Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-03-30

J affiliated interests, which the people %
: Virginia have always abhorred, vii
be fastened on the county.
Since the last Presidential election
) felow-clllzens, a new issue has sprung
up, which this Convention cannot pass
over in silence. The annexation oil
Texas, which was sanctioned by d
large majority of the people of Virgin
"a, and of the Union, has led TO wal
with neigh5orng Republic. This
war the Wing party alleges to be un
just, unnecessary and unconstitutional;
a wanton violation alike of the rights
of Mexico, and of the fundamental
law o: the United States. A brief his
tory of the causes which preceded that
event will, it is believed, fully vindi-
cate the character Of the nation from
the aspersions that have been cast up
on it, and disproye the groundIess
charge, that our Chief Magistrate has
usurped the war making power. In
discussing the justice of the war, it is
frs: necessary TO examine the act Of
which the public enemy complains
That is simply, that the Congress of
the United States annexed 10 this con
federacy the Republic of Texas, which
Mexico claimed as revoIted province
On exam!ng into this claim, it appears
that the States of Mexico were sover-
eign and independent States, united by
a Constitution similar to our own
The same relation existed between the
parties to that instrument, and the
Central Government it established, as
that which exists between the States
of this Union and the Government at
Washington. Texas agreed to be-
come member of the Mexican con-
federacy, along with Coahula, under
the Constitution of1824, whose prom
inent features have just been described,
on the express understanding, that as
soon as her federal numbers were suffi-
cient, she should as a separate ard IN
dependent State, be entitled to a sepa-
rate State Government. If this be
true, the Constitution of 1924 was the
only Hgament that united Texas to the
other Mexican States which formed
the confederaey, and the destruction
of that Constitution would destroy ;ha,
connection, and render her free, SOW
ereign and independent Republic
This was done by General Santa Alma,
who, at the head of an armed force EN-
tered the capital, overthrow the Govern
ment, and established a consolidated
empire. The people of Texas met in
Convention, and announced to the
world that they were willing to abide
by the Constitution of 1924; and that
the destruction of that instrument, by
the usurpation of Santa Anna, render
ed them ipso facto independent. Such
is the plain and succinct history Of the
Texan declaration Of Independence,
and of its contents, by which it ap-
pears most Clearly that she never was
revolted province Of the Mexican En-
pire. The war which she waged was
a war of self defence, and on the part
of her foe a war of conquest. 1t ter
minated at San Jacinto in April 1886,
and Texas established her freedom and
her independence to the satisfaction Of
the leading powers oflhe world. True,
Mexico affected a hostile attitude; but
her efforts were so feeble & inadequate,
that they had no other efec, than to an
noy the commerce of neighboring ma
tons. This state Of things existed for
more than eight years, and even if Tex
as should have been regarded as re-
volsed province in 1885, she must, by
every fair and candid mind, be consid.
cred as having been independent in
1915, when she became member of
this Confederacy.
If the argument by which Mexico
justifies her cause, constituted the
whole ground of complaint against the
Government Of the United States, the
subject would demand no futher con,
sideratlon. But there ale many among
our own citizens who have urged ar,
gnments against the cause of the coun~
try, which the public enemy will nei-
Their frame nor adopt. 1t has been
commended, among other. things, that
the territory of Texas did not extend
further than the river Nueces, and that
the passage Of that stream, and the oc-
cupation of the territory beyond, was
an infringement upon the rights of
Mexico. 1t might be replied to this
assertion, that while Texas was por-
zion of Louisiana, all the public men,
who discussed the question of bounda
ry with the Spanish Government con-
tended tina: Texas reached to the Rio
Grande; and that otter ii was coded to
Spain, in part payment for Florida, no
alteration, as far as is known, was
made in its limits. But this Conven-
ton understands that the enemies Of
the war have given up the absolute
right Of Mexico to the country beyond
the Nueces, and content themselves
! nth Tho oil that ,yoc Jno.,n