Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-08-16

those powers might be executed, or
however cleart the case of necessity,
yet consequences might nevertheless
follow, of which no human sagacity
can foresee either the evils or the
end. M
Having thus laid before Congress
the communication ofHls Excellency
the Governor of Texas, and the an
swer thereto, and havirg made such
observations as ] have thought the
occasion called for respecting ccnsti-
tutional obligations which may arise
in the further progress of things, and
may deyolve on me to be performed,
i hope / shall not be regarded as
stepping aside from the line of my
duty, Notwithstanding that | am a.
ware that the subject is now before
both Houses, if express my deep
and earnest conviction of the impor-
tance of an immediate decision or
arrangement, or settlement of the
question of boundary between Texas
and the territory Of New Mexico.
All considerations of justice, general
expediency, and domestic tranquility
call for this. 1t seems to be, in its
character and by position, the first,
or one of the first, of the questions
growing out ofthe acquisition of Cal
ifornia and New Mexico, and now
requiring decision.
No government can be established
for New Mexico, either State or
Territory, until it shall be first ascer-
tanned what New Mexico is, and
what are her limits and boundaries.
These cannot be fixed or known, till
the line of division between her and
Texas shall be asccrtained and es-
tablished- and numerous and weigh
ty reasons conspire, in my Judgment,
to oshow that this divisionall line Should
be established by Congress, with the
assent of the government of Texas.
In the first place, this seems by far
the most prompt mode Of proceeding
by which the end can be accomplish,
ed. If Judicial proceedings were re-
sorted to, such proceedings would
necessarily he slow, and years would
pass by, in all probability, before the
controversy could be ended. So
great delay, in this case, is TO be
avoided if possible. Such delay
would be every way inconvenient,
and might lie the occasion of dlstur-
Dances and collisions. For the same
reason, / would, with the utmost de-
ference TO the wisdom of Congress,
express doubt of the expediency of
the appointment Of comlnl ssioners,
and of an examination, estimate, and
an award Of idernnity TO be made by
them. This would be but species
of arbitration, which might las,>,s
long as suit at law. ''
So far as | am able to comprehend
the case, the general facts are now
all known, and Congress is as capa-
BILE of deciding on it, Justly and prop
erly now, asst probably would be af-
ter the report of the Commissioners.
If the claim Of title on the part of
Texas appears to Congress to be well
founded, In whole or in part, ii is in
the competency of Congress to offer
her an idemnity for the surrender of
that claim. In case like this, sur
rounded as it is by many cogent con
siderations, all calling for amicable
adjustment and immediate settle
ment, the Government of the United
States would be justified, in my opin-
ion, in allowing an indemnity to Tex
asnot unreasonable and extravagant,
but fair, liberal, and awarded in a
just spirit of accommodation.
/ think no event would be halle
with more qualification by the peo-
pie of the United States, than the am
icable adjustment of questions of diff
ficulty, which have now for a long
time agitated the country, and occu-
pied, 10 the exclusion of othe. sub
jects, the time and attention of Con
gross. se
Having thus freely communicated
the result of my wnrefection on the
most advisable mode of adjusting the
boundary question, ] shall, never he
less, cheerful!y acquiesce any other
mode which the wisdom of Congress
may devise. s
And, in conclusion, ] repeat my
conviction that every consideration
of the public interest manifests the
necessity of a provision by Congress
for the settlement of this boundary
question, before the present session
be brought to a close. The settle
ment of other questions connected
with the same subject, within the
same period, is greatly to be desired;