Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-08-16
VIE SS "A e E % r THE
PRESIDENT OF TT. STATES.


sentative:
[ herewith transmit 10 the two
Houses of Congress a letter from his
cYccllency the Governor of Texas,
d@ed OH the 18th dav of June last,
addressed TO the late President of
the United States, which, not having
been answered by him, came into my
hands, on his death; and | also trans
init copy of the answer which |
have ie'tit TO be my duty to cause 20
be made TO that communication.
Congress will perceive that the
Governor OF Texas officially states,
that by authority of the Legislature
of that State, he despatched spe-
cial Commissioner, with full power
and instructions TO extend the civil
jurisdiction of the State over the un-
organised countries Of FL Passo,
Worth, Preside, and Santa Fe, stu
ated on its northwestcrn limits.
tle proceeds TO say that the Com
missioner had reported to him, in an
official form, that The military officers
employed III the service of the United
States, stationed at Santa Fe, inter
posed adversely, with the inhabitants.
10 the fulflmont of this object, in IA
Ior OF the establishment of sopa-
rate STATE government, cast Of the
itio GraMde, and within the rightful
iul limits of the State of Texas
These four counties which Texas
proposes TO establish and organize, as
being within her own jurisdiction, cx-
tend over the whole of the territory
east Of the Rio Grande, which has
heretofore been regarded as an essen
'ial and integral part of the Depart
ment of New Nd xico, and actually
governed and possessed by her pco-
pie, until conquered and severed from
The Republic of Mexico by the Amer
lcan arms.
The Legislature of Texas has been
called together by the Governor, for
the. purpose, as is understood, of
maintaining her claim TO the terrltorv
east of the Rio Grande, and of eS-
tablIshing over it her own jurisdiction
and her own laws by force.
These proceedings of Texas NAV
well arrest the attention of all
branches of the Government of the
United States. and ] rejoice that thcy
occur while the Congress is vet in
session. 1t is, l fear, far from being
improbable that, in consequence Of
these proceedings of Texas, a crisis
may be brought on which shall s,,m-
mon the two Houses of Congress-
and still more emphatically the Exec
utivc Government-to am immediate
readiness for the performance of their
respective duties.
BY The Constitution of the United
States the President is constituted
commandments of the army and
navy, and of The militia of the sever
al States, when called into the actual
service of the United States. The
Constitution declares, also, that he
snail take care that the laws be faith
fully executed, and that he shall, from
time to time, give to the CONGRESS- in
formation of the state of the Union.
Congress has power, by the Con
stItuI!on, 10 provide for calling forth
me militia 10 execute the laws ofthe
Union; and suitable and appropriate
acts of Congress have been passed.
as well for providing for calling forth
me me militia, as for placing other suita-
ole and eitlcicnt means in the hands
OF the President, TO enable him TO dis
cnarge The constitutional functions of
his office.
The second section of the act of
the twenty-cighth of February, seven
teen hundred and ninety five, de-
clares, that whenever the laws of the
United States shall be opposed, or
their execution obstructed, in anv
State, by combinations too powerful
10 be suppressed by the ordinary
course of judicial procc edmgs, or the
power vested in the marshals, the
President may call forth the militia,
SO far as may be necessary, TO sup
press such combinations, and to cause
the laws 10 be duly executed.
By the act of March 3, 1907, it il;
provided that in all cases of ohstruc-
iron to the laws, either of the United
States or any individual State or ter
i1tory, where ii is lawful for the Pres
ident to call forth the militia for the
purpose of causing the laws to be du-
ly executed. it shall be lawful for him
TO employ for the same purposes such
part of the land or naval force of the
United States as shall be Judged ne
ccssary.
These several enactments are now
i'm ii,ii force: On that if tho ortLo