The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-04-20

CHAMBER ne HOHoTapl0 Oenatoi lioil lii
nois, (Mr. Douglass,) made an able speech
the other day TO prove the right of Texas TO
the right bank Of the Rio Grande; but, in
my Judgment, he failed to establish the fact.
He contended that Texas never rebeled
against the constituted authorities of Mexico ;
but that few military leaders, with Santa
Anna at their head, conspired and rebeled
against the republic Of Mexico-seized the
reins of Government-abolis the federal
constitution and State Governments, and es-
tablished military dcspotism in their stead ;
that Santa Anna reduced to submission all
that portion of the republic of Mexico which
lies to the south and west of the Rio Grande
that the people on this side of the Rio Grande
took up arms and confined the power of the
revolutionary Government to the right bank
of that river.
Now, sir, suppose all this to be true. How
does it prove the right Of Texas to the State
of Tamaulipas, or any other Mexican State
on this side of the Rio Grandc? 1.-THE revo.
luton was confined to the right bank of the
Rio Grande, the Mexican States on this side
of the river retained their separate existence
and original boundaries. But Mr. President,
Santa Anna, it is said, while prisoner OF
war in Texas, made treaty with that Gov
eminent establishing the Rio Grandc, from
its mouth to its source, as the southwestern
boundary of Texas.
Santa Anna made no treaty with Texas
while prisoner of war, or at any other time.
On the 9th day Of May, 1886, while pris-
oner of war in Texas, he entered into arti-
clea of agreement with Texas, by which he
bound himself to use his influence with his
Government to procure treaty acknowl-
edging the independence Of Texas and estah-
fishing the Rio Grande as her southwestern
boundary. His Government, however, repu-
dated the agreement and refused to make any
terms whatever with Texas. In December,
after this agreement, the Texan Congress
passed an act declaring the Rio Grande, from
its mouth to its source, to be her western
boundary, and that, it is claimed, gave her a
right to the country. This act of Congress,
sir. cave Texas no right whatever TO one foot
of territory beyond her ancient limits, that
she had not conquered from Mexico and sub
iccted to her jurisdiction and laws.
The question was largely discussed in tEis
chamber when the treaty Of annexation was
before us in 1914, Judge Woodbury., then a
Senator from New Hampshire, and now one
of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the
United States, in his speech in favor OF the
ratification of the treaty, said:
"Texas, by a mere law, could acquire no title but
what She conquered from Mexico, and actually gov
erned. Hence, though her law includes more than
the ancient Texas, she could hold and convey only
that, or at the uttermost only what she exercised
clear jurisdiction over
The honorable Senator from Missouri, (Mr.
Benton,) in the course Of his able speech
against the treaty, introduced the following
resolution
"Resolred. That the incorporation Of the left bank
Of the Rio del Norte, (Rio Grande) into the Amer
can Union, by virtue Of treaty with Texas, COM
pretending, as the said incorporation would do. n
bart Of tie Mexican departments of New Mexico,
chihuahua, CoShua, and Tamaulipas, would be an
act Of direct aggression on Mexico; for all the con-
sequences of which the United States would be re-
spOnsible."
The Hon. Silas Wright, then member of
the Senate, but since deceased, in a speech
delivered at WATERFOWL, New York, just af-
ter he had voted against the treaty, said
81 felt it my duty to vote against the ratification
of the treaty. for the annexation Of Texas believ-
ed that the treaty, from the boundaries that must
be implied from it, embraced country TO which
Texas had no claim, over which she had never as
serted jurisdiction, and which she had 10 right to
cede."
The claim of Texas to the left bank Of the
Rio Grardc derived 10 strength whatever
from her net of Congress. Ii she had no title
before, she had none afterwards. II wash
my hands," said Col. Benton,
"Ofall the attempts to dismember the Mexican
republic, by severng her dominions III New Mexico,
Chihualua Couhuila, aid iamaulpas, me treaty.
in all that relates 10 the boundary Of the Ro Grnde,
m, nnt unrallped Outrnp6 uu Mexico. Ii Is
the seizure of two thousand miles Of her territory
without word Of explanation with her, and by viz
tue Of Il treaty with cXas 10 which she is 10 party"
After full discussion, the treaty, as have
before said, was rejected by a>otc OF 35 nays,
TO l6 yeas.
Mr. President, have already trcspassed
100 long upon the patience OF the Senate, and
| will bring my remarks to close. The car
Ger of conquest upon whit h we have entered,
is full! of danger and peril to the country. 1t
may bring under our doA iiion foreign states
and provinces, but it will bring with them an
ignorant, degraded population. wholly un-
prepared tor the enjoyment OF our free and
liberal institutions. With the extension Of
our territorial limits, will come an increase
of armies and navies, and the building up of
great military power, never contemplated
by the trainers of the Constitution. An in
crease Of Executive patronage will follow,
and an ambitious President, selected from the
successful commanders Of the army, may
,ranrpe the Constitution under foot, and sub
icct the people to the despotism Of military
rule. Ii they appeal to the Constitution and
laws for protection, they will be answered in
the language of Caesar to MetelIus-" that
arms and laws never flourish at the same
time" Mr.. President call on the student
of history, and we have many in this chamber,
to point me to Il nation, either ancient or
modern, that has by its wars OF conquest, ac-
qured any enduring glory, or conferred any
lasting benefits upon It's people
Did Greece gain any enduring fame by the
wars OF conquest in which she engaged No,
sir, Grecian liberties persisted at Chaeronea,
more than two thousand years ago, Rome
carried her victorious arms into neghboring