The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1850-02-22


administration of its own laws, ia consequence Of
which, industry and enterprise are paralYzed and
discomfort aud confusion prevail throughout the
land I he want oI proper protection against the
various barbarous tribes of Indians that Surround
rs on every side, has prevented the extension OF
settlements upon our valuable domain. and zen
dered utterly futile every attempt tn explore or
devenp the great resources of the Territory -
Surrounded hy the UAhs. CamancLes, and Apach'
81 nn the north. east. aud south. by the veloS
on the west, with Jicarillas within our limits aud
without any adequate protection against their
hostile iurnnls our lpcks aud herds are driven oil
by thousands. our fellnw.clizens, men. women.
and children are murdered or carried into capiiv'
itY. Many nt Our ciiiZans. ui all ages aud sexes
are at this moment suffering all the horrors ol
barbnrm bondaae aud il IS utterly out nf "ur
power Ia obtain their releIse from condition tI
which death wonh he preferable The wealth
Of our Territory is being diminished. We hive
neither the ine ms nnr any al Iptel phn by Gov
errinent fT tue education Ot The rising genera
ton. In fine, with government temporary,
dnnbtril, uncertain anh inrffi lent in character
and IA operation. surrounded und despoiled bv
barharolIs foes, ruin appears inevitably before Us
unless speedy and elfcctndl protection he ex en-
ded 10 ns by tue c 'ngress of the United States -
There is series OF resolutions, Mr., President
which any gentleman may Look at, il he chonS-
es; but think it is not worth while 10 take un
the time of the Senate in reading it
That is tho condition. sir, Of New Mexico Well
suspect that to go beyond it. to 60 beyond the Ric
Grande TO the territory which is not claimed by Texas
You will not find much better state ofthngs. In fact
sr cannot fora moment reconcile ii 10 my of du
ty 10 suffer Congress to adjourn without an effort, al
least, being made to extend the benefits the blessings
of government to those people who have recently
been acquredby us
Sir, with regard TO that portion of New Mexico
which lies east of the Rio Grande, undoubtedly il il
is conceded to TeKas, while sh has two partins dis
liking each other much those oiiice-hOlders and
oiice-seekers alluded to by the Senator from Texas
If they could possibly be drawn together and govern
cd quietlv, psaceAbly. and comfortably, there might
be remedy far as relates TO the country east o.
the Rio Grande but all beyond it-Deseret and the
north of Calilornia-would be still open and liable tC
all the consequences of dsunion, confusion, and
archy, without some stable government emanatnl
from the authority Of the nation of which they nov
compose part, and with which they are but littl'
acquant d. | think, therefore, that all these ques
tons, difficult and troublesome as they NAV be- Ough
to be met met in spirit of candOr and camness, and
decided upon as a matter ofduty.
Now, these two resolutions which we have mne
dat under consideration propose decision of these
questions. have said sir, that there is scarcely
resolution in the series which have offered that doe,
not contain some mutual concession or evidence Of m
tual foIbearance, where the concession not alto
gether from the non-saveholding to the slaveholdnl
States.
! Now. with respect to this resolution proposing
boundary Tor Texas. what Is III We know the differ
ence OF opinion which has existed in this county witt
respect To that boundary. We know that very larg
portion Of the people OF the United States have sup
posed that the western limit Of Texas was the Nueces
and that II did not extend to the Rio Grande. w
know, by the resolution Of annexation, that the ques
tiOn of what's the western limit and the northern lin
1t 0f Texas, was an open questionthat 1t has been
along an open question II was open questo
when tho boundary was run, in virtue of the act
1888 marking the boundary between the United Stat,
and Texas Sir, at that time the boundary authorize
by tn, act Of 1893 boundary comm 'ncng at tn
mouth Of the Sabine and running 10 its head theme
to Rcd River, thence westwardly with Red River to,
think, the hundredth degree OF west longitude. Wei
sir, that did not go far as Texas now claims ar
whyl Because Il was an open question War WI
yet raging between Texas and Mexico: and it was NJ
foreseen exactly what might be her ultimate limits
But, sir, we will come to the question of what WI
done at the time sf her annexation. This whole rest
luton which relates TO the question of boundary fro
beginning to end, assumes an open boundary an III
ascertaned unixed boundary 10 Texas on the ives
Sir what is the first part of the resolution II Is tn
Congrcss doth consent that the territory properly il
cluded within and rightully belonging to the Rnpub
Of Texas, may be erected into new State" Propc
iy included in-rghtully belong to. The resolutic
specifies no boundary, II could specify none. 1t HI
speciied no western or northern boundary for Texa
u mas assumed IN this state Of uncertainty what v
know In point of fact existed. But then the latt
part OF It. "Sad State tobe formed subject to the
lustment Of all questions of boundary that may sri
e with other Governments, and the constitution ther
. Of, &c: That II st0 say, sho is annexed with h
[ fghttul and proper boundaries, without d specific
, tion Of them but inasnucha Il was known that the
boundaries at the west and the north were unsettt
the Government of tho United States retained 10 its
nI tuti e.. 4
the boundary should be-
Now, sir II is impossible Tor me 10 20 into the who
question aud To argue fully. mean 10 express OPT
ions or Impressions rather than To 20 into tbs entire
guinent The western and northern limit of Texas b.
