The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-10-11
From the ". o. Picayttne.
TEXAN

The acceptance by Texas of the terms pro-
posed in Mr. Pearce's bill is not at all doubtful
Our information direct, by persons who have
opportunities for correct information leads to
the conclusion that a large majority of the peo-
pie and OF the Legislature is in favor Of closing
the controversy by accepting the bill. The
impression prevails that the Legislature, at
the late session, authorized an election, to be
held IN acertaln contingency, by which the peo
pie were to be called upon to decide directly
upon the proposition of the United States.
This is mistake. No legislation was held on
that subject. The Senate, indeed, Just before
the Adjournment, adopted Joint resolution TO
that effect, but it did not get to the other
House. Nothing was done at all in the mat
ter; andfhe point whether the Legislature is com
petent to act, and its decision binding, has not
yet been pronounced upon. 1t is not unlikely
that when the Legislature reassembles it will
find itself sufficiently authorized to conelnde
the matter at once, by accepting the terms 1t
is the general opinion, however, that a popular
vote will be ordered.
Mr. kaufman, the representative in Congress
from the Eastern District of Texas, has adj
dressed a circular to his constituents, which
furnishes some interesting statistics, and, with
out urging the acceptance Of the bill, for which
MIR. Kaufman had voted, refutes very ably
some of the arguments urged in opposition
lie repels with force the allegation that Texas,
II she agrees to the proposition, yields slave
territory to Free Soil He shows that there
is no Wilmot Proviso to exclude slaves, that
Congress could not constftutiOnailg exclude
them and could not delegate the power to the
Legislature. He quotes the clause Of the Ter
ritorial bill which declares that the legislative
power of the Territory shall extend ato all
rightful subjects of legislation consistent with
the constitution of the United States" and the
| admission made by the Free SoiIers in Con-
gress, that this recognizes slavery as entitled
to the protection of the laws there His
strongest argument rs, however, that as re-
spects the territory east of the Rio Grande,
which is the populous part of New Mexico
II Is ceded by Texas, subject to its present laws
as part of slayeholding Texas-which are es-
peciay guaranteed by the United States in the
compact of annexation To this argument
there is no sufficient answer. Itis unanswera-
bic.
The area of Texas with the Pearce bounda-
ryis 237, ,32l square miles, which is more than
five times of New York It's about four hun
dred miles from San Antonio to the nearest
point of New Mexico. From the mouth of the
Rio, Grande to Ell Paso is about eight hundred
and thirty miles, in straight line, and twice
that distance by the river. From the northeast
corner of the State to Ell Paso is about eight
hundred and sixty miles, and about the same
from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the north
ern line.
This is as much country as is likely to be
well governed for long time to come, and as
to its value, politically or as source ol reve-
nue., Texas, we think, loses nothing by the bar
gain.