New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-07-27
MIR. Polk,s Predicament.

source as her Western boundary She sought snc
finally obtained admittsnce into our Union, still
asserting this claim but Government carefully
and expressly stipulsting that we should not DC
committed 70 or bound by 1t.
g. The Rio Grande not and never had been
her actual boundary. That boundary, long settled
and well known, was the valley OF the Nueces 70
the source OF that river, thence due east 10 the
United States through the Camanche and unpeo-
pied country on about the 34th parallel OF North
latitude.
4. Texas sent out several Military expeditions
20 enforce aud make good her claim. Those which
were dispatched Southwest to the Rio Grande
were all either defeated or soon compelled 70 re-
tire by the want OF supplies or the apprehension
of overwhelming force The only expedition which
started North 70 enforce this claim in New Mexico
or Santa Fe was taken prisoners to man. AT
the time when Annexation was effected March TO
Sept iei5,l there was not one Texan flag flying,
one Texas constable or justice scting, one avowed
. Texas citizen living, in the valley OF the Rio
Grsnde from its mouth TO its source
5. Yet Mr.. Polk, though expressly relieved from
any obligation TO do so by the terms OF Annexa-
ton imposed by Congress and sssented to by
Texas, resolved to enforce the claim of Texas to
the boundary Of the Rio Grsnde. Hence the march
Of Gen. Taylor to San Isabel and the camp oppo-
site Matamoros hence the War.
6. War being declared Gen Kearney, at the
head Of an overpowerine force, marches from Mis-
sour 20 Santa Fe, conquers all New Mexico, and
subjects 1t to a sort OF Proconsular Government,
half Military half Civil. But he found there no
IL fuefi
that claimed affinity with Texas or professed ale.
glance TO her. He found an intensely Mexican
people. inhabiting country which had been a well
known province or department OF Mexico for some
two centuries beiors Texas as an independent
State was ever heard of. and never regarded by
themselves or by Mexico part OF Texas. Ia
short, the claim set up by Texas would De simply
preposterous il it had not led to consequences so
deplorabe.
7. Neither Gen. Kearney nor the Government
he constituted ever treated the claim OF Texas to
include Santa Fe as having a shadow OF founda-
tion. They acted throughout on the assumption
that 1t was a totally distinct department OF Mex.
co, and President Polk in exulting over our vari.
Gus conquesis, enumerated this as Mexican de
partment subdued, not as portion OF Texas re-
claimed.
g. At no time has our Government treated this
conquest as rightiully belonging to Texas. lthss
been held for two years conquered Mexican
State, and no step taken toward surrendering IT to
Texas, whose formal application for such surren
der was very coolly negatived.
9. The People, continuing intensely hostile %
their conquerors, an instruction against our rule
was planned and attempted during the winter of
'a6-7. 1t twas suppressed by our troops, and the
captured leaders put TO death as traitors Mr..
Polk admits that this was wrong, but then, says
he. though not guilty of treason, they were guilty
of something else so what odds ?
O. The war is at length over-a war fomented
by Mr.. Folks endorsement OF the claim OF Texas
TO the Rio Grande her Western boundary
throughout. BY the Treaty of Peace, we have
extorted from Mexico the surrender of ali the ter
ritory claimed by Texas aud a good deal more
Texas claims now all that she ever claimed. True,
the claim was absurdy baseess but it is as good
now as it ever was and how can M. P0lk de.
muir to il, after going to war in support Of it =
How can he do otherwise than hand all the new
territory this side of the Rio Grande over TO
Texas
10. Instead of this, we have an omnibus bill
pressed upon Congress with all the force of Execu-
tive influence TO establish a regular settled Ter.
ritorial Government for New Mexico, when in
fact there is no such region if Texas aud her back
ers have not been lying these ten years, Mr..
Polk talks of New Mexico West OF the Rio
Grande. when in fact there is no population and
DO habitsble territory there. New Mexico is and
always was almost entirely on this side of the
river; for though a stretch Of nhospitable, water
less. treeless desert and mountains West Of the
Rio Grande may as well be called New Mexico
as anything else, it has no population and needs
no cvil government We respectfully submit,
therefore. that the Presidents desperate effort t.
pettiiog himself out OF the dilemma in which
false pretences and unjust acts have involved him
Is a complete failure.
AS TO his three or four hundred million of acres
of new territory Vest Of the Rio 6rsnde TO the
Pacific, ii he has only read Fremont or any one
else who has traversed IT, he kROrs that not one
acre in the ten OF il ever Will or ever can be cult
waited Ills region Of volcanic rocks and water
less, verdureless expsnse--as worthless as can be
conceived On the Pacific shore, there is some
good soil but even there the dearth oil water Il
terrible. There the land has long been ceded away
in vast tracts to private holders. There is M
rational probability that Five Millions OF acres o
arabic land are included in our new acquisitions
West Of the Rio Grande-no, nor in these and a.
New Mexico together.
We'll, says Mr. Polk, though the lands may not
come 10 much, the sorerigsty Of the country &C
CURED is immensely valuable But how From
what enemies what attacks does il shield US ,
Does il not, on the contrary, expose us to ne"
difficulties and dangers Are We NOT now required
10 increase our Standing Army in time OF Peace BY
several thousands Of men AS to the Commerce
OF Asia, it is idle to talk Of its ever seeking 8
highway across the arid deserts and mountain pre-
cipices which divide Californis from NewMexico
How would we like to purchase sad annex the
whole earth a. the same Proportionate cost as we
have incurred in This case For our own part, il
sl Mexico had been freely rendered Us, we should