Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-12


commended "reprisal." Mr. Van Buren again submitted
70 Congress, December 5h, 1897 but in both instances
Congress refused authorize reprsas Afterwards
commissions appointed adjust the amount and disputed
referred the King Of Prussia before the exp
on OF the time limited claims adjusted to the amount Of
millions and twenty thousand dollars Mexico agreed
pay this by insaments and did pay the first second and
third but that which fell due in April 1874 not paid,
and still, DUE together with the subsequent ins,almens
do not raise the question whether Congress might
not have declared for such cause, according to the law
Of natons but do not 10 assert that the President
could do il, without rank treason TO the constitution
And say further, that will vote TO declare
for the payment Of debt which the debtor admits
and is willing but unable pay. Nor will sanction
carried solely and exclusively for such purpose If
the question Of authorizing for such
presented to this House, do not believe it would receive
single vote. However that may be, my mind Is made up
desire argument on the subject Other gentlemen may do
they please but as for myself ,cW not do ii.
Sir will not do it. because il is against the spirit of the
age in which live and Maryland which have the honor
in part represent this moment deberang the pro
piey Of abolshing imprisonment for debt. will not
do because with General Jackson who declared III
his message Congress this subject, in February, 1884,
that should not be used remedy by just and gen
naons confdng in their strength, for injuries
mttsd, if be honoraby avoided" will not do il,
because represent in part the State of Maryland, who al
though she stands proudly erect amongst the debt paying
nations of the eah has been but too recently behind the day
in her payments and have too vivid recollection Of her
humiliation to visit with the same fault in Mexico will
do because citizens had also claims upon France for
spoiations prior to 1900 Our Government by treaty released
France and made itself the debtor yet they not paid to
this day And when Congress passed law for their pay
men President Polk vetoed it. because there money
in the Treasury If such be good for us cannot
refuse to Mexico. will not do it, because it is than
the laws of ancient Greece which authorized creditor TO sell
his debtor into slavery will not do it, because it bad
the law of ancient Rome which allowed debtor to be
cut to pieces and divided amongst his creditors both of
which have been condemned by all civilized nations And,
finally will not do it. because represent generous mag
n
pay but cannot would rather forgive him the debt than to cut
his throat because he is too poor to pay.
But these were not in fact the true origin the real causes of
the Sr, believe the is found the cele-
bfated order of January 49, 1885, by which President d
rected the army to march to the Rio Gande Whether he
justified in giving this order depend upon the ques
ton whether the territory of Texas rghly belonging and
properly included within her limits at the time OF her admis-
sion into the Union extended to that river. If did, the Pre-
sdent bound protect it, if did not he had right
invade IL This, then, is the inquiry and as have said,
is question Of fact The evidence chiefly documentary,
and by such evidence together with the admissions of the
President, propose to prove
That the valley Of the Rio Grande, the east side left
bank Of that river, territory belonging Mexico to which
Texas had claim, which she had exercised u-
raicon and which not understood by Congress to be-
long her, included by the joint resolutions OF annexaon
and the evidence Of this chiefly in the Presidents pos
session.
Before proceed the proofs brief description ofbe cha
racter and location of that section of country be useful
That the Nueces the ancient boundary Of the province of
Texas has not been denied and concede that since her
vouon in 1885, she has held and occupied the valley both
sdes-Corpus Christi, and perhaps other settemen belong
ing to Texas being the western side right bank Of that
river.
Afer leaving the valley of the Nueces upon
arid DESERT which has been by surnamed that
supepous desert and which is about hundred and fifty
miles wide This desert has not been occupied by either
ton, being untitled for the habaion of After crossing
this desert upon the valley Of the Rio rande which
is he disputed ground The side left bank of that
river il many points wide, and, believe fertile valley
and contains twenty six and villages Of sufficient mag
TO be deemed worthy Of being designated by up
on recent map of that country which before Of
which Taos has population Of 2000 Santa Fe 5000, Al
buquerque 5000 and others of intermediate sze but the
larger proportion Of them the number Of their population
not marked For the first two hundred miles the The
towns the left bank are not nunerous-Sanaso
Point sabel Loredo, and others being the principal
But higher up the river is densey populated and the map
which hold my hand is thckIy dotted with towns and vii
lagos have taken pains ascertain the entire pu
iaton on this disputed ground, and nearly
mate, 1t contains about 900 souls exclusive of Indians
population larger than that Of any Congressional district
presented on this floor And sir, il is strange fact that in
this nineteenth century in this age Of travellers aud book
makers, OF railroads and grophs the rulers and people of
this widespread republic should have been convued they
have been Tor more than year. by doubts and discussions
specng the true characteristics Of such civilized
and christian peopeto what Government they belonged to
whom they looked for protection whom they acknowledged
allegiance whether Mexico Texas as sovereign de faco
gave laws to and exercised jurisdiction them and more
the President aud the Representatives of the people as one in
voved in continued and hopeless obscurty Sir not
doubtful question That these people were Mexicans Under
the jurisdiction OF Mexico regard fixed and settled fact
And now for the proofs And, first will examine those
adduced to sustain the views Of the President and the claim Of
Texas Prominent amongst these is the famous "fyefg"
signed by santa Anna in 1886, when prisoner Of in
Texas by which he acknowledged her independence with
the Mo Grande as her boundary That paper reads thus
"hat the President Santa Anna his official character a,
chief OF the Mexican nation and the Generals Don ynccnte
Fsola, Don Jose Urrca Don joaquin Ramres Scsa and
Don Antonio Gaon chiefs Of armies, do soemny aknow-
ledge, sanction, and ray the full entire and perfect iudc-
pendence OF the Republic OF Texas with such boundaries as
hereafter set forth and agreed upon same Aud
they do solemny and respectively pledge with All
their personal and official attributes procure without de-
lay the final aud complete ratification and OF this
agreement and all the parts thereof proper and eg,
mate Government Mexico by the incorporation Of e same
into solemn and perpetual treaty Of amity and
be negotiated with That Government the city of Mexico by
ministers enpotentary be dcpued by the f
Texas for this high purpose"
pass over the fact obvious the face Of that paper that
does not profess to be treat but mere pledge,
the part Of Santa Anna procure the confirmation Of that
agreement" by the Government Of Mexico Nor will rey
upon the fact that Santa Anna had power TO make tca
I not being the treaty ymakng powerboth which are fatal
objections TO it, Nor will dwell upon the fact that General
jacr9n his letter TO Santa Anna in 1885, did not even
call treaty but agreement But do insist that be
Treaty be contract il null and void because obtained
by "dVcSSe. Santa Anna prisonc of war he had
alternative but 10 sign that agreement lose his head and
no lawyer who hears for doubt that if
contract obtained under such circumstances were brought
lore the Supreme Court in session n his CAPITOL the
mere statement of the facts would procure the unanimous de-