Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-18

- =, ,unn
d. U'i. 10 nregoine consent ol Congress gwen
~. condiuun that the said Stale Dc io''.e",
nltiect 10 he adjustment by Ills .I;sa with
~ on,s;ious Of pouudaTy tnal nas 90 -
a,.ef governments and the cons'".'?h ' ~ ,bn
- The propcr evidence Vi It's aorl"on ~
wiz of san. republic Of Texas, shal po ",
P.IrDJ In ,h, President of the UniIei o'a'eS'
10 IL he!ore Congress Tor lis mai 49, ,,and eiuht
fore me first day Of January, o"e INV
hundred and loriy-six .;ies That II the
The second resolution prov III, in his iuds-
Presidep, Of The United States ..ay;.ahe, in
mon, and discretion deem II uioS' c11' rssn,n,ion
.aad ~ eeding to submit The MS, IN The
~ ,hs ,ernhic of Texas, as an ovea'u ~ neeori-
nav, II me limited States for admiss'o", s,e 10 b.
s se , " ina, republic then ina. Toxas viii
ave @ nr ' Of the pr sent republic oil eAas ~h
an;,ah1o ey,en, and boundaries, ana WIN. W."
Sua in Congress until the mex. dpPo,
no,s" Of representation, shall be adm"eu 'n.o
,ha Union hi virtue OF this act, on an equ"i ~
mo with The existing States, as soon as .ie
and conditions OF such admission, ana .,ie I'D
Of The remaining Texian territory W W. of
States shall be agreed upon y inc soEe .t snm Of
Texas and The Unite; s aes; anu ,ne The OK.
500 OO0 is hereby app'opTia'eu ~ -. nee mon
penses Of missions and negolla'ioHs' :" ,;,bar bv
the terms Of said admission and cesS'o - a,,;clcs
treaty. 10 be submi.led;o The Senate, OF ~
IN he submitted 10 the two Houses Oh Ooio'e'''"'
the President may direct ,:o, tho Minis.
Immediately upon the annexation; 'ne n''.,
Ter OF Mexico Gen. A!monie, uela"u.u :''0 ;,,oIt
norris. upon The ground that lie aunt 49,
pa s,a,e Of hostility to Mexico anu rom 'ha'
oer;ot 10 the March OF Gen. Taylor from corpus
Christi 10 The Rio Grande, the frequent ei'o''s VI
the American Government 10 'efu'in"'e ."e -,
troversy by negotiation JAILED ana peiI,e ..",
march. the Mexican government were to''. us
their forces upon the RIO Oran0e, WIN ~. ~ ,Ia
ed design, no: oil laRlnS possess, " d. Sra,Ja
rerf,lory between the Nuects and me hlo u'"n'e,
aud ronced,ug 10 the United States that Pofion oi
TeYas which Law West O: The Nueces, but OF as
nuI;no with the Uui!ed States the tue 10 'hs
who e OF The country between the Rlo olahoe anu
the Sabine, and upon the ground iha' '"e VIZ" VIZ
and every part OF that territory was SIN pol''o'
of Mexico by virtue Of her original ana PAID
mount tile Now The proposition WHICH se.A
10 maintain is Ibis, that as between the govern,
menl OF The United States ami inc govern u. Va
Mexico the former had in this condition oi 'h'H-
a perfect right and the same light lor 'ne PuiPy
Of repelinS the Threatened invasion, TO maTch hei
,roons in,o inc Territory between The NuecsS anc
The Rio Grande, as mo any territory situated DE-
tween the SABINE aud Nueccs. The question i
not. whether SUCH a movement oil the troops as
under all The circumstances ]uiicioos ana ll"'
dent. II is not, whether by different course an
actual conflict nigh. not have been avoided; out
watcher, as matter Of risht-as na"ei u
scl.de.encc The U. States had moi, under the law
OF nations, iall and perfect authority and ]us'ih-
cation to make such movement:
Now, what arei the clear and inclSpu'ao'e idc'S.
The United States had received The republic OF
Texas into the Union without antecedent!y ue-
foino her boundaries aud uncer constitution
which reiterated what had been, as lar BACK as
$50. rart OF her original con>ti ulon as an III
dependent republic-iha the Rio Gfande, IRON
lis source 10 It's mouth, was her southwestern
boundary. The U. States cxieadei all her laws
over the STATE Of Texas, aS so admitted. lhey
had assumed actual jurisdiction al Corpus Cnis
Ii. They knew thai there were CT He' ost"eeh
the Nueces and hr Rio Grandc who claimed 10
be citizens OF toe State OF Texas so admitted
They knew that ior nine years Inc Sta'e .! lex
as has existed as an independent nation.
