New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-12-02
,.-..,,.. h.a been de.m.,.d and altered q, her will

pecnn with the boundaries which spain nj ght have
siqued % her province Of Texas These Ugh, have *
snd-d beyond the Rio Del NOrte have been esst oil
thu Rio Nleces There IL not the slightest connection
between The legitimate boundaries Of Louisiana ana
those OF the spsnsh province Of Texas lne pre'uinso
Identity % mere suypos',iOu.
Hls not peces,.ry 10 discus, the .oundue.s Of the pre-
tensions 10 the Rio Nore asserted ~ Mr. Jefferson ~
Mr.. Monroe since they were yielded To eAcnsusr i'i
Florida and other objects by the Treaty OF ieIs
Treaty extremely popular At ths lime and the skreu
ton Of which was pressed wiki great zssi ana r'e''i
ance go
Whenever ultimately ceced - Mexico, that Republic
fixed i,s boundaries II thought proper- Texas And
Coahuila we're declared 70 form STATE snc ine no
Nueces was made The boundary 81 Texas Wnep ieHas
declared ilse independent II The insurecton o.
only part Of STATE for Coshuia remained united 20
Mexico Bot tho Rio kgeces was The boundary De-
tween the department Of Texss and the state o. lamau
pss. The whole contested isrritory lies wiihio The
Hraifs OF supss which never under TIE n-xi
can Government connected 10 any shape viii Texss
The question under consiterauon IA only insi BE-
tween U0ited States and Mexico; an1 Ia thst view
Of the subject IL quito Dmaers whether the eeis ~
the United States cmsnatso rom COngfess Or Eom he
Executive No sct u either, recognizing tho c0enry
beyond the Nuaces ss part Of the territory Of the d.
ted States BE alleged sesine. Mexico "a proof OF
their right 10 The country thus claimed AIRY tlch set
ia only an assertion declaration but not al argument
sustaining he rsht Il Ia however proper 10 observe
here ths, the port Of delivery west OF the Neece erect
I'd BY the act u Congress 10 establish collection ois
trict IN the state Of Texas" wss Al Corpus Christ
place which was Ia the scus possession Of ihsi si''e
II must also be prenifed that In the Joint Resolution
for the Annexation Of iezai the quesuyn o. 'Le o'1
Diary between 1t and Mexico w0 expressly retorved As
one which should be settled b. treaty between me
United Stsies and Mexico. 49,
Ths onlv Arguments In The Presidents Message which
sustain the right Of Texas 10 territory beyond the rue
ces are contained Ia those passages, IN when u 10 as
serted that TIE urisdicon Of Texas had been exsnood
exercised beyond the fueces that the country 20
tween that river and the del Nore hsd been represrne5
In the Congress and Convention Of Texas, bsd taken
d : Ia The Annexation Of iself snd wss now Included
| within one Of our Congressional District
But IL Is not stated Ia the Preldents Message hw jar
beyond The Nueces the jurs lotion o. Texas had been
extended nor uhat part Of the c0uu,ry between thai
river and the Del kOre had beer represented IN me
Congress and Convention Of Texas and vas then ID
! cluoed within Of our Congressions Districts
Now the actual jurisdiction beyond The Nuecet never
extended farther than the adjacent settlement ci san
Patrieio consisting Of about twenty ismies. mat
small district though beyond The Nueces, was cOnugu'
Gus TO- aud Ia the actual pOssesfion OF Texas On ths
account il might De rghtiuy included within the limits
which were bound 10 protect against Mexican in's'
sion. 49,, q,
Blu, what was the country between this small settle.
ment Of San Particle, or between Corpus Christi and
the Rio del Norte over which II might BE- supposed
from the Message that the jurisdiction OF Texas had
been extended be included within one Of our
Congressional Districts Here again, Texas hsd erect
Cd that small settlement into county called san fatr
cio and declared that this county extended 10 the ho
del Eorte This like all other decaratory acts OF the
same kind only assertion not affecting The que'
ton Of right The state Of Texas might wito equH
10 the Sierra Madre 10 the Pacific The true question
OF right % any territory beyond the Mexican limits oil
the Department Of Texas depends on the lacts ~
whom ives tho territory ia question actually inhabited
and occuuedg and had the inhabitants united With Tex
AZ ia tho inturrecton against mexcoi
Thsivghoe country between the settlement Of san Ia.
trico and Corpus Christi I'LL within few miles OF The
del Korte IL perfect desert one hundred ana sixty
miles vide by the route pursued By Gen. Taylor As
stated by himself snd neor one hundred ana twenty
| miles IA straight liue.
