The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-01

rOm the Of the General Land Once, by Robert
the state which have SEEN which has within my
knowledge The meAndsrs Of the rivers all correctly
represented, being made from actual surveys"
Signed by Thomas w. Ward, at Austin, July
1, lsAS
Tue undersigned Commissioner Of the General land
Once Of the State Of Texas has hesahey in declar
ING his firm conviction that this map very
representation Of the state representing all returns 10
date having been compiled with great from the records
q the General lAd onee by the drAnghtsmAn Robert
CreuIhawr'
Signed July 1, ls4s; George w Smith
State q Texas certify that George W. ward
COmnissonsr Of the General Isn't ONE from the 9Th day
c January ISL 70 the sah day Of March, lS'S and also
that GeorES W Smith and has been Commissioner
Aforesaid since the ssh day Of Manu- last in testimony
the STATE Austin the eth day Of July SS aud Of the
Independence Of Texas the thirteenth year.
Signed. George T Wood countersigued by
the Secretary Of State, w d. Miller.
This is the authenticsiion Of the map and Ger.
tainly nothing could be more full and satisfactory
The dates Of the certificates are also most essen
tiAl for they show the map 10 have been COM
piled as late as the spring Of lsiS the very date
. o. The treaty. With thh Repphlic of NAsino as IL
United States the extent Of the Texan possession
on the day she became interested in the question.
by becoming the owner Of the territory contigu.
Gus 20 TtxSS Here Is this authentic map. Look
ST it holding il MP IL is large enough 10 be
seen AcroSs the Chamber, and shows objects with
sufficient distiRctnsss 20 BE 3iscernsd by all Its
western limit is the longitude Of l02 the very
limit propose, IS il | hsd made the map myself
10 suit nv bill Here is the longitude Of o.
constituting the western limit Of the map running
through the centre Of the St&ked Plain leaving
every cocnty, every town snd every land district,
ard every stream and river Of Texas, with all
their head springs and sources 20 the east, leaving
the whole course 81 the Puerco and Its valley to
the west and striking the Del Norte just below
the mouth Of the Puerco. and three hundred miles
on & straight line below FL Paso Behold il I!
Here is l02 cutting the long blank space marked
El Lane E10nado, the Staked Plain aud here
Sre all the bresks in the eastern decliyty Of that
/ long broad, and sterile table land, from which
/ issue the thousand little streams which, taking
their course towards the rising sun, and gather
ing themselves into large channels give birth TO
all the beautiful rivers of Texas--the Colorado
the BrAsos, Los Brssos de Dios, the Arms Of
GodA the Nueces, and the southern forks Of the
T rreu rTvrr. rnerr rney ar are ever, .~satS'
that is Texan by nature or by law! Rivers,
towns, counties, all 10 the east Of l02 and all
separated from Nss Mexico by rhe hfsh desert
plain which marks the structure Of the country,
and divides systems Of rivers and of lands from
each other.
This is the line which | propose and upon the
adoption Of which the sense Of the Senate will
be taken. Ii is entirely different from that of the
committee and makes a difference Of 10000
square miles TO the United States territory
in New Mexico, according to its adoption or re-
lection.
have diligently studied the report of the com
mittee to find out the principle on which they
could take line beginning above FL Paso to di-
vide the territories Of New Mexico and Texas
line which, conforming to neither claim, fall
SITES both and which, contradicting history, ge-
ography, and law, invaldates itself have been
greatly at loss to discover the principle on which
such an anomalous line could be based and sup
pose have found it, so far as it can be found, in
the paragraph of the committees report, which
| will read. This is it:
The committee beg leave next to report on the subject
Of the north and boundary Of Texs On that
question great diversity Of opinion has prevailed Accord
ing 10 pis1 Of IT, the western limit Of Texas the
Nuecss according to another IL extended to the Rio
Grande and stretched from its mouth TO its
jos Of the committee having 20 the conclusion of
recommending GmcGbte Gdus nienf of the boundary
with Texas Gbsfdn from expressing any opinion as 10
the true and legitimate western and northern boundary Of
that state The terms proposed for such an adjustment
contained in the bill herewith repor ed and they sre,
with ncOnsiderabe variation the that reported by
the Committee on Territories.
According to these terms IL is proposed 10 Texas that
her boundary be to the Rio Grsnd and up that
river TO the point commonly called III Pds0 and running
thence up that river twenty miles thereon by
straight line and theEce e'stwsrdy point where the
hundredh degree Of west longitude ed river being
the southwes angle in the line designated between the
United States and Mexico, and the angle IN the
line Of the territory set apart for the Indians by the United
| Statesn
This is it! and pretty light it is to guide the
! Congress of the United States--a great diversity
of opinion among the people, and no opinion at
all in the committee. Some think the Nueces the
true and legitimate western boundary some think
it extends to the Rio Grande. The committee
! ha ot her WITH
else but, having to the conclusion to recon-
mend an amicable adjustment, they abstain from
expressing any opinion as to the true and legiti-
mate western boundary of Texas and then,
without any regard to what is either true or legt
innate, they cut New Mexico in two, and give
half of her to Texas If the committee had
studied the question of boundary, and expressed
an opinion, and then made their line conformable
to it, their recommendation might have been en-
titled to great weight But they do no such thing.
They do not study the question They expressly
abstain from it. They neither give an opinion
of their own nor adopt that Of anybody else.
They neither take the Nueces, as they say some
believe nor the Rio Grande as they say others
believe; nor name any line which they themselves
believe; but, going it bnd-makng a half and
half business of it-cuttng instead of untying
the Gordiau knot-they take new course across
tbs Puercos beginning half way up the Del
hips, and give the lower half to Texas, leaving
New Mexico to stump it about she can, with
out feet or legs
This is called abstaining from expressing an
opinion but it is certainly acting an opinion
and executing it also. They amputate New
Mexico-cut her in two just below the middle
give half to Texas-and call that no opinion.
Sir, there was once dispute before a wise man
with respect to the maternity Of child. Two diff
cd tn ha tho nd
mon, puzzled with their contradictory assevera-
TONS and not able to decide which was the true
and legitimate mother, and abstsining from ex
pressing any opinion, ordered the child to be cut
in two, and half Of it to be given to each. You
know how it ended. The true mother would not
have the child cut in twol and the wise man knew
that and his Judgment was nothing but device
to find out the truth by making nature speak. ]
do not know whether our committee have acted on
| the policy of Solomon-Solomons though they all
may be nor, in fact, upon what policy or prin-
| ciple they acted There is no point from the
head TO the mouth of the river which may not be
| taken on the same principle. Amicable ad just
ment is the only rule they profess, and that
to be very amicable and, according 10 what they
propose, all their amicability runs in one channel
and all their adjustment leans to one side. They
give seventy thousand square miles Of New Mex
leo to Texas, and offer her $40 900 900 to accept
it! This Is amicable enough to Texas and adj
justment enough to suit her But how does it
suit the United States and New Mexico2 How
does it suit truth and ustice-that true and legit
innate line which the committee did not even pre-
tend to ascertain
The committee propose a consideration to be
paid by the United States to Texas-how much
they do not say in their bill or report but rumor
talks of Sl0,0O00O0 This is what the report
says:
As reconsideration for IT, and considering that portion
OF the debt OF Texas created pledge her credit
ora OF the duties foreign IMPORTS transferred by the
resolution Of annexation to the United States and