Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-02-10

cupy a place where they nad Deen uoIn aho
raised, and the possession of which they had
never yielded up 10 any body7 The valley OF
the Rio Grande was not part OF Texas, and
the President had no authority 10 issue the or
der ofthe 18th of January, 1876, sending our
troops there. He had said ifthe history Of this
annexation movement was written, Il would
show that il was all plan Of deception from
the beginning, and that our Government had
been plunged into this difficulty by conceal
ment or the truth regarding il. Why, at the
very time that we were Discussing IN this
country the question Of annexation and the
probabilities Of war which II wonld bring on,
our Charge '.AEaircs TO Texas had the power
in his possession 10 order American troops be-
yond The line Of the United States iato Texas.
He had the power TO do this before the con-
summation Of annexation; he had authority
from the President in his pocket to do that
which the President himself had no power to
do---to march the troops Of this Union beyond
the line Of the Union.
Mr. McLasE. Was that wing or Dem
ocratic President.
Mr. THOMPSON. 1t was the act of John
Tyler, 70 which you and your party became
particeps c,iu,inis; for when we cas-, him off
as no longer worthy OF our attention he became
fit material for you to use. Ii was done by
the Administration Of President Tyler, and the
present President Of the United States ratified
and confirmed all he had done in regard TO the
annexation Of Texas.
Mr.. T. proceeded to say that the very order
Of the 2sth June, l845, which sent Gen. Tay-
lor from Fort Towson, was issued before the
comsummaton of annexation. Texas refused
TO come into tue Union until she received Sc
cret pledge from our Charge d .afaires that we
would maintain her boundary to the Rio
Grande; but no such pledge was made known
to the people of the United States. Ii they
would look 10 the letter to Gen. Houston,
some time since published in the National In
telIigencer, they would learn The fact OF this
pledge having been given by MIR. Murphy,
our charge to Texas. And who authorized
him to make such a pledge. Was he author
ised by the constitution, tine laws, or the peo
pie of the United Sta,es2 No. Yet that he
made that pledge Mr.. +. had no sort of doubt
When Gen. Howard, his successor, was call
ed upon to execute il, like an honest man he
told them he had no power to do so. After
his death Mr.. Donelson was sent 10 do what
he refused to do; but the people of the United
States were al no time informed OF it during
those secret negotiations.
What authority had the Presiden, of the u
niied States 10 march our troops to the Rio
Grande2 f the territory belonged to Mexico,
and was in the possession OF Mexico, he had
no right TO do so. Ifit was merely disputed
territory lie had no right to do so. Even
though claimed by Texas, the President had
no right 10 do so, foi il was occupied by Max
lean citizens.
Was it necessary for the defence OF the
country2 The gentleman from Maryland
said that our troops were not marched there
until months after Gen. Tay lor had repeatedly
advised and urged the movement. Now words
were very significan, things, and a single word
might sometimes do much mischief. Other
gentleman had asserted that Gen. Taylor ad-
vlsed the movement to the Rio Grande, but
they had not said that he "rspcatedly urged"
il Rank injustice had been done to that gallant
old soldier. for he never either urged or ere
peated" his advice OF such movement. On
the contrary, he retracied the remarks he had
made on that subject in his letter of October A,
1915. He explained and took them back;
and YET the gentleman from Maryland (Mr
McLANE) aross in his place here, and said he
repeatedly urged" the marching ofihe army
to the Rio Grande. Gen. Taylor never did
positicety recommend it; he wrote hypotheti-
cally when he wrote on the subject, and great
injustice was done to that distinguished man,
who had braved all the dangers of the camp
and the field to bring the war TO an honorable
termination, by a charge that he had interior
ed with the political policy Of the Govern
ment.
Mr. McL,NE desired the gentleman from
Indiana TO read an extract from Gen. Taylor's
correspondence which he handed 10 him, 10
settle the question Of fact.
Mr. Tunx,psnS pttod Vvith tho ronuocf
Of the gentleman from Maryland, and read
troE, Gen. Taylor's letter Of November z,
1915, as follows:
1.-THE position now occupied by the troops
may perhaps be the best while negotiations are
pending; a, any rate, until disposition shall
be manifested by Mexico TO protract them I'M
son the hypothesis Of an early adjustment
of the boundary, and the consequent establish
ment Of permanent frontier poris, l canno,
urge too thoroughly upon the Department the
necessity OF occupying those posts before the
warm weather shall set in"
Mr.. L. then asked what this amounted TO
1t was hypothetical merely. Gen. Taylor had
been informed, both by Mr. Bancroft and Mr.
Marcy, that his ultimate destination was the
Rio Grande; and on the hypothesis that the
! WtiC ucsuIcu w tHC SSONcIulUtut 10 OC'
cupy that territory, he wrote that If II ,cere "a
be done, for certain reasons, it was better thai
i, should be done at once But as political
recommendation TO this Government, Gen
ray lor never did make the recommendation
that our army should be marched TO the valley
of the Rio Grande He (Mr. T) could moi
consent that such an impression should be
sought 10 be made without denial; which de.
NAL he now made, and would not retract with
out evidence greatly more than he had SEEN
MIR. L. read sundry extracts from the same
letter. and said that there was no difference Of
opinion as 10 what that letter contained. He
repeated that Gen. Taylor's recommendation
was hypothetical-only conditional upon the
| fact that the Government intended to pursue
the policy which had been already indicated
to him by the Secretaries of War and the Ma
I Wy.
He then proceeded to say that they had
been told by gentlemen on this floor that the
refusal Of the Mexican Government to receive
! MIR. Slidell justified the movement. There
was something exceedingly singular in tina
part Of the history of our country. II he un
derstood it, 1t was this Our Government
learned. through Mr.. Black, our consul, tina
! the Mexican Government would receive, no
au envoy extraordinary, but q commissioner
/ Such commissioner never was sent but an
envoy extraordinary was sent. That minister
was MIR. Slideli, who went TO Mexico anl
presented his credentials. He was not receiv
ed by the administration of Herrera. The re
| fifsal TO receive him was communicated 10 This