The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-04-18

" for marching the army on % the disputed ter
! ritory. Congress was in session, and could have
been consulted without the leastdnconvenience
The ground l assume is, that the Territory be-
tween the Nueces and the Rio Grande being dis
putable and most of it in possession of Mexico
the President had right 10 take forcible posses
sion of it, even if it rightfully belonged to the
State Of Texas, without authority from Congress
| We have had many questions OF disputed boun-
dairy with foreign nations, and no administration.
except the present, ever thought of taking forci-
bic possession of the undiSputed territory. Our
northeastern boundary was in dispute from the
peace of 1873 to 1912, and no attempt was made
by any of our Presidents TO take possession, by
force of the territory we claimed. But, Mr.
President, various pretences have been set up to
Justify the march of our army TO the left bank Of
the Rio Grande. The honorable Senator from
Maryland, (Alr. Johnson,) in his eloquent speech
upon this question said, that the United States
had received the republic of Texas into the L.
Mon without antecedcntly defining her bounda-
ries and under constitution including the dlspu-
ted territory; and, therefore, they were bound
TO defend il Sir, the constitution of Texas form
I'd after the passage OF the resolution Of annexa-
| ton, and under which she admitted as
State of this Union, did not define her southwes
tern boundary-that was left an open question to
he settled by negotiation between the United
States and Mexico. Again, Mr. President, the
I
! an army on the Rio Grande with the declared OBJ
iect Of invading Texas, and recovering the whole
TO her own sovereignty, and that We had clear,
undcnable right TO meet her there and strike the
first blow But understood the Senator TO adj
nit that our right to meet her there and strike
the first blow could he justified only upon the prin
| cipe of self-defcnce. If we were in no danger
of q blow from Mexico-if she had no force col
| lected for the invasion of Texas then our march
into the disputed territory unjusuiable act
of hostility. Now, sir, where is the evidence that
| Mexico had mustered an army on tho Rio Grande
with the declared object Of invading and conquer
ing Texas! Did the President say anything Of
the Kind in his message of the llth of May, sac.
informing Congress that he had ordered the army
to the left bank of the Rio Grande! No. sir, lac
| assigned no such reason for the orrlcr. He said
in that message that our force remained nj Corpus
Christi until after he had received such Informal
ton from Mexico as rendered it probable, if not
certain, that the Mexican Government would not
receive our envoy. Our army, then, was ordered
to occupy the left bank of the Rio Grande, be-
cause the President apprehended that Mexico
would reject our envoy. Now, Mr.. President, to
show that Mexico had mustered no army on
the Rio Grande with view TO the invasion
of Texas. and that the President knew ii
when he issued the order of the 18th of Janu-
ary, 1916, | call the attention Of the Senate
dence with the War Department while he re-
manned at Corpus Christi.
In adespatch to the War Department, da-
ted Corpus Christi, August 2Oth, 1915, Gen
Taylor says that
Caravans of traders arrive occasionally
from the Rio Grande, but bring no news Of
importance. They represent that there arc
no regular troops on that rver, except at Mat
amoras, and do not seem to be aware Of any
preparation for demonstration on this side Of
the river"
On the 9th of September, 1915, in another
despatch, he says:
81 have the honor TO report that conhden-
tial agent, despatched some days since to
Matamoras has returned, and reports that no
extraordinary preparations are going forward
there that the garrison does not seem 10 have
been increased, and that our consul is Of opin-
ion there will be no declaration of war"
Again, in another despatch of September
14th, 1915, Gen. Taylor says:
ave have no news of interest from the
frontier Arista, at the last accounts. was at
Mier but without any force; nor is there, as
yet, any concentration of troops on the river
In despatch under date of October 11th,
1915, he says that
.Recent arrivals from the Rio Grandc bring
no news, or information Of different aspect
from that which | reported in my last. I he
views expressed in previous communications
relative 10 the pacific disposition of the
border people on both sides Of the river are
confirmed"
And in another despatch under date of Jan.
Z, 1916, he says:
ave have many arrivals from Matamoras
and other points on the river, but they bring
no intelligence of interest. a recent scout Of
volunteers from San Antonio struck the river
near Preside, RIO Grande, and the comman-
der reports everything quiet in that quarter"
Who. Mr.. President, with this evidence be-
fore him, can say that Gen. Taylor, on the
18th of January, 1916, was ordered to the
Rio Grande to meet and repel aMexican
army there collected for the invasion Of Tex
as? On the 9Th of January, only six days
before the order was issued, General Taylor
informed the President that every thing was
quiet in that quarter. But, sir, the honorable
Senator from illinois, (Alr Douglass) has at
tempted TO justify the order, on another
ground. He SAYS it was issued on the recon-
incubation and at the request of General Tay-
Ior. If this were true, it would be no justif-
cation for the President. ne eXpenehcy OF
such measure was a question for Congress TO
settle. General Taylor had nothing TO do
with it. But, Mr. President, the army was
not ordered to the Rio Grandc on the recon-
mendation of General Taylor. All he said
upon the subject is contained in his letter to
the War Department under date of October
4th, 1915, more than three months before ne
received orders to leave Corpus Christi In
that letter he says:
at will be recollected that the instructions
of June the 18th, issued by Mr.. Bancroft, then
acting Secretary of War, directed me to Sc
lect and occupy, on or near the Rio Grande,
sucb site as will consist with the health Of
the troops, and Will be best adapted TO repcl
invasion, &C."
After assigning the reasons WHICH induced
him to concentrate his force at Corpus Chris
ii, he proceeds as follows;
alt is with great Difference that l make any