The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-07-21
SPEECH OF MIR McLANI
OF MARYLAND,

OF MARYLAND,
In the House Of Representatives., July 10, 1913
Mr. STEPHENS moved suspension of the rules for the
purpose OF enabling him offer the following resolutions
R,,olp,d That the President be requested TO communi
catexo this House the best and most reliable ID
his aaa IL hs h p
respectively and particularly copies OF me maps eleea
Rs.opsd further That President be also requested to
this House whether there are not nov ev govern
So wLat are their form and character; by whom and
when were they instituted, and by what authoIyj by
ed and particularly that he inform this House whether
governor and other officers appointed IN New Mexico
officers appointed BY Commodore Stockton in California
during the year sill hold the thus iod
offices have paid of the Of the United
States and, if So by what authority oflaw.
Mr. STEPHENS of Georgia having addressed the
House, he was replied to BY Mr. McCLERsAND of nli-
nois who was followed by Mr. ScHENcK of Ohio: when
Mr. McLANE, of Maryland, closed in reply to Messrs
Mr. McLANE went at length into a reply, but with
rapid and unequal tone OF voice, and amidst SO
much noise and excitement in the House. that the re-
porter endeavored, without success, to catch win any
clsarness the course OF his Argument n
At the opening of his speech, he made severe au
sons to the general tone OF the remarks OF essrs o
and SCHENcK, and especially to the language APP
piled by them the President Some passes took place
between him and Mr.. ScHENcK in which both exhibited
the faculty OF reparee but which II is best shouid oe
Mr. Mel denied that there had been any attempt
on the part of the President to conceal the pocy ne
was pursuing in regard to New Mexico and insist
ed that all the language held by him in his insrpc
tons to Mr. Sdell strictly in agreement win VIVA,
he declared in his peace message ne ~
the Instructions and showed that they were directed 10
obtaining the recognition of the Rio Grande, from ITS
source 10 its mouth the boundary Of Texas As Mex
ton of the river by purchase, if in no other way;
Mr. HOUSTON Of Delaware here interposed, but what
he said was too imperectly heard to be understood.
MT McLANE said that the Presidents policy through
out was perfectly clear he had all along been trying to
maintain the Rio Grande for our boundary, and he had
maintained il. ..,
country on this side the river part OF Texas, and not
part of Mexico the President undertook to SET up civil
Government over it, Why did it not revert to Texas, as
Soon as the enemy subdued who held it He IN
sisted the difference between the anguaS OF the IN
structons and that OF the message c.,.u
Mr. MCLANE quoted the instructions 10 MI. oHuell,
and further commented upon them, insisting that they
were in perfect consistency with the positions taken u
the message He complained that an anionaea assault
Mr. STEPHENS read from the documents to strength
en- his former position. =,
taking military possession of New Mexico, though il
was in State of the Union, from the conduct of our
military commanders in proclaimng martial law within
State where the Indian tribes were IN temporary reoe-
lion This had been done by Gen Jackson, and by Cen
Taylor also He alluded to the charges against Gen
Jackson for his conduct IN this respect the conn nana
lest thew should reprobate severely conduct of which
their own presidential candidate had been quite as guilty
COnDeXlOn,
hounds but dsclaimed any wish TO denounce Gen. Tay
Tor for employing them smell out the hidden Semnoles
Nothing more had been done by Gen: kearny than to
drive the enemy out OF portion OF texas, ana 10 TAKE
means TO maintain order there.
He denied that Gen Kearny had received repr mand,
and quoted the language OF the President IN regard 10 ms
excess of ZEAL which, though not abusive contained
delicate reproo which Gen X. had severely felt and OF
which he had complained.
The President and Secretary of War affirmed that Gen.
Keamy's constitution for New Mexico and his list OF
temporary officers appointed by him there had not been
seen by the President when preparing his message foI
Congress The gentlemen the other side insisted thai
ii had he left the country to judge between them
Mr. Mel. said that the attempts to charge mendaciis
upon the Executive by party who supported Zen Kay
own candidate with vulgarity, and he would become as
sociated by the people with his supporters an arrogant
party. who would be efectually rebuked In November
Nr Mel said that the information sought for by the
resolutions under consideration was before the country
The public records and documents furnished already,
partly published and partly to be found in documents now
on table, would define the boundaries OF California
New Mexico, and Texas. Though maps had not been
furnished vet the documents reced the boundaries re-
ferred to, and they could be easily understood. The
second resolution which called for information in regard
10 the temporary governments organized in New Mexico
and California was more uncaed for than the first In
December last the President had communicated full IN
formation on these topics, and all that was then in pos
session of the These resolutions were made
The apology for an unwarrantable attack upon the Pres
dent The gentleman from Georgia presents to the
House, in view of his inquiry, an allegation that the
Rio Gande its TO be the western boundary OF
Texas while in the Slidell instructions he admitted New
Mexico to be part of the republic of Mexico and now
substantially rearms this proposition in his peace mes
sage by informing Congress that we have acquired New
Mexico and California.
The honorable gentleman then proceeds to denounce
the President and his policy false and arbitrary illegal
and unauhorZed-more particularly in the establishment
of civil governments in New Mexico, with limits which
he had declared to be part of the State OF Texas. He
says:
The President of the United States communicated to
this House days the fact that he had lately made
treaty. by which acquired California and New Mexi-
he called Congress make the Iegis
lation fo~bose Territories and il seemed to him (Mr.
rEpHKNs) manifesy proper that this House should be in
formed what the of the boundaries and limits
character of the people whom egsate. So
far as New Mexico concerned, for one, he wished
know authoratvey from the President what the limits OF
that country He wished to know whether New Mexi-
what He wished to know if the President calls
Congress legsate for portions OF Territory which he
had previously informed the country belonged to Texas;
and he the honorable representatives from Texas
Presiden. inform This House and the country il, in the
face of his message of 1896 which he (Mr had before
him. Santa Fe is in New Mexico, within the limits
Texas, which has been attached this Union. He had
read a short extract from it. 1t was follows:
ssTbe Congress of Texas the 10Th of December 1896
passed define the boundaries the republic o
Texas in which they declared The Rio Grande from IL.
mouth to be the boundary by the said
act thew extended their civil and political urisdction
than nine years which interviewed between the adoption o
her constitution and her annexation of the States OF
our Union Texas asserted and exercised many SOW
eregntv and jurisdiction the country and inhabitants
sboor piyad nd define ,h,I;