Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-03-22
NUMBER 40.

then running q northwest course up the
middle Of the river, from thence crossing
in a line particularly defined over the teri
lritory Of the United States on o the ocean.
This was then declared by law TO be the
boundary of Texas. This was not done
IN a corner It was not Ed under BUSH
el; but il was promulgated in all The civ
ilized world. This was in 1885. This
was then recognized as being our boun-
dairy BY. the United States; ,:,is was then
recognized IS being our boundary Nv
Franc; it was so recognized by Holland;
II was recognized by Belgium. II was no:
que.tioned BY any one, Or BY any power,
but that was our boundary. No ma n cam
contest this truth. All Chris,endcm re-
ccgnized this to be,he boundary OF Tex.
as, by their subsequent act. (Great ap.
planse. But this is not al; the evidences
thickens upon me, but time will not allow
that lshould bring it all forward before
you. When Mexico invaded Texas, she
crossed the Rio Grande, and wasted and
plundered the rancheros which were on
the Texian side Of it When she came to
spoil our country, to ravage our land, to
burn our villages and our farms, and
spread destruction and desolation over the
country of Texas, she crossed the Rio
Grande, and then and there she began her
work Of spoil and devastation. And again,
after these turtive exploits, when she fled
driven away with tiffany by our soldier
citizens, she skulked back again to hide
in her Businesses on the other side of that
river. That was declared and manifested,
before all the world to be the boundary of
Texas, and this long before the act Of an
nexation with the United States. Nor 10
this all; Mexico, after two successive out
RACES upon Texas, still refused to learn
wisdom by experience. The President
Of Texas ordered and prepared an army
which crossed over the Rio Grande, re-
duced Guerrero, and recrossed it again at
its leisure, saying efectually to Mexico,
eve can cross over into your country as
we'll as you can into ours. You stay where
you are,and we will let you alone" They
never crossed again. The unfortunate
Mier expedition arose cut Of this State Of
things. 1t cost US much trouble to teach
Mexico that our boundary must be respec-
ted by her, or else that her boundary
would not be regarded by US. But this is
not all Mexico never occupied this eoun.
try after our independence was declared
and asserted. We possessed and occu-
pied tho country, and would not permit
the establishment Of any Mexican settle
ment in the country we occupied. In all
negotiations which were entered into in
relation to the ar,nistice, there vas no
question raised Of the Nueces being the
boundary ofTexas; but orr commi. sioners
went OF the other side Of the Rio Grande
10 meet the Mexican commissioners, ard
there it was they negotiated for an ar,n,s-
tiee. Again: when Santa Anna put an
end to the war he denounced all those
who should be found in league on this side
of the Rio Grande. This shows that he
himself regarded this line as our bounda-
ry. But this is MT all When in 1886.
a treaty was made by the new Executive
(Jones) With the then government Of
lIexico, which treaty was called the Gu
hes treaty, Mexico by her own act, then
recognized the Rio Grande as the boun-
dairy OF Texas. She recognized again
the Rio Glande as our boundary when
she required Of Texas, as the condition of
acknowledging her independence. that she
should not become annexed to the United
States. All this, fellow citizens, which
have here mentioned, and more that might
be mentioned, goes to establish the fact
that the Nueces never was the boundary
OF Texas, until it was made so here in the
United States. Mexico herself never
thought Ito be our boundary. We mark
ed out our boundary by our lfe's blood:
we obtained it by the sacrifice Of our cit
izens, and by noble conquest. 1t was re-
cognized by Mexico and the world, and
it would be scandal to the United States
TO give il up. Loud cries Of "Never!
neyer!"] We made ourselves, by our
act, free, sovereign, and independent
nation; and we had the right to annex our
selves to the United States. We did so.
Who will say it was net constitutional 10
take us? 1t was the voice of the Ameri-
can people which took us into this conted.
eracy; and now that we are part OF the
Union, it is the duty OF the Executive to
defend The sol! acquired to the confsdera.
cy. There is no question what is tbs
boundary, for it was defined, asserted, and
maintained, before the annexation was
made; and it has never been questioned.
except by those who have raised the ques-
ton from party motives and faction. Was
it then, the Presidents duty to defend the
soil and territory Of the United States?
Or did he, without any cause, bring about
this war upon oppressed Mexico2 Laugh
teri l sympathize, indeed, with Mexico.
l have 70 an,ipathy to crafty against her.,
but while | can divest myself Of all hard
feeling towards her, l cannot divest my
self OF a holy devotion to my country, and
her righteous cause, and must spurn the
man who would prove recreant 10 Tie sa.
cred cause of his country, and espouss
that of an alien. Three cheers called for,
and rap,urously given. Ieannot regard
as fellow citizens the men who array
themselves againstthe cause Of their coun-
try, who defame its armies and The glory
;hey have acquired for the nation; who
| array themselves against the administra-
| tion of their coiIntry and spek IN STRENGTH.