Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-02-10
SNITMBER 50.


law; and thar, BY the admission OF Texes in
TO the Union. after the resolutions Of annexa-
ton were passed, with that constitution, she
became, as consequence. part of this
Union 10 the extent Of boundaries laid down
in that statute. He understood that the gen
tleman from MARYLAND assumed, FIRST, thatihe
constitution of Texas defined her boundary
line; then that he changed his position when
the gentleman from Texas mir. kAurMAs)
came to his aid, and assumed that the Con.
gress OF Texas having. IN 1886. affirmed the
RIO Grande 10 be the western boundary, the
cons,iiu,ionrecognzed and continued that law.
and hence that she was admitted into the
| Union with that boundary. Let them look
into the history of that question. If Texas
had the right 10 pass that ACT. and thereby &C
tquired the boundary claimed by il, and if the
/ Congress OF the United States did adopt that
claim, OF course there would be no question
about II. But II Texas had no right 10 pass
that law. II she acquired no title by H. then the
whole claim SET up by the President in behalf
OF the United States. and in his own defence,
founded upon II, fell 10 the ground.
Now, the boundary OF Texas. before her re-
volt against Mexico. was Just as well defined
as IS The boundary between the District Of Co
lumbla and Maryland and Virginia. Origi
nally the territory of Texas constituted a very
small portion of what she afterwards posses
sed. Having been constituted State, with
Coahuila. OF the Mexican Conlederacy, the
boundary between Texas and Coa,nila. and
1amauhpas, and which, as he had before
sad, was clearly known. was The Nueces--
How, then, did she acquire boundary beyond
that riser2 The gentleman admitted that the
Texas which revolutonized was the Texas
which was admitted. Then she acquired no
little but by revolution; no title that she had
not maintained by the sword and if she had
maintained title TO the Rio Grande by the
Sword, why. then, the Government Of the
United States would be compelled 10 recoq-
nze that title But Texas never did. never
has. and never would. except as aided by the
power OF the United States. maintain title BY
the sword to one foot beyond San Patfieiu
county The Nueces was the geographical
division between her and Tamalipas and Sat
Parlcio was her western county, extending 70
the Nueces but Texas. after her revolution.
exteuded tina, county asshort distance beyond
the west bank Of the Nueces, 81 as to take In
Corpus Christi.
Texas passed an act by her Congress in
1896, predicted on the right which she claim
ed 10 have acquired under her compact or
agreement with Santa Anna. That compact
or agreement gave her no power, no right,
with reference 10 boundary. II was an agree
meat which, as was shown BY the gentleman
from Connecticut, fiMF. DmoN.) the other
day, General Jackson repudiated-fta.fa;sAd ia
recognize as of any binding validity upon any
body. What right, then. did Texas acquire
under it? Why, by vrtue of the constitution
of 1924, Santa Anna had no power 10 make
treaty he was not the acting President Of
Mexico. II was true, il he had been at home
| in The city of Mexico lie would have been
but the constitution of 1924 prescribed illat.
whenever the President OF the Republic Of
Mexico was in the field commanding her ar
mics. the Vice President should perform the
functions Of President. When 10 the field he
was nothing but military commander; his
functions as President had ceased and as
military commander he had no right TO make
an agreement, except one personal TO himself.
He did make such an agreement while pris
oner of war IN the hands of the Texans, for
the purpose of regaining his liberty, having
no reference whatever 10 permanent boundary.
and which would have been utterly nugatory
II II had had. There was no right acquired by
Texas on tie subject Ut boundary in conse-
quence oil that agreement but II there had
been, II was predicted on the idea that The
agreement should afterwards be rariGed--be
made into treaty by commissioners 10 be APP
pointed on the part of Texas, who should
meet commissioners on the part of Mexico, in
the city of .HeIie0 No commissioners were
appointed on either side. Bot Texas, of her
own will. passed the law Of 1886. defining her
boundary line TO the Rio Grande. She had
no right 10 do il. Ii was an act Of usurpation
the usurpation of territory over which she
had no control by revolution, by this compact,
or by this treaty.
Then, if the act Of 1886 was not passed by
authority on the part Of Texas, il she ACQUIRED
no right by ii, how could we have acquired
right by ii, even though we had adopted liz
Unquestonable we could acquire nome
But, in point OF fact, we did not recognize the
act of 1886 as being obligatory upon us BY the
terms OF annexation. Every body knew that
the cause of the rejection OF the Tyler treaty
was, that il proposed TO annex Texas, 10 the
Rio Grande, TO the United States. The gen
tleman shook his head. MIR. r. referred him
10 the course OF debate ON that question TO the
resolutions introduced by The distinguished
Senators who opposed ina, treaty and he
would ti,ere see that one Of the prime causes
Of opposition 10 il was, that 1t proposed TO au-
mex par, Of Mexico. By many Of the dis.
tinguished men of the gen,Ieman's own party
It was opposed on that very ground. The
terms of annexation, as provided in the joint
resolution, were so shaped as q avoid the diff
hculiy which had been encountered IN the an
nexaIlon OF Texas by the Tyler treaty and
they were made so with deSign-done not
simply for the purpose Of procuring Texas,
but done by party, banded together from one
end OF the country TO the other. with the ex-
press and deliberate view Of deceiving the peo-
pie OF the country on that question Why,
need we now be told that all over Ibis country.
when the opponents Of annexation declared
that annexation was identical with war. its adj
vocates ridiculed the idea, and endeavered to
make the country believe there would be no
war; But gentlemen now turned about and
frankly acknowledged they had been wrong.
The gentleman from Maryland told the House
the other day that we procured the wW as
'the cost o. annexation" Yes, sir, he spoke
most truly the sad experience Of the last two
years had not failed 10 convince even the war
NEST advocates Of annexation Of that fact
The joint resolutions sf annexation, he be-
lieyed and declared, were shaped with espe-
cial reference 10 deceive the people o. this
country on the question Of annexation.
Texas. therefore, he repeated, having acqui-
red no title by the act declaring her boundary
TO be The Rio Grande, none could have been
conferred on the United States, il we had
adopted that act But we did not. In the
constitution of Texas with which she was re-
ppiN into sba OBJ