The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-16


sachusets hat States shall be made out Of Texas
and that such States to be formed out OF that portion
OF lying south OF SO deg 80 min may n ths
and admitted by these resolutions" is to be found in
the resolutions In the first place, the resolutions do
Texas. They provide that "new States, exceeding
four in number in addition 70 said State Of Texas and
haping sufficient population, MAY hereafter, BY the con-
sent OF said State be formed out OF the territory thereof
which shall be entitled to admission under the provisions
Of s federal constitution" Where is that absolute
"shaH?' And what are the provisions" referred 10
TSe saaa does not exist The provisions are these
other State nor any State be formed by the junction
OF two or more States, or parts OF States without the
consent OF the States concerned we'll OF the Con-
gress" Now, this is either absolute prohibition upon
the erection OF any State within the limits Of
listing State, or it's prohibition OF such erection with
that the resolutions themselves make the admission oi
States, erected out Of Texas dependant the oil
the Congress IN being at the time the application may be
ton Of the asserted guaranty need say this
point
will add only that. whatever may be the true con-
stucon OF the resolutions, their obligatory force
der the constitution, s quite certain that under
no obligation to be active at this time in carving
State out OF Texas and there great reason for
prehenson that Texas will propose to divide her
self, if Congress does not meddle in the matter
AS to the Texan debt, Mr.. President, disposed to
leave that where the resolutions OF annexatons left it,
with Texas. Let Texas keep her lands and her debt.
That the OF Congress then, and
for any change Of position II there debts for which
Texas let wait till the default is established and then
look into the amounts and grounds Of liability, and do
what justice and good faith require
not very difficult questions. The resolutions Of
ton do not provide for the admission, State, of the
entire republic Of Texas with the boundaries claimed by
her This is the language OF the resolutions: Congress
doth consent that the territory properly incded scln
and rghguHy belonging to the republic Of Texas may
be erected into new State to be called the State Of
IF houu1
to adjustment by the government OF the United States
The simple question, them is hat territory was proper
y included within and rghhllly belonged to. Texas as
an Independent republic, prior to annexation Two
propositions respecting this matter to me to be clear
FIRST, all the territory between the Nueces and the Sabine,
and extending north to the Red river and the Ensenada
comprehendng according to the report of the Comms
of the Land Office. l4S.569 square miles, being
four and half times as large Ohio, was properly in
date of annexation, and is therefore properly compre-
hended within the Stae secondly OF that ter
ritory north of line drawn from Paso del Noe to the
Ensenada, and with that stream to Red river, known as
New Mexico the Santa Fe country, properly in
cluded within did rghtfuy belong 10 Texas at that
date and none OF it therefore was part OF Texas as ad
The territory between the Nueces and the Rio Grande
and south OF Paso and the Ensenada may be regarded
open controversy Petitions have been presented in this
chamber, the commencement OF the session, from
portion OF the Inhabitants, declaring their conviction that
the country not within the ghtful limits of Texas, and
recognise @ the jurisdiction q Texas We need take no
action at present. but may await further information and
future events.
copy OF which is annexed to the treaty with Mexico,
showing all the territory of the Rio Grande TO be
within the limits Of Texas That map is before me,
1874, by White, Gallagher, & White. Upon this latter
map the territory between the Nueces and Rio Grande,
and south OF the Ensenada Is represented as constituting
parts OF Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and New Mexico or
Santa Fe. Dsturnells map published in lS47 The
plate altered in conformity with information obtained
from the departments Of the government here The line
Texas in 1885," The Rio Grande, below the mouth OF
the Puerco is marked the boundary claimed by the
seross bs lower Rio GanSs 10 he Naesss but
still extends the river and above Paso del None
and the Ensenada, the whole country designated Nuevo
Mejco, Santa Fe" ! see not what and the clam OF
Texas can derive from this map which certainly contains
no language on its face which will sustain it, and which
is referred TO in the treaty only 10 hx the western and
southern boundaries OF New Mexico, west OF the Rio
Grande.
suted the arber between Mexico and Texas by the
ouons OF annexation, and having become possessed OF
the territory dispute by conquest purchase esopped
from denying the claim OF Texas Is this SO Let put
a case: Two neighbors dispute about their boundary,
and refer the question arbter Pending the contro-
versy the arbiie buys the interest OF Is he there
fore bound concede the tract in dispute to the other
Clearly not He has acquired the title Of one, and. with
it, whatever rights his granor possessed And is
his business to adjust the controversy fairly and peacea
bly,, If he can; if not to refer il to another arbiter
In my Judgment therefore, our plan duty al present is
to provide territorial government for new Mexico, which
should embrace within its jurisdiction the whole country
north OF Paso and the Ensenada. But il does not seen
to indlspensaby important that the precise limits Of
its jurisdiction should be defined The valley OF the Rio
Grande is the only part which Is at present peoped.
cept by Indians, and the only part therefore which
gently requires established government The territory
between the Nueces and the Rio Gnande south OF the
line OF New Mexico, be left open to future adjust
ment upon further information TO the views OF the
people and the rights OF Texas:
pfesident fifth. SIKH. and eighth resolutions
Of the senator from Kentucky embrace three propositions
which propose TO consider together:
/ /. That slavery in this District should not be abol
shed except with the consent OF the District and OF Mary
4 land
O. Tha, the slave trade in this District ought to be abo
4 shed
i g. That Congress has no power to prohibit the slav,
| trade among the States
concur fully in the second OF these propositions ant
and fromA labama [Mr KIse for the favor they hav,
shown TO this measure.
i cannot concur in the first proposition have already
said that in my judgment, the constitution confes OF
Congress power TO enforce the absolute subjection
one man to the disposal OF another property i
is my opinion that all legislation adopted enacted by
Congress for enforcing that condition ought 10 be re-
pealed, whether in this District elsewhere. listened
with great pleasure TO the emphatic declaration OF the
senator from Kentucky, in respect TO the extension o
slavery by Congress, that he would give mo vote to
propagate wrongs What wrongs why, sr tnost
wrongs, multiplied and comp Heated, which are summed
up in one word-sIAvERY. And where is the warrant
for this comprehensive condemnation OF slavery
found in that LAW TO the supremacy OF which here
seems 10 some so censurable-hat law of sublimer origin
and more awful sanction than any human code, written