The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1848-02-15
10 guard against; their own honor bade them

to guard against; their own honor bade them
guard against it.
If actual possession, by Mexico, could
weaken The title of Texas, il was their duty
To strengthen by also taking possession.
Finding question ofdispuicd territory, moi
actually possessed by either, who ever con-
tended that II was the duty ofonc Of the par
lies 10 suffer the other TO take possession,
and then try The ,itle. No sir, no lawyer
would give such advice. No statesman
would do that Things should ii such a
case, be suffered 10 remain in "siatn quo."-
Neither should seek to get advantage of the
other. II am right in this, aud Mexico de-
signed taking possession, then she cannot
complain, il we also take possession; and es-
peclly not, she knew that noiwitbstand-
ing such possession, we were not willing at
any time 10 negotiate on hequestion oftitlc.
Sir, it has been said. ttat 10 march into
the disputed territory is an act Of hostility.
| concede it But then TO threaten to march
Ito prepare TO mafch---to muster an army
to march, and with the avo&ed purpose OF Ia
king forcible possession and holding, is slso
an act of hostility, This Mexico did first,
and we had then clear right TO anticipate
her upon every principle of the natioual law,
by marching ourselves, and placing ourselves
in a condition successfully, 10 meet and re
pei her. Between nations, as between indi-
viduals, aggression may be met by aggression
assault may be met by battery. But it is
said revolution gives no title unaccompanied
by actual and undisturbed possession and ju-
risdiction. AS general principle the prop
osition is true; but what is actual and unds-
turbed possession? Does it mean that the
revolutionary government is to have soldier
on each foot of her asserted domain? Does
il mean that every inhabitant within her ter
rtory is to acknowledge and submit 10 her
sovereignty? or does it moi only mean, that
such government is 10 have possession, clai-
ming exclusive title 10 the whole of her as.
serted bounds, and possess the power end
determination to make that title good by
force, against The original severe ignly?
say it means this and nothing more.
See the result Of different doctrine. We
declared our independence in '76; the war
continued seven years. Suppose no treaty
Of peace had been made recognizod our Ii IN
lis, but England had simply re tired from lie
contest in disgust with the struggle, as she
might well have done, would not our title a!
that moment have been as good 10 every foot
of our glorious Thirteen, as it was 10 the
very baltle-fields Of Saratoga and Yorktown?
And yet, how inconsidcrahle part Of our
country was ever Irodden by the American
soldier. or within actual reach of his arm
Aud yet, how many hearts throughout the
contest beat high with TRUE royalty 10 Eng
land, and were striking or burning TO strike
for her standard. No, sir, the proposition is
not true as it is sometimes understood. II
means only the ability to make the usurpa-
lion good BY force Of arms, when the usur-
per's title is by force of arms assailed. Sub
iect to this test, who can doubt that Texas
had the ability 10 maintain her title 10 any
part of the territory claimed by her between
| the Nueces and the Rio Grande? Let the
facts give the answer. After The declaration
ofirdependeuce, and after she had by force
driven the Mexican troops across The latter
river, they afterwards returned but twice and
we're each time driven back; and from the
period Of the last incursioa, in lS13, no
Mexican soldier ever crossed the river, and
no civil officer OF Mexico ever exercised iu-
risdicton over it. Texas then claimed the
territory; Texas drove Mexico from it; Tex.
as had apparently the power, and certainly
the will, TO drive her from il whencver she
invaded it. If these were the facts, and
appeal 10 the honorable senator from Texas
ior their truth, what doubt is there, that to
that par, of her constitutional limits she has
perfect tile.
Sir, word or two moro, and upon this
point have done. What Senator, what
American, would be now content to abandon
the territory, make the Nueces the boundary?
Fog peace to pu, an end to the war, TO spare
the further effusion of blood, some might be
found who world by negotiation agree % that
| limit Of Mexico-would surrender all tile to
the rest Of Texas. But who is there who
would now propose to fall back to the Nue.
ccs, and abandon at once the intermediate
territory, the very fields Of Palo Alto and
Ressaca Ia de Palma 70 Mexico, and fight
her only to the banks of the Nuaces? l be.
|ieve, hope for the honor of a common al-
egiance, that there is not one have said
that trusted for the sake of onr heretofore
stainless character, that the opinion have
thus iull enaeavored to maintain was correct
that me war is on our part jnsi one.
Tho cost of bringing to the seal of govern
eminent the votes for President aud Vice