The Arkansas banner., 1848-08-22

ton of boundary remained still unadiusied. Until
 the exchange of the rat6caiions of the late treaty
 New Mexico never became an undisputed portion
 of tae United States; and 1t would, therefore, have
 been premature to deliver over to Texas that por-
 ton of It, on the east side of the Rio Crandc. tn
 which she asserted caln. However just the right
 ot Texas may have been to it that right had never
 been reduced Into her possession, and 1t was con. 1 tested by Mexico.
 { By tho cession of the whole of New Mexico on both sides of the Rio Grande to the United States
 the question of disputed boundary so far us Mexico is concerned has been settled; leaving the question as to t!io true limits of Texas in New Mexico to be adjusted between that State and the United States. Under the circumstances existing during the pen. caency of the war, and while the whole of New Mexico, as claimed by cur enemy was in our mj- tary occupation, was not unmlndfu of the rights of Texas to that portion of t which she claimed to be within her limits In answer 10 q letter from the governor of Texas, dated on the 9th of January IsA1, the Secretary of State by my direction in- formed him, in letter on the I2th of February, lsII that iB the Presidents annual message of De- cember, lSI6, "You have already perceived that New Mexico is at present in the temporary occupa ton of the troops of the United States and govern ment over it Is military in its character. It is
 merely such government as must exist under the laws of nations and of war, to preserve order and protect the rights of the inhabitants. aud will cease on the conclusion of a treaty of peace with Mexico
 Nothing therefore, can be more certain than that lhis temporary government, resulting from neces- Eity, can never injurousy affect the right which the President believes to be justly asserted by Tex as to the whole territory on this side of the Rio Grande, whenever the Mexican eIain, to 1t shall have been extingnishcd by treaty. But this is q subject which more properly belongs 10 the iegisa tive than inc executive hranch of the gnyeEnuesst The result of the whole Is, that Texas had asser
 ted right to that part of New Mexico east of the RIO Grande, which is believed, under the acts of Congress for the and nf Taxaa into the Union State, and under the eonstitu- noh and laws Of Texas, to be well founded but this right had never been reduced to her actual posses sion and occupancy. The general government, possessing exclusively the making power, had the right to take military possession of this disputed territory; and until the title to it perfected by treaty Of peace, it their duty to hold 1t, and to establish temporary military government over il, Tor the preservation of theconquest itse the safety of our army, and the security of the conquered in habitants.
 The resolutions further request information whe- ther any persons have been tried aud condemned for
 treason agaast the United States in that part ol New Mexico lying east of the Rio Gtande since the same has been m the occupancy ot our army, and
 t So, before .swhat tribunal" and @by what author fly ot law such tribunal was estabiished." IL ap pears that atte. the territory in question was n the occu lancy of army" some of the conquered Mexican inhabitants, who had al first submitted to our authority, broke out tn open insunectoti, riIr uefitiS our sCldfeIs ana etltLeDsy dHu other aiTocious crimes. Some Of th4 principal oi Tenders, who were apprehended, were tried and con demned by iribund invested with civil aud cTimI- nal jurisdiction which had been established in the conquered country by the military officer m com mand, That the nJeadcEs desc vel the punishment inflicted upon them, the Is no reason 10 doubt; and the error in the proceedings against them con- sisted in designating and describing their crimes as 'treason against ihe uaiied States" | his error was poiated out, ands ree urrence thereby preysn- ted by the Secretary of War, in despatch to the officer in command in New Mt xico, dated the 26h of June, lSI7, copy of which, together with copies of all communications relating to the subject which have been received at the War Department,
 are herewith transmitted.
 The resolutions call for information in relation to the quantity of public lands acquired within tie ce ded territory, and -how much ot the Is within the h"'a.is'iss efexas. dehood hy the act oi the
 Congress- of inc republic Of Texas of the 18th day December, ls36' No means ol making accu- rate estimate the subject is in the possess on of the Executive Department. The information which IS possessed will be found in the accompanying re- port he Secretary of the Treasury. tae country ceded to the United States lying west
 oi the Rip Gaande. and 10 which Texas has no title is estimated by the Commissioner of the General Lad Office 10 contain 526, ,07S square miles, 3s6 6o9,92o acres
 Iie period since ihe exchange of notifications of tLe treaty has been too short to enable the goverh- ment'o have access to, or 10 produce abstracts or copies oi the land titles issued by Spain by the republic of Mexico Steps will be taken to proc ure lhis iEiofmaiion at the earliest period II Is estimated, as appears from the accompanying re- port oi the Secretary of the Treasury, that much the larger portion of ihe land within the territories ceded remains vacant and unapproprlaied, and will be subject 10 be disposed of by the United States lhdteG, very considerable portion of the land embraced in the cession believed, has been dis posed of or granted either by Spain or Mexico. What amount of money the United States may be able 10 realize from the sales of these vacant lands must be uncertain but il is confidently believed that. wth PiudeHt management after making liberal gants To emgrants and settlers, II will exceed the cost ol the war and all the expenses to which we have bseg subjected in acquiring it.
 The resou,ions also cal for The "evidence, or any part theraof.' that the extensive and valuable territories ceded by MeSlco to the United States constitute indemnity for the past The immense value uf the ceded country does con sis, alone i'll the amount oi money for which the pubic lands may be sold. If not dollar could be realized from the sale of these Iands he eession of the lnrisdic ion oyer hecounry, and the fact that il has become part of onf Union. and cannot be
 made subject to European power constitute ample 'indemniiy for the past, in the immense value and advantages which it's acquisition must give to The commercial, navigating manu'a acturlng, and asrIcu | tarat interests Of our country.
 The value of the pnblic lands embraced within the
 limits of the ceded territory; great that valne
 may be, is far less important to the people of the United States than the sovereignty over The conn- try Most of our States contain no public lands
 oaBed by the United States and yet the soy-
 ereignty and jurisdiction over them is oi incacula-
 ble importance 10 the nation. In the State of New York, the United States is the owner of no public
 lands, and vet two. thirds of our whole revenue is
 collected at the great port of that State, and within
 her limits is found about seventh of entire
 population. Although none Of the future cities on
 our caas, of California may ever rival the city ot
 New York in wealth, population, and business, yet,
 that important cies will gre" upon the magnIi'
 cent harbors of that coast, with raPdy-ncreesing popnlatou, and yielding large revenue, would b. certain. By the possession of the sale and capa-
 cious harbors on the California coast znail have
 great advantages in securing the rich commerce of
 the East, and shall thns ohtan for products new
 and inc teased. ed.narke,s, and greatly enlarge
 ting and foreign irade well as augment our ton ' and