Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-12

in the outset order that their arguments might be directed
to the point at issue Tor the opposing or contesng parties
ascertain what the real difference between themon what
points they agree and what points they do NOT agree
they must ascertain exactly the issue between the two parties
and then direct their arguments accordingly What them
was the issue between the parties here regard to this war
The President and his party assumed that the war was lust
Justly commenced commenced by the of Mexico that
the Mexicans shed the first boodshed American blood on
American soil that they struck the first blow. And many
other things introduced here Well, he (M f. took
q different position.
Hebeeved the was unnecessarily and unconstn,ionay
commenced consequently it was unusty commenced; and
that by the President OF Mexico but by the President
of the United States pnd by his ORDER He took the ground
ALSO and he challenged proof the contrary that there had
been not single Mexran foot placed, drop Of American
blood she'd on American SOIL since the commencement Of the
He would not deny himself but that the annexation Of
Texas was q remote cause OF war; The gentleman from
Maryland M McLiSE) said the other day that he consider
ed the unavoidable part and to his Mr. FsHERs
midland he thought il must be to the mind Of every
man apparent that If Texas had been annexed
there would have been war; But the annexation OF
Texas unavoidable on part Again. he believed the i'm
mediate cause of war the removal Of forces 10 the Rio
Grande by order Of the President Of the United The
gentlemen opposite had attempted to justify this of the Pre-
siden Of the United States by attempting prove that the
territory lying between the Nueces and the Rio Grande be-
onged to Texas Now in this those gentlemen had failed
justify the President for moving troops the Rio
Grandef it should be shown that that territory belonged to
Mexco would be apparent that the President of the United
States had been guilty Of causing invasion Of the territory
Of neighboring republic. He would examine of the
grounds which these positions rested and endeayo dis
point which oil parties could unite for where
there conflicting assertions, where there econ
ciabe statements it became necessary to fix ground
which both parties could unite, bassas point from
which start. Well, this ground he found here II
admitted on oil hands, and would be disputed by any
one that the territory between the Nueces and the Rio Gande
did lawfully and ndisputaby belong to Mexico. No
he apprehended would dispute that Here then was
ground which 70 stand and from which may with
respect the claims Of either party Taking then this the
basis of the argumenhst Mexico indspuably owned
that terrtothe question which was Did Texas
subsequently become the owner of that territory and how did
she become possessed of it Such position proved by
existing documents to be untrue Mr. Doneson, Charge
dAaes Texas, says in of his letters that the
westerly point occupied by Texas Corpus Christi The
most westerly point be it observed consequently the other
territory, occupied ALL occupied by Mexicans The
published dispatches of Gen. Taylor this Government also
state that there Mexican custom house and officers at
Brasos Santiago How then, did Texas become the Of
that territory
1t had been admitted here and he presumed it would not
be disputed that originally Texas did extend further
west than the Nueces river also admitted that the title
Of Texas extended far her jurisdiction which, by her
beon, she secured and exercised But did Texas by her
rebellion against Mexican authority obtain exercise urs-
diction the territory lying between the Nueces and the
Rio Grande Did she extend her jurisdiction and the limits
Of her republic to embrace that territory She claimed
Corpus Christi and Consequently, as had been said
day two since by the gentleman from Georgia, (MSTE-
great the "stupendous desert had been called,
which neither the Mexican the Texan Government had
extended jurisdiction. He conended-and the gentlemen OPP
poe had proved to the conrythat Mexico possessed
the valley Of the Rio Grande from its mouth
II occupied by Mexican citizens it in their ndspu
table possession Who would doubt that If any ventured
to do SO he had the documents before him. from which he
could prove his position TO be based truth If then, Mex
leo in Of that territory, he asked what right had
Texas TO claim il
had been said-and frequently reiterated by the ad
vocaes Of the President and of the warAha the boundary
of Louisiana formerly extended that territory. This
however, position which, he believed, had been aban-
doned for if Louisiana did extend far ii afterwards
unqucstonaby belonged to Mexico, and known the
Department Of Tamaupas He repeated the inquiry, then
what right had Texas to it
had been asserted by gentlemen this floor that
the constitution Of the republic of Texas claimed all the
rory to the Rio Grande and that the constitution of Texas
after her annexation reiterated the same claim For the BEN
eft OF the gentlemen who had made such assertions he would
remark that he had those constitutions before him. and he
could find nothing Of the kind in either of them Neither Of
those constitutions claimed the Rio Gande the boundary
ne There act declaration, that the Rio Grande
should be the line Of boundary between Mexico and Texas
declaration And here let him inquire if il this dec
araon that gave Texas the right that country
right possessed before The declaration assuredy could
give right If therefore, Texas had the right she had it
before the declaration made Had she that right There
claim of right except that Santa Anna had made
sort of treaty bargain, by which Texas acquired the right
10 the territory extending to the Rio Grande. This claim
however, DeheseO, abandoned mad
valid claim in consequence Of the contract with Santa Anna
Santa Anna had authority that territory than
possessed by any other General commanding and If he
had, he was prisoner at the time the treaty made Sa
TAM the mount with the Saviour OF the world, promised
the Redeemer all the kingdoms Of the earth il he would fall
down and worship him but Ne promised that which he did
not possess And with Santa Anna for he had
the right to give foot Of land in that territory Thus them
appeared that the claim Of Texas based on her
declaration Now if declaration will give title, what would
prevent every member this floor having much land he
chose was very certain that Mexico exercised jurisdiction
that territory, and equally certain that Texas
could get only by Of two ways-conquest treaty
Well did Texas conquer that territory Every present
knew she did not although had he believed been said by
gentlemen that her forces bad been driven the oppo-
site side of the river IL This were
sions, did the people who occupied that territory rebel with
the Texans or were they kept in obedience TO Texan
thorty Wby years after those occurred they found
the individuals residing there paying obedience TO the laws OF
Mexico, whose authority extended up the river to Santa Fe
and right existed TO foot Of land at the mouth Of the river
the right extended TO its source
II the principle for which gentlemen bad conended this
floor were once established in Government il would be
the establishment OF principle which would seriously affect
our own interests Suppose for instance that Texas should
rebel against the United States Texas is now State Of this
Unon she State of Mexico and she might re-
bel against our authority and proclaim herself independent
Now, she should do and should declare that the Msss
spp river the boundary between us would that decara
ton establish the boundary that river Suppose few Of
the inhabitants residing the bank OF the Sabine
should unite with the Texans in their ebeon and join in
such declaration that the Mississippi from its mouth
source the boundary would the fact he any better esab
shed Not at all Nor the principle laid down by the