Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-12


thus unjust; il they believed il 10 be unnecessary and to
ALL in contrayenton Of the constitution why did they
vote for the bill
They complained that they forced vote that the war
begun by Mexico though they knew better though they
knew that il in fact begun by ourselves Well they
knew that why did they to prosecute the war They
might be forced for the amendments if they voted for
the bill but who could force them to vote to carry on
that unnecessary unjust and unconstitutional How
far had the proceeded when that bill passed As
lar as the House knew army encamped on the left
bank of the Rio Gande and the Mexican army wss on the
other bank directly opposite Some OF these troops had
ed and American soldiers had been slain Did state
Of things like that call for vast an expenditure Although
Mr. It. poessed be friend and supporter of the present
Administration, he had entertained and he trusted he
never should much respect foany Administration as TO
vote ten millions Of dollars and fifty thousand men TO aid Il
carrying unjust unnecessary and unconstitutional
According TO these gentlemen the oil wrong wrong
from the start begun by uamplng the constitutions When
our troops slain they the territories of friendly
neghbo where they had right be- and yet these gen
emen voted to give the President all he asked and what
for
Mr. T. and his friends believed that the war had been be-
gun by Mexico and then both and money ought
to be voted, and voted freely carry But how could
gentlemen pretend justify Themselves, who believed
they said, directly the Mr. T. maintained that the
troops when encamped on the Rio Grande were just whese
they ought to have been and therefore Mexico had at
tackled them there and commenced the war; he held very
consistently that the House much bound for
carrying on the war now as they were at first.
but gentlemen said they voted the bill the
war; but merely order relieve Gen. Taylor The excuse
was frivoous-he perfectly nugatory They knew
perfectly that before the they voting could possibly
reach Gen Taylor his fate would have been sealed That
vote could not affect his safety avail 10 deliver him from
the greatest danger He three thousand miles off who
could pretend that he voted the hope that relief would reach
him, in consequence Of that voe in time effect his
1t was vain to pretend it. They voted the bill then not
extricae Gen. Taylor Should information reach the House
to-day that the President the United States had ordered an
army across the ST. Lawrence into Canada, and that
general and his command in imminent danger of being
cut to pieces they thousand miles Off in the ne
rior of the country and the President while communicating
these facts to Congress- should ask for millions of money and
thousands Of men to the rescue who would such
bill Who would not instantly ask, "why is army in
Canada what right have they to be there " And no gen
teman would rise and say they had any right But when
the supply bill passed at the commencement of this war;
body the other side raised such objection, but they
voted the men and the money for the Now they pre-
tended that il was only TO relieve Gen. Taylor.
And the subject Of the boundary of Texas. II had
been said here time and again. and he believed il gem
orally admitted, that the right Of Texas revolutionary
right and that just SO far the revolution actually extended
just far and no farther her right the territory extended
with it, Well; take the question on that ground. Every
one knew that when revolution prevailed in any country
against the previously existing government, pos
possible thing to bound the extent of the revolution by precise
lines as land surveyor would the bounds OF estate
with compass and chain 1t practicable tell within
rood just how far could with truth be said that the revou
ton bad spread ITSELF Now important in order
To look where the contendng
themselves considered the dividing line running When
the declaration OF independence made by Texas in 1885,
she had not precisely defined any boundary Butsbsequen
events TO fix it. After the battle Of San Jacino had
been fought and President Santa Anna captured treaty,
something which bore the name, (whether strictly
treaty not he should not argue,) entered into and
though il might not be of binding power, still il show
how the parties both sides understood the boundary between
hem. Here the representatives of the two countries
net in place. and they down settle upon the line
On what did they agree, andwha did they claim from each
,ther Texas claimed to the Rio Grande while Mexico
claimed up TO the Sabine There the issue and this
showed what the dispute. II the treaty had no
her effect it served let Mexico know what Texas claimed
n lS43 armistice took place. and in ls45 second the
espectve parties retired for the purpose of negotiating The
Ncxicans went west Of the Rio Gande while the Texans
vent 10 the east side of it. In June, 1874, effort
made by Mexico, under Gen Wo reconquer Texas and
he invading general then issued proclamation in which he
spoke of Texas revoed province OF Mexico That re-
voed province whatever its boundaries were Texas
which annexed TO the United States Here Mr. T. quoted
the proclamation Of Gen. Woll and argued from the Ian
guage he employed that he regarded the Rio Grandc the
boundary Of the revoted province he had been sent
conquer.
But was said that on the banksof the Rio rande there
certain peaceful Mexican settlements. Wel there
But what then As he had already said, in fixing
the great bounds and limits which separated different
tres was impossible TO bend the line hhe and thher 10
the little local conveniences OF different neghborhood
Ii not possible to bound the extent Of revolutions by
lines gong in and out like the limits Of private estate.
In revolution there had been Tories who
opposed it. and Tory settlements where the flag Of the
new Government not suffered TO float There
who refused to fight either se, and others who
fought TO retain the established Government but did
the peace surrender these local spots the general
acknowledgement Of national independence Had Great
Britain the face to ask that reservations should be made where
Tory neighborhood existed Besides, there was
proof that these people settled the Rio Gande Mexi
Tories TO the Texan Government the contrary, the
proclamation put forth by Canaes spoke Of them being
toousy unfendy Mexico aud having said that they
would submit again Mexican authority II might be
that they non-combaan and, account OF the too
vicinity Of the Mexican forces afraid to out
and take open sides with Texas But had remonsance
up from them 10 Gen. Taylor showing that they were
Mexican heart There might have been few isoaed cases
bot that evnced any thing like concerted movement or
general action On these principles Mr. T. contended that
establishing national boundary line regard could not be
had TO these isolated spots fix great and proml
nen natural features Of the country, without attempting TO
suit the convenience Of each particular ncighhorhood
Mr.. t. wished TO call the attention Of the committee TO the
manifest Inconsistency Of gentlemen who opposed TO this
The Of the Administration, according to them,
wrong only wrong, and that continually Nothing praise
worthy TO be found. But when these gentlemen
speak Of another individual and who had had
little to do in carrying the war; their lips could utter
thing but praise. Now, Mr. T. had taken the pains 10 col
lec from the reports Of the general in command "a gentleman
who. for the most part very enthusiastic friend OF this
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS certainly knew something about the
facts in the about which he wng, some extracts
which he would read 10 the committee. He commenced with
letter from General Taylor Department Of September
IL 1915 was written from Corpus Christi, and Il gave
the opinion that he should need volunteers aid him in
the execution Of the orders received He read also from