The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-25

Government which was dsgraccful in the eyes
Of the civilized world! If this were all-if W.
stopped here, can this Government, with due re-
spect to its reputation, avail itself of mere qub
ble---a bubble which disgraced Mexico! II
seems to me, clcary not. Texas in the yeal
1886, passed law, defining her boundary ac.
cording to this treaty, every article of which we
had fully complied WITH extending her limits to
the Rio Grande 1t is not worth while to take
up the time of the Senate by reading that law
Mexico herself did not entirely disregard this
treaty; for in the controversy which they still
kept up with us, they always regarded the Rio
Grande as the dividing line, and the question be-
tween us never was debated as to the line OF
New Mexico or the Nueces: but it was the
whole or none-the Sabine or the Rio Grande.'
General VOL, who was in command Of that
division, on the Goth of June, 1874, issued D
proclamation, in which are to be found these
words: 8 a a8 a
@soh jane, 1874.
g. Every individual who shall be found al
the distance Of one league from the left bank o
the Rio Bravo, will be regarded as fayorer anc
accomplice of the usurpers of that part eff the
national territory, and rs traitor to his country
and after summary military trial, shall be pun
ished as SUCH ADRIAN WOLL,
General Of Brigade"
Shortly after, the resolutions under which we
were annexed, We're presented to the State of
Texas, for her consideration A treaty was en-
tered into by the then President of the Repub-
| lie of Texas, Mr. Jones, and the Mexican Gov
eminent. BY the terms of that treaty, the indie
pendence of Texas was acknowledged, upon
npdt,an fhot oba x,oul1 oppax b.,,a,lf =, =
other country, but leaving the question af boun-
Diary to be determined by an umpire
The Legislature of Texas unanimously, with
out single dissenting voice, rejected that
treaty. ss4 a
Then, sir, next in the history of this matter
comes our annexation and here Mr.. President
allow me to read from the annexation resolu-
tons:
" Resolved by the Senate and House of Reprssen-
tares of the United States Of america IN Congress
assembled, That Congress doth consent that the
territory properly included within, and rightfally
belonging to, the Republic Of Texas, may be cree
ted into new State, to be called the State of
Texas, with republican form of Government, to
be adopted by the people Of said Republic, by
deputies in convention assembled, with the con-
sent of the existing government, in order that the
same may be admitted one Of the States of this
Unioh
so. Mud be II further resolved, That the foregoing
consent OF Congress is given upon the following
conditions, and with the following guarantees, to
wit First, said State to be formed subject to the
adjustment by this government of all questions I
boundary that may arise with other governments;
and the constitution thereof, with the proper evil
dence of its adoption by the people of said Re-
public of Texas, shall be tran smitted to the Pres
dent of the United States, to be laid before Con-
gress for its final action on or before the first day
nf ,1a..r1 1,, Il
six. Second, said State, when admitted into the
Union, after ceding to the United States all public
edifces, fOrtfcations barracks, ports and harbors
navy and nnvy.yards, docks, magazines, arms
ornaments, and all other property and means per-
tanning to the public defence, belonging to said
Republic Of Texas, shall retain all the public
funds, debts, taxes, and dues Of every kind, which
may belong to, or be due and owing said Re-
public; and shall also retain p the vacant and un-
appropriated lands lying within it's limits, to be
applied to the payment of the debts and liabilities
of said Republic Of Texas and the residue of
said lands, after discharging said debts and liab-
tiles, to be disposed of as said State may direct
but in no event said debts and liabilities to be-
come charge upon the Government Of the Uni
ted States Third, new States of convennt size,
not exceeding five in number, in addition to said
State Of Texas, and having sufficient population,
may hereafter, by the consent Of said State, be
formed out of the territory thereof, which shall be
entitled to admission under the provisions OF
the Federal Constitution. And such States as may
be formed out of that portion of said territory
lying south of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes
north latitude, commonly known as the Missouri
Compromise line, shall be admitted into the Union
with or without slavery, as the people Of each
State asking admission may desire. And in such
State or States as shall be formed out of said ter
rty north OF said Missouri Compromis line, slave
ry or involuntary servitude Except for crime)
shall be prohibited /"
Under these resolutions, Texas agreed to sub
NIT all questions of boundary between her and
other Governments, which evidently mean Mex
leo, 10 the Government of the United States.
Now, does not everybody know that this matter
could be settled in no other way than by the Pre-
sdent and two-thirds Of the Senate, the treaty
making powers Here, sir, is the compact; it is a
plain one, offered to Texas on the one side by the
United States, and accepted by her. 1t will not be
commended that any other department of the Gov
eminent, except the treaty-making power, has
any jurisdiction Of the question of the boundary.
This is a large power, and may, in its exercise,
involve the question OF existence itself. Has it
ever been contended that such authority exists
either In the Executive, in the Supreme Court, or
in any portion of the Government, except the
treaty making power' Texas was not bargaining
for any more difficulties than she had already on
her hands. She was conceding to this Govern
ment the power Of determining her boundary
uCtWcCH hci anu iucAiCO, BIG was IlOt Trying W
find another claimant to her soil. She was, by
her own consent, willing to place them in the con-
dition of Judges. But, sir, the honorable Senator
from Kentucky said, if | remember right, that if
the United States was trustee for Texas, before
she could claim this territory she must pay her
portion Of the expenses Of the war. Now, sir,
this would be introducing into our system Of Gov
eminent an entirely new principle. You tie
Texas hand and foot She cannot defend her
own territory without your act; and yet, if war
grows out Of defending that territory, she must
pay part of the expenses. Well, sir, be it So
She has paid portion Of those expenses; she has
surrendered to you her nationality; she has given
you jurisdiction to the Rio Grande; and, more
than that, sir, in the war which followed, and for
the expenses Of which she is to be held RESPONSE
Bile, she furnished you with more men to fight it
than any other State Of the Union, save and ex-
cept her sister State, Louisiana. And is this to
be counted for nothing' Why, sir, take up the
principle laid down by the honorable Senator from
Kentucky: if it is to be applied to Texas, it ought
to be applied to all the other territory
You may possibly be able to settle the whole
controversy that principle, in proportion to the
amount which each State is benefited by the