Who proposed Withdrawing Taylor on the 18th
May2 Who denied them iha; we had good nigh
TO repe the Mexicans and to invade. for The Pur-
pose OF aveneing the ourages, any and every part
OF MexcOl She had refused 10 negotiate; she
had considered annexation as war; she bad tel
minated all diplomatic relations; she had refused
to receive our Minister upon mere quibhie OF
the then President because he was aiIalG OF his
own power, threatened with downfall because il
was believed he was willing 10 negotiate al all
She had mustered an army on the Rio GRANGE.
with the declared object of Invading all Texas
and recovering the whole 10 her own sovereignty.
Her then Government owed lis existence to this
very determination. She had never maintained
any peculiar title 10 what is now called disputed
territory What in this state were Inc U. 5. 10 dol
Were they boand 10 remain still and wait The inva-
sion or were they not authorized 10 meet the lh'ea-
tened invasion, even upon the admitted territory
OF the invader2 Who doubts, that with nations
injury is easier than 10 repair il. Sir where is the
writer on The law OF nations who holds difftTen,
opinon2 There are some propositions SO plain,
that they admit OF no illustration; they furnish
their own best illustration, and this is one Of them.
We had clear undcniabe light To meet Next
co a, he very ouIermost limits OF Texas, and re-
pei her there; or, if We deemed il advisable, an
equally clear and undeniabie right 10 anticipate
her by striking the first blow on her own admit
ted territory. But il is said that The place Of con-
lict was on Mexican territory. II it was, the ar
gument in our behalf would not be in he least en-
ierbied. She was there intending 10 60 luriher.--
She was there 10 drive our army back TO The Sa-
bine. She was there To re.conqler Texas, the
whole and every part OF Texas, and not 10 retain
portion only, upon the ground that such portion
was not Texas.
But even he fac, is not as alleged. Whether
this portion Of lne territory was or was not right
fully a part OF Texas was al least mailer Of
dispute. Texas claimed il; Texas, over portion
OF il, exercised Jurisdiction Citizens residing on
j, claimed 10 be ciIizsns OF that Government
Mexico had in vain attempted 10 recover it, The
Constitution oil Texas included il. The UnI'ed
States had exercised, alter The admission OF Texas
ino the Union. sovereignty over part Of 1.-THE
highest act OF sovereignty, lie taxing power
She had received Texas into tie Union without
any other definition Of boundary, reseTvinc the
right only as b tween themselves, Texas and any
other power, who might question the justice cflhe
boundary to settle il by negotiation. Without
breach OF honor 10 Texas, The United States could
no more have surrendered, without enquiry and
negotiation, TO an absolute and armed demand
this portion OF the territory, than they could have
surrendered to such demand the entire stale.
All then thai can be said is, thai The title Of
Texas TO this part Of hCr territory was open 10
dispute. Such dispute is 10 be settled bnl by
Two means: by negotiation or by force. 1.-THE ne
goIialion was refused; il Mexico elected the other
alternative, force, Can she compIain il We meet
her with !orCc2 But suppose her design was not
actual force, but To get possession only Of the dis
puted ground, had no The United States the same
right 10 lake possession, aud hold whatever they
possessed, until the question OF title was decided
by negouarion1 Thevery question OF title might
have been Affected by The !act OF possessIcn.-
Mexico nigh; have relied upon il as conclusive Of
The inability Of Texas, and the United SAFES, as
their successors, 10 prevent il, and as demCnsla.
ling that the origin, sovereignty had not been
lost by the revolution This the United States had
right 10 gud'd a.;in,; their own homer babe
them guard agaiu>; i. II actual possession by
Mexico conj weaken Inc lille oil Texas il was
their duty 10 strengthen ty also taking possession
Pending question Vi disputed territory, not &C.
lually possessed by either, who ever commended
that j! was the duty OF OF the parties to suffer
The other 10 lake possession, and then try The
title. No, sir, no lawyer would give such advice
No statesman would so act. Things should in
such case be suffered TO remain in s,atu guo "
Neither should seek 10 get the advantage OF The
other. II am right in This and Mexico design
ed taking possession then she cannot complain il
We also take possessions; and, especially not, il
She knew that Notwithstanding such possession,
we were willing at any lime to negotiate on tie
question OF title.