Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-01-15

nent settlement had been made in North
America, on the shores of the Atlantic, by
either England, France, Holland. Sweden,
or any other Power. but that in Florida by
Spain herself.
have in vain sought for any document,
emanatingI from the Republic or State
of Texas, for the purpose of sustaining
its claim either to New Mexico or to
the country bordering on the lower portion
of the del Norte. The only official papers
within my reach, in which the claim of
Texas is sustained, are the Presidents mes
sages of May ! l, and December 3, 1916;
and these refer only TO the country border
ing on the lower part Of the del Norte.-
| The portion of the message of May IL,
1916, relating to that subject, is as follows:
meantime Texas, by the final action OF our
Congress-, had become an integral part Of our
Union. The Congress Of Texas, by its az. OF
December 10, 1886, had declared the Rio del
Norte to be the boundary Of that Republic Its
jurisdiction had been extended and exercised be.
youd the Nueces. The country between that
river and the Del Nore had been represented in
the Congress and in the Convention Of Texas;
had thus taken part in the act Of annexation it.
sell; and is now included within one Of our Con.
gressonal districts. Our own Congress had
moreover, with great unanimity, by the act ap.
proved December 81, 1915, recognized the coun-
try beyond the Nueces as part OF our territory,
by including 1t within our own revenue system;
and revenue officer, to reside within that dis.
trct, has been appointed by and with the advice
and consent Of the Senate. 1t became, there
fore, Of urgent necessity 10 provide for the de-
fence Of that portion Of our county. According.
| ly, On he 18th Of January last, in;ructions were
issued to the General in command Of these troops
to occupy the LEFT bank Of the Del Norte. \ =:
"The movement OF the troops to the Del Norte
was made by the commanding General under pos.
tive instructions to abstain from all aggressive
acts toward Mexico or Mexican citizens, and to
regard the relations between that Republic and
the United States as peaceful, unless she should
declare war or commit acts Of hostility indica.
tive Of a state Of war. He was specially directed
TO protect private property and respect individual
rights"
In his annual message of December 8,
1916, the President states that Texas as
coded to the United States by France in
1903, has been ALWAYS claimed rs extend.
ing west to the Rio Grandc; that this fact
is established by declarations OF our Cow
ernmcnt during Mr.. Jctferson's and Mr..
Monroes administrations; and that the
Texas which was coded to Spain by the
Florida treaty Of 1919 embraced all the
country now claimed by the State of Tex
as between the Nueces and the Rio Grande
He then repeats the acts of Texas with
reference to her boundaries, stating that
"Durng the period of more than nine years,
which intcrvened between the adoption Of her
constitution and annexation as one Of the States
of our Union, Texas asserted and exercised ma.
ny acts Of sovereignty and jurisdiction over the
territory and inhabitants west Of the Nueces-
such as organizing and defining limits Of coun.
ties extending to the Rio Grande, establishing
courts Of justice, and extending her judicial sys.
TEN over the territory; establishing also Gus.
tom house, post offices, land Office &C."
The President designates by the name of
IeraS, the cession Of Louisiana by France
to the United States; and he again calls
the territory ceded to Spain by the Flori-
da treaty of 1919 the 1eras. He init
mates that the claim of the United States
to the territory between the Sabine and
the Rio Norte was derived from the boun-
dares of Texas, and that, by claiming as
far west as this river, the United States
did recognise that it was the boundary OF
the Teas | really do not understand
what is meant by this assertion.
The United States claimed the Rio Norte
as being the legitimate boundary of Loui.
siana, and not of Texas. Neither they nor
France had ever been in possession of the
country beyond the Sabine. Spain had
always held possession. and had divided
the territory into provinces as she pleased
One of these was called Texas, and il:
boundaries had been designated and alter.
ed at her will. With these the United
States had no concern. If their claim
could be sustained, it must be by proving
that Louisiana extended of right thus far
This had no connexion with the boundaries
which Spain might have assigned to her
province Of Texas. These might have ex.
tended beyond the Rio del Norte. or havt
been east of the Rio Nueces. There i
not the slightest connexion between tn
, legitimate boundaries of Louisiana anC
, those of the Spanish province of Texas
; The presumed identity is mere supposiIon
1t is not necessary to discuss the sound
J ness of the pretensions to the Rio Norte
( asserted by Mr. Jefferson and Mr.. Mon
roe, since they were yielded in exchanG
. for Florida and some other objects, by III
] treaty of lSl9-a treaty extremely popu
z lar at the time, and the execution Of whicl
t was pressed with great zeal and perseyer
= ance.
s Whenever ultimately ceded TO Mexico
= that Republic fixed its boundaries as
. thought proper. Texas and Coahuila wer
p declared tO form n State and the Ri