Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-05
CONGRESSIONAL.
MEXICAN TERRITORY,


submitted on the 18th instant by Mr.. BALDwIs.
Resolved That the President of the United States be re-
quested communicate the Senate information may
regard the and value public doman
any belonging to the Republic of Mexico and also in
gard the power of that Republic, under the fundamental
laws thereof cede to foreign Government whether
narchcal republican, the sovereignty and dominion
OF the members OF that coniederacy the people thereof
Mr. HANNEGAN asked for second reading Of the reso-
luton, and after had been read remarked that before the
vote OF the Senate taken the resolution, he should de-
sire to have some explanation Of offered by the
Mr. BALDWIN. / will state, Mr. President, in few
words the object which have in view in moving that
luton The President Of the United States in his message
at the opening of the session. has informed Congress that the
Republic of Mexico has means OF ndemnying for the
claims citizens except by cesson Of her territory,
portion thereof He has also stated in his message that il
have been the intention of Congress- their Of the
last session. and particularly in the appropriation of three mil
lions Of dollars with view 70 negotiate with the Government
of Mexico acquire ceson Of territory from that republic
and probably cesson Of greater value than the of the
claims which might be due to our citizens Now, sir the OBJ
ject of the first part Of the resolution Is TO inquire whether the
President possesses information, and request him
communicate the Senate in regard the extent and
value Of the public domain Of Mexico which it is in the power
of that Government to cedc TO the United States whether
Mexico has public domain whatever whether she has
any land any mines any available property which may be
converted into the Of paying the United States claim
ants whether the President in his recommendation topur
the for the purpose of acquiring territory has in view
simply the acquisition Of dominion the people, any
part Of the Mexican republic And the latter be tho object
Mexico has public domain il not seeking the
QUESTION Of property such, but are seeking simply for the
acquisition of dominion, then, SIR the object OF the second
part Of the resolution inquire Of the President whether he
possesses any information and if to request him to
municae it the Senate in regard to the power Of the Mex
republic cede either to the Government Of the United
States any foreign Government the sovereignty any
of the States Of that conederay any portion of the people
thereof
ask this information sir enable me to act intellgenty
and enable the Senate to act ntegenty, not only upon
IL. tkn
which arc now pending before the Senate The resolutions
offered by the Senator from Indiana r HAssEGAS) assert
the right of the United States to acquire the dominion,
and the possibility that may become necessary 10 acquire
the dominion the Republic Of Mexico. ask it
for the purpose of enabling to act ineigenty upon
those resolutions. ask also in reference to the
solutions Of the Senator from New York (Mr. DIcKISsoS)
asserting that is the true policy Of the Government Of the
United States strengthen its commercial and political rea
tons by the annexation of contiguous territory wherever
may be justly acquired wish to knoy whether Mexico has
the power cedng to the United States any portion Of the
sovereignty any of the members of that republcwhe
ther lawfully and justly acquire the sovereignty, either
by treaty Of cession or in any other way For tits known
to the members of the Senate, that when Mexico
pe under the Of Iurbde he required take
OATH entering upon the administration Of the govern
men that he would cede ALLEVIATE portion of its
territory. We all know that when that Government
overthrown, and conedeated republic established in lis
room by the union, for that purpose of the States
composing Republic of Mexico that based upon
the principles which Government is founded the
constitution Of the United States having been adopted the
model of that of the Mexican republic And sir, need ask
whether any authority could be derived from constitution
modelled after owp the foreign Government
of the sovereignty any portion of the territories States
composing that republic Does any citizen of the United
States suppose that would be competent for this Government
to cede payment OF the claims OF foreign Government
against u.s. any of the States of this Union Did the
State Of Mane the State Of hold any such
doctrine, when the Northeastern boundary ques
agitation before the country Did the Government of the
that Of
ling that great national controversy, cede TO Great Britain
portion of the State Mane without the Of that State
first obtained If then, these the doctrines of this repub
lc wish to know WHETHER when the President Of the United
States recommends TO Congress obtain ceson Of territory
from the Mexican republic and to prosecute the into the
vital parts Of that republic until thereby such cesson is OBJ
taned-I wish to know whether the Mexican republic has
the right make this cesson, before can decide inegenty
the question whether this republic honor make the de-
mand of Mexico wish first to know whether Mexico has
the power to comply with that demand consistently with the
fundamental principles upon which that Government is based
We all know that by the general principles of the law of
tons, is not competent for Government dismehber itself
by the cesson Of the sovereignty any portion Of its people
to foreign Power and that if it attempts for the promotion
of its interests to make such cession, OPTIONAL by
the law of nations with that member of the Government
which it is attempted to cede away foreign uscon
assent to such cesson and yield obedience not
be able to sustain position independently not But sir,
who the parties in the present case What the prn
cplcs upon which Government is based and upon which
the Mexican republic is based by its constitution, modelled
after own o-and 10 what result do the consider
aons deducible from these institutions lead US, other than
have stated unless there be in the possession Of the President
information which he may have it in his power communicate
to the Senate which would change the result Our Govern
ments based sir all know upon that great declaration
that the right Of sovereignty naenaby in the people The
Mexican Government was have remarked based upon
the same principles and who sent forth this declaration
of popular righta declaration with the then existing
institutions Of the world and utterly variance with the dogma
upon which they based Of the divine right Of Kings TO
and the duty Of the people obeyae ask who
claim TO have discovered and promulgated for the first time
the inalenabe right Of sovereignty in the people, about
to ask OF sister republic that she shall transfer TO Govern
men portion Of her people, loyal their Government
and desrous of remaining under its protection The object
of my resolution seek for such information the Pre
dent may possess other than that which derive only
from knowledge of the institutions Of these two republics
which will enable to judge Of the propety of demanding
and endeavorng by force of compel that republic
make cesson of part Of ITSELF with portion Of its people,
thereby transferring them property be governed by the
people of the United States.
The United States it is true sir have heretofore acquired
territory by the cesson Of other Governments But in what
circumstances have these acquisitions been made In the
first place. the United States, claiming the propreorshp Of
all the territories included within the original urisc
ton Of the States which had extensive domains insisted
that inasmuch those territorial domains had been
qued by the efforts c the confederacy, the usdc
ton should be ceed to the Government Of the United States
and after long struggle compromise made by which the
United States acquired the territory and jurisdiction which
they claimed aud which had been also claimed by the cedng
States. That the first instance, such il be called
Of acquisition by the Government Of the United States Of