Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-01-07
affairs witb Alcxifo.
PEACE WITH MEXICO.
by ALBERT GALL4TIN.

coNcLuDEp.
The Republic of Texas did, by nm act Of De-
cember, 1886, declare The Rio del Noue 10 be
its boundary. Ii will not be seriously conten.
ded that nation has a right, by law of its own,
to determine what is or shall be the boundary
between it and another country. The act was
nothing more than The expression Of the wishes
or prctensions of the Government. Its own
practical effect, was, emanatng from It's Con-
gress or legislative body, il made il imperative
on the Executive not to conclude any pence with
Mexico unless that boundary was agreed to. As
regards right, the act Of Texas is a perfect null
lily. We want the arguments and the docu-
ments by which the claim is sustained.
On the first view the pretension is truly star
ling. There is no exception: the Rio Nore
from its source TO its mouth is declared 10 be
the righliul boundary ofTexas. Thatriver has It's
source within the department, province, or State
of New Mexico; which it Waverses through its
whole length from north TO south, dividing il in.
to two unequal paris. The largest and most
populous, including Santa Fe the capital, lies
on the left bank OF the river and is therefore
embraced within the claim of Texas. Now this
province Of New Mexico was first visited and
occupied by the SpaniardS under Vasquez Cor
onada, in the year 1910 10 l542. twas al that
time voluntarily evacuated, subsequently visi.
ted, and some settlements made about the year
1888; finally conquered in 1915 by the Span.
iards under the command of Onate. An in.
surreetion of the Indians drove away the Span
ards in the year 1850. They re-enlered il the
ensuing year, and after long resistance recon.
quered it. This was an internal conflict with
the aborgines; but, as related TO foreign Powers,
the sovereignty Of the Spanards over the terri.
tory was never called in question; and il was, in
express terms, made the western boundary of
Louisiana in the Royal Charter Of the French
Government.
The conquest Of the province by Onale took
place five-and'tweniy years prior to the landing
Of The Pilgrims in New England, and twelve
years before any permanent settlement had been
made in North America, on the shores of the
Atlantic, by either England, France, Holland,
Sweden, or any other Power, buI that in Flori-
da by Spain herself.
have in vain sought for any document, en-
amazing from the Republic or State of Texas, for
the purpose of sustaining its claim either to New
Mexico or to the country bordering on the low.
er portion of the Del Norie, The only official
papers within my reach, in which the claim OF
Texas is sustained, are the Presidents Messages
of May | and December 3, 184G; and these re-
fer only to the country bordering on the lower
part of the del Norte. The portion of the mes.
sage of May IL, 1916, relating 10 that subject
is as follows:
"Meanlime Texas, by the final action Of our
Congress, had become all integral part of our
Union. The Congress Of Texas, by its act o
December 10, 1876. had declared the Rio del
Norte to be the boundary Of that Republic. Its
jurisdiction had been extended and exercised
beyond the Nueces. The country between that
river and the Del Norte had been Represented in
the Congress and the Convention of Texas; had
thus taken part in the act Of annexation ITSELF
and is now included within one of our Congress.
ional districts. Our own Congress had, more
over, with great unanimity, by the act approved
December 81, l845. recognised the country be-
yond the Nueces as part of our territory, by
including it within our revenue system; and
revenue officer, TO reside within that district
has been appointed, by and with The advice and
consent of The Senate, 1t became, therefore, o
urgent necessity TO provide for the defence o
that portion of our country. Accordingly, on
the 18th of January last, Instructions were ssu
edto the General in command Of these troops tC
occupy the left bank of the Del Norte.
"The movement of the troops TO the De
Norte was made by the commanding General
under positive instructions 10 abstain from al
aggressive acts towards Mexico or Mexican cti
zens, and 10 regard the relations between tha
Republic and the United States as peaceful, un
less she should declare war or commit acls o
hostility indicative of state of war. He wa
specially directed TO protect private property ant
respect individual rights"
In his annual message of De cembor 8, 1916
the President states that Texas, rs ceded 10 The
United States by France in 1908, has been al
ways claimed as extending west 10 the Rio
Grande; that this fact is established by declara
tions of our Government during Mr.. Jefferson'>
and Mr.. Monroe's administration; and Tint the
Texas which was ceded TO Spain by the Fcridi
treaty of 1919 embraced all the country now
claimed by the State of Texas between the Nue
ces and the Rio Grande.
lie then repeats the acts of Texas with refer
ence to her boundaries, stating that
"During the period of more than nine years
which intervened between the adoption OF he
Constitution and her annexation as one OF the
States of our Union, Texas asserted and exerci
sed many acts of sovereignty and jurisdiction
over the territory and inhabitants west of thI
Nueces--such as organizing and defining limit
Of counties extending to the Rio Grande, esIab
fishing courts of justice, and extending her judi
cial system over the territory; establishing ala
u custom-house, post Office, a land office, &c" !"
The President desgnates by the name o
Teras the cession of Louisiana by France II
IT, Haited STATES; and he again calls the terri