The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-02-23

1reacbine as he informed us from the bay of Fundy
and around the Gulf to the Ro Grande All these things
The told us in his message OF 1913, which message
Tread by Secretary printed by printer and read by
us again in chambers and by the reading portion of
|our fellow citizens And in the same December an act
|o Congress was passed Incorporating this whole Gulf
coast collection district Where were the eloquent
defenders of constitution at the time OF the passage of
|hs act and at the time of these Executive disclosures
wv here champions OF justice, when these start
ling and portentous disclosures made Were the
sick or absent or dead deaf, blind Did take
1.-The sound of the cannon Pao Alto and OF Resaca to
them from their supor and to put their brains and
tongues in motion? These are questions which, IN my
Judgment, ought 10 be answered.
But TO return TO the history OF minister Our min
ster arrived in the city of Mexico early IN December
and the OF revolution IN that country based a
lac informs u.s. upon the unpopulary OF the consent oil
The President OF Mexico TO receive minister iIomlht
United States Tmdity and selshness, more than IN
inaon the part OF Herrera prevented his govern
nent from receiving minister Ills mission was re-
used upon the osensbe ground that he came as an en-
|voy, and not a commssioner-wh toe much, instead
too little power; and that he had been appointed BY
he President in the recess and that that appointment
had not been confirmed by the Senate. These were the
Iostensble motives The real obecc ms were, that Pare
les one, of Herreras generals to whom had been IN,
uused the command of 5000 men, for the invasion OF
Texas pronounced against the COVER nment OF Herrera on
avowed ground that Herrera had consented to receive
minister from the United States with the view OF set
ling all the difficulties between the republics by
collation. and that this General was then on his route to
he city of Mexico for the purpose 'o ovehrowng the
government and putting stop 10 These contemplated ne
soatons These facts communicated to our gov
ernnent by minister under date OF the 2oth OF De
cember, and that communication was received IN hs city
on the 18th of January 1916 and on the next day the
Ter of the 18th of January given TO Gen. Taylor to
advance his columns to the Rio Giande This order was
received by Gen Taylor in the month OF February and
executed by him in the latter part OF March.
This is the order, sir, about which we have heard so
much This is the fruit OF that forbidden tree, from
which has sprung and is to sprng nothing but Wo and
violated the constitution of the United States and usurp
led the constitutional powers OF Congress- which stands
pre- eminent in our history Without law or example
appropriation OF the territory OF nelghborng power,
land changed the friendly relations of the two countries
Into that OF a state OF war.
/ Sir | have already cndeavored, fear with tiresome
parcuarity to give you in detail the circumstances
der which this order was given and will now with
.your indulgence ma Ike few observations upon the OBJ
ections which have been urged against it. The objec
dons to this order, however ramied or numerous all
point to and rest upon executive preroganve
shall not trouble YOU, sir, with reading extracts from
our constitution or laws made in pursuance thereof
5om the Federalist or from Kent Story, from ad-
Indicated cases Such parade of learning, IN such
body as the Senate, would be worse than useless hold
hese positions 10 be that the President is the
3sutional commander chief oil the army and navy OF
the United States and, as such, has the right, with or
without good reason, to order the army OF the Unite
States TO any point within the limits of the Gned States
Subject however, at all times, to- personal punishment
by impeachment, for any corrupt abuse Of his power
hold that under the constitution and laws, he has thu
|nndoubted right, with without the sanction OF Con
yress suppress nsurecton or 10 repe an nvas
or threatened invasion, of the territory oil any OF the
States or of the territory of the United States If
fright in these positonsand think no intelligent avVye
or statesman will controvert themlt follows, that the
#order to General Taylor of the 18th OF January W hci
Twas 10 prevent an invasion OF the territory OF OF The
Estates of this Union, constitutional ORDER Inch
9he President had the right TO give and which 1t was the
luy OF General Taylor 10 obey In my view OF this case
s the order was prevent the invasion of Texas
3matter of immaeriay and perfect indifference whether
1.-THE territory into which the army was marched belonged
ITO Mexico or Texas unless it may be regarded as
circumstance of aggravaton mitigation of the offences
Bof Mexico against this country. >,
But sir it so happens that the territory into which
Bhis army was marched the territory OF OF the
states of this Union and the territory of Mexico
am one of those who have ever conended and do nov,
contend that the territory lying between the NneGes am
oropery belongs to Texas, by the title of conquest ard
possession never did contend that the country east oil
1he Rio Grandc, and included In New Mexico dd belong
Ito Texas she neither conquered nor held posses sior
1of it. Yet remember TO have heard an argument IN tins
chamber by present Secretary OF the treasury OF
great force and ingenuity founded upon Inc laws o. ma
fence of the claim of Texas to thus territory also am
lone of those who did believe and do not now be
Heye that the desert, ''stupendous DESERT rs on stu
Hpendous occasions it is sometimes supendousiy called
which, by the by, happens to be large fertile prairie
Resembling the famous blue grass pastures OF Kentucky
BbetweeD the Nueces and Rio Grande, ever was thu
droper boundary of Texas however suitable boundary
d may be- to separate the Anglo;Saxon and Maurtanar
Anu Will noW Poecou, 'h, !" Si'o Sou
sons for my faith.
After the battle of San Jacno, In 1896, the Mexican
army reteaed to the west side OF the Rio Grande and
Iron that day to this, that power has had no military
establishment on the east side OF that river. Nor PRO
j. to the events with army, In April and May, 1916
has Mexico ever had army ON the east side of thai
river except on stealthy predatory ncursons fol
Hroguery and plumber, from which her forces rcreaet
#agan to the west side of that river, rapidly thar
they advanced from it. From the battle OF San Jacintc
70 this day Mexico has exercised civil jurisdiction
&the east side of the Rio Grande- The settlement G
settlement it can be caed) at Brazos Santiago, and the
military organization at Laredo, to which reference has
been made for the purpose OF establishing the exercise
&civ authority by Mexico at the former place, and OF
military jurisdiction at the latter place. forms Just
ception to the force of my statement
The settlement at Brazos Santiago-whlch party arh-
metic has magnifed into village with custom house
happens to have consisted OF a few miserable shan
Hties probably half dozen in number, which had been
built up and were occasionally occupied by struggling
Fishermen, vagabonds, and smugglers-never perna
: nent-here to-day and gone tomorrow and it is be-
HIieyed when the nest was tuil, never, at any one
Utime exceeding fifty sous IN number 1t Is true, thai
Hlurnr the existence of the troubles between Texas
and Mexico importers of goods and merchandise des
timed for the market of Matamoras, Tor the greater
crty from seizure by the authorities OF Texas, did some
Hmes land their cargoes at BraZos Santago and that
such occasions an agent from the custom house Mata
noras came to that point and received the duties Their
goods prior their being crossed over to the west side oil
1.-The Rio Grande order that they might, by that route
be safely introduced into Matamoras And belevet is
also true that those goods while awaiting the arrival OF
the custom house agent and while being prepared for
land TRANSPORTATION from that point up the west side OF
that river temporarily protected by one or more OF
those shanies. From this information which have had
S..t.