Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-01-12

sisfinc Of about twenty families That
small district. though bevond the \ ueceS.
was contiguous 70. and in the actual posses
SION of Texas. On this account i nnioh,
be rightfilllv included within the limits
which we were bound 10 protect against
Mexican invasion.
But what was the country between this
small settlement Of San patrcio. or be-
tween orpus Christi and the Rio Gel Nortc.
over which i might be supposed. from the
message. that the luris LECTION 81 Texas had
been extended. 50 as 10 be included with
IN one of our Congressional diStricts1
Here. again. Texas had erected that small
settlement into county. called san Pa.rI-
clio. aud declared that this county extended
10 the Rio del Nortn This. ike all other
leclaratory acts o. the same kind, vas
only an assertion. not affecting the qlIeS-
ton of right. The State of Texas might.
with equal proprietv. have declared that
their boundary extended 70 tn Sierra
iaIrn or 10 the Pacific Tie rue nuoS-
ton Of right - any territory beyond the
Mexican limits ofthe department of Tcxa,
.,aTa3ds on the facts: By whom was the
territory in question actually inhabited and
occupied and hal the inhabitants united
with Texas in the instruction against
NcVico'
The whole country between the settle
mont Of san Pitricio and Corpus Christi.
til within few miles Of the del Norle. Is
a perfect desert. one hundred and SKIN
miles wide by the route pursued by Cen.
TAYLOR. as stated by himself. and near ono
hundred and twenty miles il a straight
line.
The only settled part Of it is along Tie
left bank of the del \orta. and but few
miles in breadth This belt was settled
inhabited. and occupied exclusively by
Mexicans: Itincluded the town OF Loredo:
and Mexico hal a custom house at Brasos
north of the mouth Of the river TIL oc-
cupied by the American arms it had ever
been. and was at the time when invaded
by Gen. TAYLOR a part OF the department
of Tamaulipas. and subject 10 the iuris-
diction Of the Project OF the northern dis
trict of that department.
In the course Of ihe wan between McXi-
60 and Texas. incursons had boon oc-
casinallH made by each party into the terri
tories of the other. ). Mexican officer had
ton Of san ,ntonio, within Ike limits of
Texas; and the TEXANS lad Oh one coca
sion taken I.oreio itself, ANA more than
once had carried their arms. not only to
the left bank Of the del Norte. but even be-
vond that river Ia both eases the agercs-
Sivc parties had been rcpt!ls"d and expcl-
led. The last Texan expedition Of that
kind took place in December, 1912, and
terminated in their defeat at Mcr
That the country adjacent to the left
bank Of tlle river was cNclu5il y III the
osse~sion of the Mexicans, was well
known 10 our Government
When Gen. Taylor marched 10 the del
\ortc lie issued an order, No. 30, trans
lated into Spanish, ordering all under his
command to observe with the most Scrupu-
lous respect the rights of all the inhab-
tants who might be found in peaceful pro-
sccrtlon of their respective occupations.
as vel! on the left as on the right side of
the Rio Grande. Nointerlercncc. he adds,
viii be allowed with the civil rights or re.i-
gious privileges of the inhabitants
In June, 1345. Gen. Taylor had been
directed to select and occupy, on or near
the Rio Grande del Nortc, such a site as
would be best adapted to repcl invasion
and 10 protect our western border But.
on the oth of July following. the Secretary
OF War Mr. Marcy addressed ne follow
ing letter to him:
"This Department is Informed that MEXICO has
some military establishments on tine east s,de of
ule 100 Crande, which and for some time
nave oeeh, IN The actual occupanc, OF her troops.
Ia carrying ont the Instructions heretofore re-
ceived you Will be careful to avoid any acts Of
aggrcssl on, unless actual state Of war should
exist. he Mexican forces at the posts in their
possession. and which have been 50. Will not be
disturbed as long as the relations Of pence he
NAan nod
On tho 30th July, 1915. the Secretary
again addresses Gen. Taylor as follows:
! on are expected TO occupy, protect, and de-
ehh the territory of Texas, to the extent that il
has been occupied by the people of Texas The
40 'r'h6e Is Claimed 10 be the boundary between
ne Two countries; and up to this boundary YOU
ire to extend your protection, only erce9tihp any
POSTS on the eastern side thereof which are in the
lctnal occupancy Of Mexican forces, or .Hcrican
eftlefaeHfs over which the Republic of Texas Id
lot exercise jurisdiction al the period of anuexa-
ION. or shortly before that event. Itisexpect
~ IN selecting the establishment Tor your troops
,ou viii approach as near the boundary l.ne The
90 ,IFande. as prudence Will dictate. With
ms view, the President desires that your posi-
Ion, for a part of your forces at least shoud he
vest of the river Nueces.''
The Mexican settlements. thus excnp, Z
d. are not those over which Texas did /
ot clam jurisdiction. bat those on the cast
ank Of the Rio Grande over which Texas a
ID not exercise jurisdiction at the period /
lentloned The President had no an. .
lority to give up the territory claimed BY a
exas: but it IS clear that at that time. when &
ar was not contemplated. the Admins
alton was Of opinion thar. till the cues h
on was detinitiselv settled. the OCCUPANCY q
y the NeXicans of the territory adjacent :.
the lett bank Of the del Norte ought not
} be disturbed Neither the SUBSEQUENT
sfusal by Mexico 10 receive residino ),
nVoy nor the successes Of the American :
rms have affected the question Of right. s.
he claim of Texas, whether 10 New
'eNco or 10 the lower portion OF the Rio il
oT'e. was identically the same; as invalid P
nj ground!ess in one case as in the