Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-07-15


the present moment. and was unwilling TO make
inquiry into them.
MI. PILsBURY. Il is not their business.
Mr. STEPHENS would leave that the representatives
from Texas To decide He, however, wished before be under
took 70 ecslate to know what the Of the territory
was He wished to know which of these governments which
have been established have jurisdiction this side Of the Rio
Grande How can Congress, without knowing what
the limits organize territorial government there He be-
sved il was the modern doctrine held by the party opposite
cannot legaie all in the territories and
vet the President calls them to legae for these terri
tories and has given satisfactory Information TO what
to egislate or-where the Jurisdiction OF New Mexico
ends and Texas begins He had noticed amongst the docu
ments the late message Of the President copy
Of the instructions to Mr.. Sde 645 which this House
on former occasion had called for in vain, and which
slipped in with other papers without one word In relation
to them Mr. s. well knew believed that these nstruc
tons would never see the light long the lasted for
they showed ccncusvey be always thought they would
that the statements in the message OF l646 which he had
quoted made deceive the people OF this country as TO
the boundary Of Texas, and not consistent with the
facts Of the case Now, Mr. s. sad in those instructions,
Mr. Buchanan after arguing the claim Of Texas to the Rio
rande near its mouth, below the Paso del Norte,
this language
The case Is different in regard TO New Mexico Fe
capital was settled by the Spaniards than centu
ago. province has been since IN their
sion and that of the republic Of Mexico The Texans never
have conquered taken Of have its people
been represented in any OF their assemblies or
conventions"
And vet Mr. Polk in 1885, had informed the country that
the Texas we had annexed extended the Rio Grande
its mouth to its source No wonder he kept these Instructions
from the public and wonder he refused the call OF this
House for them
Mr. McLANE here entered into coloquy with the gen
teman from Georgia, but, from the position in which Mr.
Mel. Stood he not distinctly heard.
Mr.. STEPHENS proceeded, and said that the Slidel in
struetons Ito which Mr. McLAsEs observations were sup
posed have reeed had been published by the Pre-
sdent They by some mnon or some ene-
denth had
they been published by the Senate that Mr. g.
Of He knew that this House had called upon the President
for those documents but they had not been received from the
Executives nay the President had positively refused to give
them.
Mr. McLANE again interposed but the Reporter could not
hear the purport Of his remarks.
Mr.. STEPHENS continued. The documents furnished
do contain the information want There is no map
hbng the boundaries of New Mexico. The President has
asserted that the whole territory this side The Rio del
Norte from its mouth its source constitutes part OF the
State Of Texas and in the instructions to Mr. Slide his
Secretary Of State asserts that all New Mexico had for two
centuries belonged Mexico. Who, after such contradc
tons these, believe him Yes who can believe the
President of the United States
Mr. McLANE here n,erposed, and insisted that the two
documents strictly consistent They both laid be-
fore the House by the Executive of the country and he called
on the gentleman from Georgia put confidence in the official
statements of his Government He told that gentleman
the President told the House, that the Rio Gande the
boundary of Texas from its mouth to its
He told the gentleman further that the information he sought
for lay this the Speakers table, and would have
been possession of the House had it been for the
opposition Of the gentleman from Ohio, (Mr VISToE)
Mr.. STEPHENS resumed. The gentleman said the In
srucons Mr. Sde and the message to the House which
he had cited perfectly consistent with each ether the
gentlemen could believe that he could believe any thing Mr.
turned him The document said that Texas had
extended its jurisdiction up the Rio Gande from It's
to its mouth while the other affirmed that they had
established exercised any jurisdiction above Ell Paso Were
these two statements consistent Would the gentleman say
they He did not wish get the gentleman from Ma
ryland into any difficulty and he would read him the two
statements again.
Mr. s. here read them again. and particularly called the
tenion of the gentleman the language OF Mr. Buchanan
to Mr. Slide. Here Mr.. Buchanan admitted that Texas
had established her jurisdiction orther up the river than
the Paso del Nore and that the point in the whole
case. The gentleman from Maryland said that the nforma-
ton sought for the Speakers table Mr. S. took issue
with him that assertion The information not there.
Mr.. s. familiar with the documents he had examined
hem and he knew what they contained and be informed the
gentleman that what be sought for not there.
Mr.. McLANE reiterated his assertion that all there
and again maintained that the instructions Mr. Sde and
the Presidents message stated precisely the thing
Mr. STEPHENS said be could not bear any Of these
interruptions heLad submitted to them three Zines and the
gentleman did but repeat the thing He would ask the
gentleman where the boundary Of New Mexico began
Mr.. McLANE said that the instructions took the Rio
Grande from its mouth its the boundary but
admitted that Mexico disputed this the river above El
Paso.
Mr. STEPHENS said that those instructions said nothing
about disputed boundary but declared that Texas had
extended her jurisdiction Santa Fe Now what Mr. s.
wanted the oethe boundary line between Texas and
New Mexco-h was there If the gentleman asserted
that il was, Mr.. 8. would again tell him not. There
information that subject TO where the proper
line was.
Mr. McLANE replied, and understood by the Reporter
10 say that Congress had not called for any map. The
boundary specified in words. The instructions recog-
missed the river the boundary quite up 70 its source but adj
mitted that Mexico had never admitted this.
Mr. STEPHENS said he hoped the gentleman would not
interrupt him by repetition Of that statement The in
sructons to Mr. sde said nothing about admission Of
Mexico. Nor did the message in words say where the
boundary Congress should have limits to egisIae
for He wanted the hest information in the Stale De-
parmeDt TO the boundary and he wanted the President
reconcile these contradictions II he could.
One Of the resolutions offered inquired whether individuals
had not been tried for this side Of the Rio Grande
Now, if he affirmed, the Rio Gande was the boundary
and all on this side Of from its mouth to its source,
part Of the State Of Texas then how dare the President
Mr. > put the question TO the freemen OF this free land
how dare the Presdenthe asked II in the presence Of
nheriting the spirit the blood Of Hampden and Of Sid
nyhe asked in the face Of high Heaven how dare he thus
rampe not only upon the rights Of the people by these nor
NAL and illegal proceedings but upon the rights Of one Of the
sovereign States Of this Union He wanted Mr.. Poks
,hority for such act as this. sr
Mr. McLANE asked where else should man he tried for
treason, but within the limits Of the United States
Mr. STEPHENS. Try man for treason by court mar
tal !
iMr. McLANE'S reply was not heard