The only settled part of II Il along the lott bsnk OF
the del Norte and but lew miles In bfeadih This belt
was settled inhabited and occupied exclusively by .ex-
! lcans II included TIE town Of Loredoi ana Mexico
had Custom. House ut Brszos north oi tue NOUN ol
the river TIL occupied by the American arms II had
ever BEEN and the time when invaded 10y Gen.
Taylor part Of tho Department Of Tsmsulpss, and
subject the jurisdiction OF the Pfefect OF the Northern
District OF that Department
ia the course OF the war between Mexico and Texas,
ucursions had been occasionally made by each party
toto territories OF the other Mexican oncer pad
once or twice obtained temporary occupation Of san
Antonio within the limits Of Tox4s; and the Iexsns
had on one occasion taken Lorodo Itself aud more than
had carried their arms not only TO the len bank oi
the del Norte but beyond that river In both csses
the aggressive parties had been Tepulsed and expelled
The last Texan expedition OF that kind took plsce In
December 1872 and terminated In their defeat az Mler
That the country. adjacent TO the left bank OF the
river was exclusively the possession Of the Moxicsns,
was well known q our Government
When Gen. Taylor marched 10 the del Norte. be Is
sued an order NO 3O) translated into Spanish ordering
all under his command observe with the most scru-
/ pu.ous respect the rights Of all the inhabitants VINO
mig be found in peaceful prosecution OF their respes
tive occupations as well on the LETT az on the rset SIDE
In June s45 Cen Taylor bad been directed to select
aud occupy the Rio Grande del Norie such
se rs would be best adapted 90 repe invasion and To
! protect our Western border But the sih of July
following the Secretary OF War Mr Marcy addressed
! the following letter TO him
This Department is informed that Mexico hss some
military Establishments the side Of the Rio Grsnds
which and for some lime have been, in the actual
heretofore received you will be careful to avoid any
Of aggression, unless actual state Of should exist
The Mexican forces at the posts IN their possession and
which have been will not be disturbed long the
relations Of peace between the United States and Mexico
continue
90 the 30h July lsi5 the Secretary sgsin addresses
Gen Tayl As follows
You are expected to and defendths terri
the people Of Texs The Rio Grande is claimed TO be the
boundary between the two countres and this boun-
Diary you your protection only ercepng any
posts the sides thereof, which the actual
occupancy OF Mexican forces, Mcrcan ssftems,
which the Republic of Texas did net exercise Jurisdiction
the period Of annexation shortly before that event
IL Is expected, IN rejecting the establishment for your
troops you VIII approach the boundary line the
Rio Grande, prudence will dictate. With this view
tho President desires that your position, for part OF
your forces al least should be west Of The River Nneces
The Mexican settlements thus excepted. those
over which Texas DID not claim Jurisdiction bat those
the esst bank Of the Rio Grande over which Texas
cid not ezrciss jurisdiction At the period mentioned
The President had authority 10 give up the territory
claimed by Texas; but 1t is clear that at that time
when contemplated. the Administration
Of opinion thst till the question defnitvely set
lied the occupancy by the Mexicans OF the territory
adscen the etl bank Of the del Nor,e ought be
disturbed Neither the subsequent refusal by Mexico to
receive residing envoy the successes OF The Amer
lean have affected the question OF right The
claim Of Texas. whether 10 New-Mexico, or 10 the
lower portion OF the Rio Norte idenicsly the
same, invalid and eroundless 10 10 the
other. Why distinction has been made by the Exacu.
tive hss been stated. Tie fscts that he has estab
lished temporary Government fer New-Mexico, a. a
country conquered and without aEy regsrd 10 the clam
OF re while on the other hand be has permitted
that Stste to extend he jurisdiction over the country
lying the lett bank Of the del forte which ike New
Mexico. bad been conquered by The OF the United
States. Not shRduw Of proof has been sdduced %
sustain the professions Of Texas 20 that district; and
justice impeIicusy requires that should by the treaty
of pesce, be restored 10 Mexico
10 80 happens that the boundary which may be- traced
In conformity with this principle Is natural one and
that measure of eNpedieucy, mons more elegibe
could have been ceyised desert OF ore hundred and
twenty miles separates the mosi souihwesiery Texan
settlements OF Corpus Christi aud San Particle from
those o the MeNoans the let bank Of the del Norte
thar which boundary could be devised better cscu-
lated 10 prevent collisions hereafter between the two
nations IL will be sufficient for that purpose 20 draw
nominal ne through thu desert leaving zl waters
that empty into the Rio Norte 10 Mexico and all those