ing unsettled, and the Government of the U States ha,
Ing retained the power of settling it, ask suppose II
power had been exercised and that there had been
cesson of territory by Mexico TO the United State
but that the negotiations between the two countric
had been limited simply 10 the fixaton of the westei
and northern limits Of Texas, could It hot have bee
done by the United States and Mexico coniointlyl WI
any one dispute ~ Suppose there had been treat
OF limits Of Texas concluded between Mexico and Il
United States fixing the Nueces as the western lin
Of Texas, would not Texas have been bound by
WhN by the express terms of the resolution she wou
have beenby IL or IL II had been the Colorado or Ii
Rio Grande, or any other boundary, whatever ives
ern limit had been lixedby the joint action of the tv
Powers, would have been binding and obligatory upt
Texas by the express terms Of the resolution by wh
she was admitted into the Union. Now, SIR il Mes
co aud the United States conjointly by treaty, mig
have liked upon the western and northern limits
Texas, aud ithe United States have acquired by tre
ty all the subjects upon which the limits of Tex
might have operated have not the United States no
the power solely and exclusively which Mexico al
the United States conontly possessed prior to the la
treaty between the two cOuntresl IL seems TO me- nj
that this conclusion and reasoning Is perfectly irr
Sistibe. II Mexico and the United States could ha,
fixed upon anv western limit for Texas and did not
H. and II the United States have acquired To thomselv
or acquired by the treaty In question, all the terro
upon which the western limit must have been fVa
II seems 10 me that no one resist the logical concl
sion that the United States now have themselves
power to do what tho United States and Mexico co
jointly could have done
Sir, Iadmt II Is a delicate power-an extremely d
licate power. admit that Il ought to be exercised
spirit of Justice, lberAlity and generosity towar
this the youngest member Of the great American fan
lily. But here the poweris Possibly, sir upon III
observation-disclosures ciIer no positive opinion-p,
sibly, IL the United States were to fix il In way II
Just In tho opinion of TeXas and contrary TO her rgh
she might bring the question before the Supreme Gov
OF the United States, and have Il there again inves
. lgAted,and decided say possibly sir, because | q
not one OF that class Of politicians who believe h
every question IL competent and proper question
e the supreme Court Of the United States There a
Questions too large for any tribunal of that kind to r
great political questions national territorial oue stor
d which transcend their limits for such questions the
powers are utterly incompetent Whether this be o
IN Of those questions or not shall not decide hut W
maintain that the United States are now invested sol
70 y and exclusively with that power which was col
10 mon 10 both nationsto fix. ascertain and settle
western and northern limits Of Texas
III Sir, the other day my honorable friend who ron,
al aents 80 well the State Of Texas said that we had
ia more right 10 touch the imita OF Texas than we had
"A touch tho limits Of Kentucky, think that was
Illustration he gave us-that State is one and indi
)" aible, and that tho General Government has no ri
~ t. sever H. agree with him, sir, In that where
nd limits ascertAned and certain where thoy arc
Ill disputed and indisputablo. The General Goyernm
tb has no right, nor has any other earthly power
i right, TO Interfere with the limits of State VIII
"e houndAries are thus 6xed thns nscnrlninnI Lnl,