Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-08-10
THE BOUNDARY OF TEXAS.
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, AUGUST I AND


The Senate resumed the consideration, as in Commit
tee Of the Whole bill proposing to the State Of Texas
the establishment Of her northern and western boundaries the
REIMBURSEMENT by the said State of all the territory claimed
by her exterior said boundaries, and OF all her claims
upon the United States.
Alter having introduced this bill on Monday last Mr..
PEARcE addressed the Senate as follows:
Mr.. PEARCE, Mr. President think it must be admit
ted that the great obstacle in the pathway Of legislation
during the present session has been this disputed boundary
Texas. That the final difficulty Of the compromise bill,
and may be considered principal cause OF It's defeat
am very well aware the motives which induced the comb
nation Of several measures in know Is supposed that
sometimes such union produces combination Of interests
favorable to the passage of the united bill but think just
as often happens that that this union produces
of the elements of opposition, insufficient each Of itself
to defeat the which applies, but which, when
combined have sufficient force to overthrow the whole be-
Sides sir confess that 1t to me to be night that each
measure should be determined by the considerations which
are properly applicable TO itself alone being neither helped
preiudced by what relates another subject have there
fore determined present the Senate bill for the establish
of the boundary Of Texas unconnected with any other
subject subject Of great importance, because m
wolves not only the rights and claims Of State and Of the
United States but what is of far more importance, involves
the peace and harmony of the Union; 90 vital to the
welfare and prosperity Of all Of the States, and SO dear, am
sure may say, to every patriotic heart
The bill present. sir, is not the result OF calculating
bargain in which the rights of each party have been estimated
with precision, and their money value counted at the
market rate neither does disregard the rights and obliga
tons of the respective parties and surrender up every thing
the demands Of one. have endeavored to frame 1t with
view allow Texas literally for whatever territory she may
cede to the United States well for whatever claims she
may renqush the United States, relieve her from the
burden obligations which have been supposed by many to
be equaby binding the Union and with view also pre-
serve to the Government Of the United States entire terri
toy and the people Of that territory such proec
ton guaranteed to them by the late treaty with Mexico
The bill proposes boundary which cannot suppose will be
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free from objection than any other boundary which has yet
been proposed and allows Texas compensation large and
liberal admit but which yet think can defend upon prn-
cples Of justice, OF equity, and Of patriotism was very
deseus to form boundary, in respect somewhat differ
emily from the shape which finally compelled to give
it, may remark before proceed that three provisions of
the bill aken with amendment and the addition Of
the last provso, from the bill which was introduced into the
Senate in the early part Of the session by the Senator from
Missouri, (Mr. BEsroS) 1t struck very desirable
thing avoid two difficulties First, to give such boun
dairy will avoid the objection which has often been urged
by Southern gentlemen other proposed boundaries they
proposals to surrender to the North territory which, by
the joint resolutions Of annexaton and in spirit ohe Mis-
compromise, guaranteed to the South or to Southern
institutions Secondly, it very desirable to avoid the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of New Mexico to preserve it intact not
in the whole Of its original extent conended for by some,
least far the territorial authority has practically been
exercised have endeavored keep both these in
view, and think have approximated to IT. though may
perfectly have accomplished both In order to avoid the
al
the intersection ofthe Tooth meridian west Of Greenwich by the
parallel Of $50 30 north latitude That cuts of portion Of
the undoubted territory Of Texas. The Senate well
that by the treaty with Spain OF 1919 boundary
up the Sabine to the 32d parallel Of north latitude
thence north to the Red with the red river the Tooth
degree Of west ongtude and thence north to the Arkansas
and The parallel Of 100 deg then the boundary
between Spain the United States at the time Of that treaty
By the treaty Of 1928 with Mexico recognise that boun-
dsy applied Mexico ard the territory Of it be-
longing to Mexico BY the convention Of 1888 with Texas
proposing to appoint commissioners to and mark part Of
this boundary recognise her the of the soil west
Of the Tooth deg Of west longitude There no dspuing,
heeore-and there were, abundant facts could be shown
for my purposeha large Of territory, whose extent
westward indeed indefinite, did belong and does belong
to Texas portion Of that territory propose to cut off and
cede to the United States but do not propose to cut of
of the territory south Of $50 30 My proposal the
northern boundary line three degrees west the parallel Of
$50 30 until shall reach the l03d degree of longitude
west from Greenwich. The bill introduced by the Senator
from Missouri early in the session contemplated lO2 degrees
west from Greenwich the boundary Of Texas the west
and that boundary perfectly satisfactory to me but as
was not to the gentlemen from Texas, whom was des
rabe to coneiate yielded it. partly that account and
partly because did not think absolutely necessary to ad
here to it.
Running my eye the latest map Of this country which
have seen, the map of Dr. Wzenus which my atten-
ton kindly called by the Senator from Missouri find
that between the medans Of lO2 and l03 and extending
more than two and half degrees of latitude, lies the Lno
Esacado, the saked plain Of which have heard be-
fore-hgh, arid, table land fact DESERT waste and
barren OF vegetation the Of the Dead Sea- had
fixed the boundary the l02d degree of longitude, this arid
DESERT worthless tract of country would have been thrown
outside Of Texas and New Mexico except small part
of on the east which, if had belonged to New Mexico
as would have been the by such arrangement would
have been cut of BY the desert from all communication with
the settled parts of the country Of which it portion
North OF this waste the land BETTER though cannot
what proportion of it is valuable II lies however, the
upper waters Of the Red river and the Canadian fork of the
Arkansas, which here rivers Of Texas The object OF
the Senator from Missouri to provide such western
boundary for Texas would give her the command OF the
heads of all the Texan rivers This object is fully
pished by the meridian Of l03 which have taken. By this
arrangement also liberal margin left New Mexico, not
only protect her present settlements but to allow for
her expansonenough TO make her, in tne population
fills up, respectable and toeraby strong State. The line
to the Rio Grande Objectionable know to some members
of the Senate and should have been glad to consult their
wishes by running little further south, but find that that
would meet with much opposition. The Senate,
however, change they please. This line Does to be
sure, cut off New Mexico according the estimate Of the
Senator from Missouri (Mr. BENToS, to whose superior
geographical knowledge cheerfuly defer He proposed to
carry New Mexico down to the mouth of the Pueco river
and said Of the line in the compromise bill thai cut of the
legs Of New Mexico ampuated her the hips. But there
10 very little objection this because the Senate
that the recent Convention of New Mexico, which
form State institutions performed that process of anpuaton
for themselves not precisely at the line which PROPOSE
but nearly make it not worthy the attention Of the
Senate. suppose that nasmuch they have amputated
these members Themselves not Of very material conse-
for take the trouble splice them together again.
Now, this line strikes the Rio Bravo del Noe nesr Ell Paso
according to several maps little south Of Ell Paso But
bound say candor to the Senate that more recent
maps and the have mentioned made from actual obser
vaions, give the latitude Of FL Paso 3io 45 5O which
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