The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1848-08-01

A DIFFICULT SNARL.-A Washington cor
respondent of the Herald thus towns up 10 the
perplexity in which the Federal Administra-
ton is involved by its concurrence in the i'm
pudent falsehood that the Rio Gnnde was
throughout lis course the rightful Western
boundary of Texas:
"With regard 10 New Mexico, a distinct .er-
ritorial dispute remaiiis 10 be settled. II is
this: Does the territory of Mexico east of the
Rio Grande, and including Santa Fe, and 20O,-
900 square miles of territory (more or less, be-
long TO Texas or not? Texas claims tit was
admitted TO belong to Texas in the resolutions
of Annexation; but Texas never conquered il
never occupied an inch Of it-and neither the
authorities OF the United States nor of Texas
exercised, or pretended 10 exercise, any actual
jurisdiction over it, till conquered and occu-
pied by the United States forces under Gen.
hearney. He displaced the Mexican Govern
nor, and the Mexican flag from the Mexican
Government House al Santa Fe; he superseded
BY a new code of laws the Mexican federal and
municipal statutes. He did not find Teran
ia New Aerico; nor did he appear to be aware
that Texas could have the shadow of a claim 10
the territory till he received the protest of her
Governor against the Provisional Government
which the General had established in the name
of the United States, as the fundamental law
of New Mexico. Then il was that he was in
formed that he had made mistake-that Arm
| ito was nota Mexican Governor--that the yell
low people of Santa Fe were Texans, and that
New Mexico was part of Texas.
The fact is, every other claim of Texas to
New Mexico is utterly preposterous. A claim
set up to California would be just as good,
4 e. .f
The terms Of the Annexation are the only ground
which Texas can present as a claim upon New
Mexico; and this she can only present as
ground for demand that the territory shall be
coded TO her, not that she possesses it. No
sort of sophistry-nothing in the way OF in
genuity--can make the boundary of New Mex
leo the Rio Grande, as transferred from Mexico
to the United States Nothing but special
act can make the river the eastern line of New
Mexico.
"In justice to Texas that act ought 10 be pas
sed, notwithstanding the deception In the bus
mess of Annexation The United States can
not plead the plea of ignorance in violation OF
a contract. The contract requires the renewal
OF the existing title, and deed in fee simple
of the territory. Texas may admit the trick,
and plead the letter and the spirit of the parch
ment. She may plead that if she had not con
quered the territory, she would in due season
have despatched another Santa Fe expedition,
which would have given her valid, tangible
claim and which would thus have superseded
the necessity OF the expedition of Gen. Rear
ney. But il happened Otherwise. The terri
tory was conquered by the United States and
not by Texas. Ii is to be Paid for by the Uni
ted States as part ofthe territories ceded un
der the late treaty, dependently of the cess
ion OF Texas. New Mexico is therefore a terri
tory OF the United States; and the question is
not does it belong 10 Texas? but shall il be
given 10 Texas in virtue OF the compact of An
nexatou?
| al will have TO be done--the boundary in
dicated by the resolutions of annexation re-
quires it; and under these resolutions, indeed,
the territory TO the Rio Grande became part
of Texas, with the ratification of the late treaty
with Mexico.
admitting, then, that the territory to the
Rio Grande belongs to Texas, in would only be
necessary TO extend the line one mile west
from the western bank of the river, To include
all the territory that is inhabitable Westward
from the ma rTo.v border of the Rio Grande tC
the lofty mountains which overlook the Paci
fic, distance of 700 miles there will be no ne
cessiiy for any Government save the flag of the
United States. Within this longitudinal line
including the small remnant west of the Bravo
of New Mexico and all that vast region TO the
Sierra Nevada, embracing 400, 900 square miles
of California, there will be no necessity foi
laws 10 protect free labor or slave labor
Il Why9 Because il lisa desert, wild blank howl
ing wilderness Of confused mountains, of bald
rocks and plains of scorching sand; chaos o.
volcanic ruins-a volcanic waste not vet cool
ed down; region, as described by Col. Ere.
mont, 'of fracture, of violence and Of fire."
Let the People not forget that this outrage
ousy absurd claim of the Rio Grande as the
Western limit of Texas was the immediate
cause of the War, while our Government OBJ.
stinate persistence therein was the sole obsta
Gle TO Peace ten months ago. But for that,w
should have had Peace with all we can desire
of California last Autumn, before the final car
mage at the gates of Mexico, and with a saving
of the Fifteen Millions we are now TO pay
Mexico, as well as the twenty or thirty Mil
lions the War has cost since then. And now
all that is worth having of New Mexico is &c
be handed over to Texas and Slavery.-N y
| Tribune,