only arguments in the Presidents mes
sage, which sustain The right Of Texas to terri
tory beyond the Nueces, are contained in thos
passages, in which it is asserted that the iuris
dicton of Texas had been extended and exerci.
ed beyond the Nueces that the country betwee
that river and the del Nor,e had been represent
ed in the Congress and the Convention OF Texa
had taken part in the annexation itself, and wa
now included within one of our congressonr
dis'ricts.
But it is not stated in the Presidents messag
how Tar beyond the Nueces the jurisdiction
Texas had been extended nor what part OF Il
country between that river and the de- Nore Ia
been represented in the Congress and CONVEX
ton OF Texas, and was then included within OF
OF our congressional districts distinctly.
Now the actual Jurisdiction beyond the Nu
ces never extended father than the adjacent Sc
tlement of San Palricio, consisting of abo
twenty families. That small district, though b.
yond the Nueces, was contiguous TO- and in Il
actual possession of Texas. On this account
might be righuully included within the limit
which we were bound to protect agains; Mexci
invasion.
But what was the country between this smf
settlement OF San Patriotic, or between Corp
Christi and the RIO del Norte, over which