The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-11

your own purposes there any court OF equity IN the
world that would not enforce the contract as between
you and The purchaser OF the land! mink not SIR
But we are not forced to rest our cause mere we are
amply sustained in claim, not only by our own
declarations and acts, but by the declarations and acts
Of Mexico subsequently, After Flsoa had abandoned
detachment OF Texan troops took possession ana KEPT
the Mexican forces the other side OF the Bravo. UP
to this time the Mexicans had always maintained gar
rson at laredo, town this side OF the river II was
necessary for the defence OF the inhabitants But sur
Immediately after General Flisola had retired with his
army. they removed this garrison to the other bank OF
the river, where it remained up to the commencement OF
the present The Texan Congress passed an act at
its first session. 1885, declaring our boundary to be the
Rio Gande and of this assertion OF our claim Mexico ana
the whole world were notified. We laid of counties
and conferred civil jurisdiction, established land omces
and sent troops there. The Mexicans always kept their
forces the other side Of the river. at Maamoras,
Mer and opposite Laredo, at all OF which places garr
permanently kept up. and never afterwards on
this side ltis true they twice crossed the nveI ana
penetrated far San Antonio, but were Immediately
driven back. On both of these occasions they did not
halt in the neghbohood of the Rio Gande. but retired
INTO the INTERIOR Our troops frequently ss ana pen
tce agreed upon between the governments OF Mexi.
CO and Texas, which broken off in the early part OF
1914. Gen Vol was ordered by Santa Anna to pro-
claim the armstce to be at end and he did So under
date of the Goth June 1874 read the concluding para
graph of that proclamation:
ed Every individual who shall be found the distance
one league left bank of the Rio Bravo will be
garded favoer and accomplish OF the usurPers OF that
part OF the national territory and as traitor 10 ms country
and, after summary military trial, shall be punished as
ADRIAN woLL, General of Brigade"
Now sir if the citizens this side of the Rio Grande
were citizens of Mexico Tamaulipas if they had
customhouse and had possession, has been stated is
it not little unreasonable that General VOL should de-
the citizens of Iamauhpas the custom house Of
cers Of his government, as TRAITORS and subject
them to capital punishment
1t has been said the Mexcans had custom house at
Rraz Sau and General TAYLOR fOuud a
tomhouse at Point Isabel, which the Mexicans aban-
doned and burnt at his approach Now, Sir the truth is
that the custom house at Maamoras, and the col
ector of customs resided there. II there that the
duties were paid goods landed at Brazos Santiago
at the mouth of the Rio Grande the west SIDE where
in fact most of the merchandise intended for the Maa
rnoas market was landed. believe it is true that the
collector did occasionally send his deputies to Point
Isabel and Brazos Santiago and they were sometimes
one occasion several hundred soldiers sent down
TO the latter place. The Mexican government had, pre-
viously declaration of independence, passed law
declaring the ports of Texas closed against foreign COM
merce which law remained unrepealed In 1897, the
Mexican government procured what they called navy,
consisting of some three or four ships, one of which,
recollect the General Urrea," down to coast
and captured two vessels owned by American
citizens and loaded with merchandise belonging to Amer
lean merchants, and destined for the Texan trade
These vessels were carried to Brazos Santiago In few
days the commander of the United States ship Nachez
her way home from cruise, seeing these vessels IN
the harbor demanded of the captain of the General
Urea for what cause they were detained He was in
formed that they prizes captured in attempt to
violate the blockade Of Texas The commander Of the
that COPY Of the proclamation Of blockade should be
furnished They were obliged to send up to Matamoras
to Gen. Bravo, the collector for it, and, when it was
fed copy of the old law of 1885, closing the ports of
Texas against foreign commerce.. The commander OF the
hatcher would not recognise this as blockade and de-
was refused, and the Natchez captured the Urea:
great parade was made Shore troops were collect
yond the reach of their shot; the goods conscated
and many of the board the vessels were marched
to Matamoras and imprisoned: The commander OF the
Natcbez brought the General Urea to Pensacola and
ported the whole affair to his government The matter
ended think, in the release OF the General Urea, and
not that apology was not made to the Mexican
authorities.
! But sir. the Nueces boundary had its origin here No
of the Mexican government, nor declaration Of any
Mexican officer, can be produced showing that Mexico
between the Nueces and Rio Bravo, by any other diff
title than that up by them to the country far
the Sabine might adduce many other facts in support
one more which is this General Santa Anna, on the
9th Of February lsl7 in his report of the battle of
Buena Vista, holds the following language:
did appear before for three days the bearer OF
dag of truce however arrived with proposition from
ng m the wounded who had on the field He
also expressed the desire which the Americans felt
the to hs general hat the
causes defence of territory and the
preservation of nationality and rights that we were
the and that our government had never
offended that of the United States. observed that we
could say nothing of peace while the Americans were
this side Of the Bravo, occupied any part OF the Mexican
territory bockaded ports and that we Were resolved
perish vndicate rights; that fortune might not be
always favorable the enemy and the experience of the
I'D and I'D should convince them that 1t could change
Now, sir if these facts do not constitute valid title
in Texas to the territory as far as the Rio Grande
frankly confess that am incapable of forming concu.
sion to what would constitute such title.
Texas soemnly claimed that territory, and every ac
on her part is perfectly consistent with that claim Mex
leo has d,clamed it. except as part OF Texas, all o
which she claimed, and all her acts have been perfectly
consistent with this disavowa
The title, then, having been as assert. in Texas
the time OF the annexation she surrendered to this gov
eminent the right to assert and MAINTAIN her cam as she
could not, consistently with the constitution herself mus
ter force to protect her soil from the pollution OF
foreign foe, and her citizens from outrage 1t follows
them that the President of the United States not only
liberty, but bound, soemny bound. by the constr
ton and laws, well his oath OF office, to protect
the citizens of Texas against not only threatened bu
can troops upon the territory in question, on his march to
the Rio Grande He would have been highly culpable
and Justly chageable with all the consequences, had he
failed TO do So
1t may, perhaps, Mr.. President, be proper, before
proceed further, to say something in regard to the clam
of Texas TO Santa Fe.
"a SENATOR. Yes let us hear something about that
Mr.. RUsK. This, sir is the more necessary, nasmuch
by the newspapers that attempt is now being
made to establish Territorial government OF the United
States there irrespective of the claim of Texas. Santa
within the limits prescribed for Texas, in the treaty
Santa Anna iS included in our territory by a