Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-12-23
VOL. XIII, NO. 6.---WHOLE NO. 2149.

| near the east bank Of the Rio del Norte.
It is presumed Point Isabel will be considered
by you an eligible position. This point, or some
one near i, and points opposite Matamoras and
Mier, and in the vicinity Of Laredo, are sugges-
ted for your consideration. Should
you attempt to exercise the right which the Uni
ted States have in common with Mexico, to the
free navigation Of this river it is possible that
Mexico would interpose resistance. You will
not attempt to enforce this right without further
| instructions. IL ia not destined
in our present relations with Mexico, that you
should treat her as an enemy; hut should she
assume that character bv declaration of wal,
or any open act Of hostility towards us. you will
not act merely on the defensive if your relative
means enable you to do otherwise"
The administration was Therefore of opinion,
that this military occupation OF the territory in
question was not an act of hostility towards Mex
leo, or treating her an enemy. Now, I do n
yer, without fear Of contradiction. nat whenever
a territory claimed by two powers is, and has
been for length Of time in the possession Of
one of them, il the other should invade and take
possession Of it by military force, such an act is
an open act of hostility according to the scknowl-
edged and practical law of nations. In this case
the law of nations only recognizes a clear and
positive fact.
The sequel is we'll known. Gen. Taylor with
his troops, left Corpus Chrsti, March 9Th to llth,
1916, and entered the desert which separates that
place from the vicinity of the del Norte. On the
2lst he was encamped three miles south of the
Arroyo, or Little Colorado, having by the route
he took marched 135 miles, and being nearly
north of Matamoras, about thirty miles distant.
lie had on the 18th met party ofirregular Mex
lean cavalry, who informed him that they had
peremptory ORDERS il he passed the river to fire
upon his troops, and that it would be considered
a declaration Of war. The river was however
crossed, without a single shot having been fred
10 proclamation issued on The 18th, General
Mejia, who commanded the forces of the De-
pariInent OF Tamauiipas, asserts, that the limits
of Texas are certain and recognized, and never
, had extended beyond the river Nueces, that the
, cabinet of the United States coveted the regions
, on the left bank of the Rio Bravo, and that the
American army was now advancing to take pos
session Of large part of Tamaulipas. On the
E 24th Of March Gen. Taylor reached a point OIL
the route from Matamoras to Point Isabel, l5
miles from the former, and ten from the latter
, place, where deputatlon sent him formal Pro-
test of the Project of the Northern District of
the Department Of Tamsulipas, declaring, in be-
half of the citizens Of the district that they never
! will consent to separate themselves frSm the
i Mexican Republic, and to'unite themselves with
/ the United States. On the 18th O. April the
i Mexican General, Ampudih, required Gen. Tay-
lor to break up his camp withintwenty -four hours,
and to retire TO the other bank Of the Nueces
river, and notified him that if he insisted in re-
remaining upon the soil Of the Department of
Tamaulipas, it would clearly result that arms a.
lone must decide the question, in which case, he
. declared that the Mexicans would accept the
O war TO which they had been provoked. On the
24th OF April Gen. Arista arrived in Matamoras,
:, and on the same day, informed Gen. Taylor, that
. he considered hostilities commenced and would
!, prosecute them. On the same day, party Of
. sixty three American dragons, who had been
sent some distance up the lef bank of the river,
4 became engaged with a very large force OF the
: enemy, and after short affair, in which about
I sixteen were killed or wounded, were surround
:, ed and compelled to surrender. These facts were
. laid before Congress by the President in his mes
O sage on the 18th Of May.
s 5.--THE CLAIM OF TEXAS TO THE RIO DEL NoRrE,
g AS ITS BOUNDARY, EXAMINED.
- From what precedes it appears that the Gov
;, eminent o. the United States considered that the
;r refusal Of Mexico to receive resident envoy, or
a minister, as a sufficient cause for war; and the
Of Rio del Norte as the legitimate boundary of Tex
m as. The first opinion is now oil no Importance !;
IN but the question of boundary, which wae the i'm
ST mediate cause OF hostties, has to this day been
"a the greatest impeachment to the restoration of
ID peace. feel satisfied, that if this settled,
ID there would be no insuperabe difficulty IN arran
10 ging other pretensions.
The United States claim no other portion of
!, the Mexican dominions, unless it be by right of
20 conquest The tract Of country between the
N Rio Nueces and the del Norte, is the only one,
ID which has been claimed by both parties, as re-
>. spectivey belonging either to Texas or to Mex
w leo. AS regards every other part of the Mexi-
can possessions, the United States never had
N claimed any portion Of it. The inquiry of ac-
~ curing any portion Of it, otherwise than by air
. compact, freely consented to by Mexico, is self
n evident. tbs, in every respect, most important
40 to examine the grounds on which the claim of
- the United States to the only territory claimed
z by both nations is founded 1t is the main ques-
"A ton at issue.
20 The Republic of Texas did by an act of De-
=. cember 1886, declare the Rio del Norte to be its
10 boundary. 1t will not be seriously commended,
a that nation has right, by law Of its own to de-
terniue what is or shall be the boundary between
: it and another country The act was nothing
n. more than the expression Of the wishes or pre-.
n tensions OF the Government. lis only practical
- effect was, that, emanating from its Congress or
M legislative body, 1t made 1t imperative on the Ex-
Il ecutlVe, not to conclude any peace with Mexico
"A unless that boundary was agreed to. AS regards
~ right, the act of Texas is perfect nuty We
y, want the arguments and documents by which the
~ claim is sustained.
- On first view the pretenson is truly startling
"a There is no exception; the Rio Norle from lis
~ source to its mouth is declared to be the rightluI
~ boundary of Texas That river has its source
ar within the department, province, or state of New
90 MEXICO, which 1t traverses through its whole
length from north to south, dividing it into une-
:. DUAL parts Tho largest and most populous, In
a, GLIDING Santa Fc the capital, lies on the left
~ bank ofthe river, and is therefore embraced with
y the claim of Texas. Now this province of New
!. Mexico was first visited and occupied bv the
=. Spaniards under Vasquez Grenada, in the wears
y 1910 to 1912. It was at that time voluntarily
evacuated subsequently, revisited and some set.
II Elements made about the year 1888: finally con-
ii quered in 1895 by the Spaniards, under the com
~ mand of Onate. An insurrection of the Indians
=, ! drove away the Spaniards in the year 1850
n They re-entered II the ensuing year, and after
70 long resistance re-conquered It. This was an in.
II ternal conflict with the Aborignes; but ss rela
~ ted to foreign powers, the sovereignty OF the
~ Spaniards over the territory was never called in
:" question and 1t was, in express terms, made the
western boundary of louisiana in the ROYAL
% Charter of the French Government.
~ The conquest Of the province by Onate. tool,
IS place ive'and-twenty years prior 10 the landing
y OF the pilgrims IN New England, and twelve
y years before any permanent settlement had been
u made in North America, on the shores the Az.
! antic, by either England, France, Holland
SWe0al Or a. oil H.,