The Arkansas banner., 1848-08-22

fu
 ,o ,bs resolutions of the House of ReFHesen S ..one,,inr information In relation to New s''' .ad California, is masterly argument in VI inc position of the Executive upon tho "" [, eYplaius fully and clearly the rights and
 of inc government ~iih regard to acquired 'a. ..,,.. and shows the great vatle of these new 's,sa. to cur public domain.
 ,a, House e Rtprcseatai'oe' q inc OH''sd Sta's'; .a..,srt to the resolutions of the House Ot kep- ,.,;rcs of the 10th inst, requesting iniorma- An relation to New Mexico and 1aiiiornla' l iea " herewith the reports from the Secre- aHi a'..a .,s. tbe Secretary of the Treasury, the BY oT War. and the Secretary of the Navy, se''y' documents winch accompany the same. sta ". '...ar,s and documents contain information lFs ., s,yeral points of inquiry embraced by the agp p.'s,os nThe proper limits and boundaries of Ts' and New California" are delineated in w ..f,rred 10 in ths late treaty with Mexico, T n'gf ,i. conv of which is herewith transmit a 'u' a,l ,br additional information upon that 'N' a' aJ ,lso the most reliable information in 'ss Inc popuation of these respective pro- is,, rtcb is in the possession. of the Executive, Z, \. found in the accompanying report oi uhe s..,.ary of State. -, .. r.. rssolutions request information III regard to ... ,,,.tence of civil governments in New Mexfco VI California, their "iorm and ehataeteF, " ''' ;ns,ituted.,' by "what authority and how ,,..sr, ..naiu.ained end supported"
 , -,. ,,essave of December 22, lS46, in answer l!olnticn of the House of Representatives F ~. inCorna,ion sin relation 10 the establish --,s -,., o,canization of civil governments in any .,,s of inc territory of Mexico which has or ,l, h. t,ken possession of by the army or navy .s. T,ited States" 1 communicated the orders .'.L b,4 heen given to the officers of our army navy. and stated the general authority upon .sea temporary military governments had been .,,li.hei over the conquered portions ot Mexico ---- t-r car- -,..l1Isssy occupation. Tf, temporary governments authorized were in- .sl,,ed by virtue of the rights cf war. The power ! n eelare war against foreign country, ana to ..s.,pte il according to the general laws of war, .,sriieued by civilized nations, it will not be ..,,oasd. exists under our consultation. When ,..s has declared that var exists with foreign ga .ihe general laws of war apply 10 our situa-
 ,,nI il becomes the duty of the President, as tho i .,t.ndonal .command er-i in-chicf of the army | n,y of the United States" to prosecute it. q i. nr3secutIng foreign war, thus duly declared l f5sgress. we have the right by ''conquest and ,s.,,ry occupation' to acquire possession of the ,a,ortes of the enemy, and uuringt war to rex ,..s ,he fullest rights of sovereignty over il.'- 4, sovereignty of the enemy IS in such case gus $ssJ,.,' and his laws eau Hno longer be nghiuiiy i,-esl' over the conqaefed territory, "or he ob- -ts,y mon the inhabitants who remain and sub n, inc conq querors Y By the surrender, the in. l .apts pass under temporary alegiance' to I .fopsueror. and are ''bouIn1 by sacii laws, end I oniy. as" he may choose 10 recognise and ini- d. From. the nature of the case, no other laws 4 b, obljpotorv upon them; for where there is --,i.etion. or allegiance, or sovereignty. there h. m clniD, to obciisnce" These are well cs- ..5e3 principlcs of the laws of war, as recogni- sa4 praclised by civilized nations; and they r aea sanctioned by the highest judicial tribu- l e our country.
 ibe erers and instructions issued 10 Inc uiiicers ! aaf army and navy, applicable to such portions inc Mexican territory us had been or might be saBerei bv our arfns, werc in strict conformity I i9sse principles. They were, indeed, aneiiora- ,< of inc rigors of Inc war upon which we might J g assisted They substituted for the harshness military rule something of the rnidness of civil *s.ynmrnt, and were not only the exercise ot no .. sf power, but were a relation in favor of the 1ae Inhabitants of the conquered territory who submitted 10 our authority, and werealke poli- sad humane. IL is from the salne source oi eu- sa, lhat we derive the unguesiioned right, after his been declared by Congress, fo blockade fhe I 2 I 5= ant provinces and to levy coiftribations "I'- 5a for the support of our army. Ot the same ,,-tsr with these is the right 10 subject to our 7sortry military government the conquered ter .-a, of our enemy. They are all beiligerent -. and tfair exercise is as essential 10 the sue ..q pross, ,ution of foreign v-a. as the right to battics.
 ssN Mexico aud Upper California were among s-rItotiss conquered and occupied by our forces,
 | t..l.. Il .5th temporary governments were established ...u They were established by officers of our aai navy in command, ln purseaRce oI tue sand insiruatiaus accompanying my me sage
 Hons. of Representatives of Dec. 22, lS46. .-- forll and detail as at first established, they -..cj ip some respects (as was stated ia that ,,,c} the authority which had been given; aud .geien. for the correction of the error were is-
 m d.spa,ches from inc War and Navy Depart ,f the llth Jan ISl7--copies of which are S aah transmitted. They have been maintained
 ,a,aoncd out of the military exactons and ,aa4ons levied upon tic enemy and no part
 as f2ncnsc has been paid out of the treasury of United states.
 a lar -aalinc of duty, some of the officers oi the y aHl navy. who first established temporary go- s.1,af, in California end New Mexico, have
 succeeded la tommand by ether officers, upon
 t l..r duties have Jevolved and the agents
 o,e' O. designated by them te eontrol tte tenn ,re g,lr-nmcuis have, also. in some instances,
 4,as.rss,,d by others Such appointments, for
 1sto ciyh Gu,y daring our military occppa- g-- made by the officers in eoniIp4nd In the
 l,;ra territories respectively.
 u,e inclusion aud udeXchange of rat!hcation ol
 of rloc with Mexico, which was proclaimed
 il nst, these temporary governments ne- 4-r ceased to exist. ln the instructions to es-
 'a temporary government over New Mexico,
 .Eartuns was made between that and the
 pro iacrs of Mexico which might be taken
 .= m our military occupation.
 province of New Mexico, according to it's
 D! boundaries, as claimed by Mexico, lies on
 ,.les ol the Rio Grande. That part of il on
 'lst 7t llai river was in dispute when the war tssea the Unitrd States sad Mexico commenced
 ss, by successful revolution in April, ls36,
 'ci anl subsequently, manufactured her inds-
 .eaer. By an nc, of Congress si Texas, passed
 heemhrr i>.G, her western boundary was d
 '7i iu as the Rio Grande, from its mouth 10 It's
 f'r anl thence due north to the forty-second rre el north latitude. Though Inc republic oi
 e by many acts of sovereignty which she ea-
 and exercised, some of which were stated in
 laai message of December, lSf0, had estab-
 hrr clear title to the country west oi tho
 nee and borteriag that part oi the kio
 i''f which lies below the proyincn of New Mex
 'A. Rad never conquered, or reduced to actual
 '''ioa, aud brought under her government and
 '', lhlt Parl of New Moxieo lying east of the hio
 i5l', winch .hg fo ls, uithin heF~ilInits