Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-08-10

the large amount OF proposed the BILL In the
first place. Texas suenders all the territory north OF the
boundary line have described and between and the Ar
kansas rive which undoubtedly hers is. to be sure,
wild territory without settlements and almost unknown to
ciyiza,ion but ayersed occasionally by her rangers and
some rappe and hunters indeed believe her rangers once
had conflict here with the troops of the United States by
whom they were disarmedan affair which made quite ads
rbance between the Governments Of Texas and the United
States for time. Humboldt think, states the northern
boundary of New Mexico to be 3Sat least be says that
reaches from the 3st the 3sh degree Of north latitude
North Of this projects the long neck Of land which
reaches to the AID parallel old boundary and of which
may be difficult to say to whom did belong-to Mexico or
Texas The latter claimed it. It contained seventeen
or eighteen thousand square miles Of territory, important for
other purposes than lage settlement AL this s know,
not worth the ten millions which propose to give Texas
but then must recoe that Texas has claims to other ter
roy, which she surrenders by the bil-Q do not say
srights y carefully make the discrimination )o the whole
of the country east of the Rio Grsnde. The Senate very
well that of those who have believed in
the validity Of those claims but cannot shut my eyes the
fact that there others who think that these claims per-
ecly valid. While must maintain the convictions of my
reason, must be deerena and respectful 10 gentlemen
who entertain different opinion know that there
many gentlemen this floor who believe that Texas has al
ways from the time of the battle Of San Jacnto, rather the
arrangement with Santa Anna had valid and just claim TO
the whole of the territory east Of the Rio Grande. also
know that there other gentlemen who do not entertain
that opinion and who prior the treaty Guadalupe Hidago
thought that Texas had manner Of claim to this country
but that since that treaty she has acquired good right to it
that which only claim having rpened into title Such
s the opinion Of the Senator from Georgia, (Mr BERRIEH
whose integrity and whose parliamentary and judicial ability
command nay most profound respect That Senator made
able and ingenious argument upon this floor to prove that to
be the effect Of the treayhat the limits of Texas not hav
ing been fixed by treaty between the United States and Mex
co, estopped from denying her claim to the Rio
Gande II il necessary for into this argument
only desire to say that all this though may not decide the
claim of Texas, gives color to il, at all events. Then,
the Government Of the United States has recognised
her title to the Rio Gande country and though the acts Of
former Executive seem TO contradict IL vet must be ad
med that MI Polk and his administration did in ls47
press opinion in favor Of this claim subscribed
to the suciency Of the for this opinion and indeed
held them to be wholly unsatisfactory yet, when eminent
unctonay Of the Government bound by high duty in this
respect, gives opinion directly contrary my own, do
not feel like this, that ought 10 question his sim
cerity deny all consideration it. On the contrary,
Of the very nature Of compromise to allow weight to the opn
ions OF others which adverse think, there
FORE that part of the proposed millions may fairly be
down to the account Of the claims thus supported
be not satisfied Of their validity.
But r there is another consideration, and it is to
which have been exceedingly unwilling to give my assent,
but which, nevertheless have been unable refuse it.
The Senate that the State Of Texas has incurred
since her independence, considerable debt They know
also that she has issued bonds her creditors in of
which the from her customs specially pledged
for the payment Of principal and interest Upon the
alton of Texas the United States her right to levy duties
upon imports surrendered to the Government of the Uni
ted States that that Of revenue became extinct
fell into the possession of the United States The
dervabe from this is at present large, but it is
likely to become very large and valuable in future Iunder
stand, from authorities which can rely that the trade Of
Texas at this time amounts to five millions Of dollars year,
and that in the city OF Houston alone hundred and fifty
thousand dollars worth of duab goods consumed annual
y We know that the population increasing with consi
deabe rapdiy, and in the Of few years will swell
up to such amount would enable the State, if still in
possession Of the derived from the duty imports,
to defay the interest the bonds, and finally to extngush
them by full payment True, Texas reserved to herself
her public lands but is also true that they at present
very inadequate of revenue and likely continue
for time When State pledges her revenue with
understanding that the expenses Of the Govern
ment shall be deducted because not the Government
supported by fiscal could not exist anarchy would
ensue and the responsibility and obligations the creditors
would become absolutely valueess. But these creditors
whom the OF Texas pledged for the payment
of their bonds undoubtedly have relied upon that
of they must have looked not to the present
of these Texan of income, but TO their
future Producveness and although they had legal right
compel Texas appropriate the derived from that
to the payment Of the bonds and utterly power
less compel the United States yet the very fact that they
poweres that they rest entirely upon neral force for the
performance Of these obligations to them gives them higher
claim to the equity and consideration of the Congress Of the
United States. will lken it to the Of mortgage,
because do not suppose the operations Of the Government
can be ikened to mortgage being things different in theE
natures but far there is any analogy at all, is
doubleday in favor Of the which present. The
creditors Of Texas had moral claim at all events upon the
duties imports Texas Those duties have been taken
by the United States under the terms Of annexation and
although there special stipulation in the joint resolu
ons Of annexation that these creditors Of Texas should not
claim Of the United States Government the payment of these
duties yet may well be doubted whether that agreement
between the United States and Texas release the United
States from its moral obligation to the creditors whether
these duties having been specifically pledged by Texas for the
payment Of these bonds is not the duty OF the United States
at all events make compensation to these creditors
Well sir, this being the case, think am perfectly safe
in saying that the Congress Of the United States need
expect get rid Of the claim Of these creditors Of Texas
til they paid Considering the vast extent Of Texas, the
large population which fill her settlements that
her productive capacity will be quadruped and that her
ability to will keep pace with increasing production,
must that uncomfortable tribute to treasury will
flow from the customs duties Texan II is
sufficient say that without annexation Texas
would have had security, and therefore increase of
commerce, for know that her Independence would have
been acknowledged by Mexico the condition Of eternal
separation from the United States and that if this scheme,
guaranteed by England and France, had gone into operation,
she would have gathered strength and grown in pros
perity. Besides, sir remember that when were op-
posing annexation, prominent objection that we should
under obligations Of her debt One OF her
bonds exhibited in the Senate, and told, to mark
the pledge and heed the liability which would devove
All these considerations which have weighed vito me in
determining the amount Of ten millions allowed in the bill
have been furnished with statement from the Office of
the Auditor and Comptroller Of Texas which gives the
OF all the holders Of Texan bonds in which the from
import duties specially pledged and the amounts Of prn
cPal and interest respectively due to EACH calculated
some time in l84S. The aggregate amount s. OPT Id;
which by this time the interest at the of
cent per anuum, he about four millions and half
If to this sum, which equity strongly calls allow,