The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-18

She must be content, therefore, to satisfy us con
corning the cardinal points in the bargain, viz
First. The TeasOa05le1esS Of the amount 10 b
paid.
Secondly. The volpe Of the equivalent ne are 4
receiDe
Thirdly. The tile Ofthe nender.
Fourthly. The use 10 vhieh the territory IS 10 b
applied
First. How much are we to pay The sum i,
set down in -, and the blank is pertinaciously
kept open. "The hart Achilles keeps thicke'
here" philosopher replied to a man who ask
ed leave TO see what he carried under his cloak
" carry it there that you may not see it
Well, We are obliged TO assume that Texas IL
to be paid more than her claim is worth because
she will not trust TO distinct and independent
$500. -, 49,. .. 49, =. .SSr
saaZf5- r. >'-,:>s'--S-&. ~. ~ - CcG
fornia-the desire Of the nation and the envy OF
the world-reduced by the Senate Of the United
States TO the humiliation OF ohaffering and chew
ing with money-changers and stockholders, con-
tinually batting her offers with richer rewards,
to obtain her admission into the Union
The extent and value Of the acquisition are
equally unsatisfactory. When the question is on
the sum to be paid, Texas owns nearly all New
Mexico; but when il comes on the domain to be
obtained 1t turns out that we are to cede TO Tex
as part of that province 10 save the rest and
to pay her ten or fifteen millions to induce her
acceptance of the oession. Surely, If we concede
to Texas the admiration her representatives re-
quire, they must admit that she knows how to
coin our admiration into available gold.
The tile Ii Ii beyond dispute that the terri
tory which Texas offers was, from time immemo-
rial, an integral part of New Mexico and that not
an acre of it was ever in the possession of Texas.
tits equally clear that the United States found il
m a 30 IL a~ad cv1
bought it, and that they hold 1t by treaty sol.
emily executed. 1t is as certain that Texas new
er conquered it, never bought it, and has no
treaty concession to show for it..
But, Texas insists that she has an equitable
title. She asserted, think in 1895, by law in
her statute book that her boundary should be the
42d parallel; that IL. she declared her purpose to
conquer SO much Of New Mexico. But she never
executed, nor even attempted to execute that pur-
pose She came into the United States without
having executed it, Her statute, therefore, was
mere brutum fulmea The United States, in the
articles Of annexation, refused to commit them.
selves to the claim Of Texas. Subsequently thu
United States waged war against Mexico, not fol
the claim of Texas, but for other causes. The
war was waged to obtain satisfaction of CONNER
cal debts and indemnities for the expenses of tn,
war. Being thus engaged in war, the United
States accepted New Mexico and California IL
satisfaction of the commercial debts and expenses
of the contest after paying fifteen millions of dol
lars for their excess in value. Thus the United
States free from obligation to Texas, acquired
the territory Of New Mexico, making the con
quest and paying the whole consideration alone
The claim of Texas is rs groundless in equity a,
by the strict rules of law. The claim of Texa,
is just as good to the whole Of California as to
New Mexico.
Nor is the proposition more satisfactory in re.
gard to the purposes TO which the territory is tc
be applied. | am satisfied that the soil of New
Mexico is free soil now, by operation of unre-
pealed Mexican laws. | know that it would be
less surely free IL this bill were passed The bill
would raise cloud upon the question. prefer
rather to leave New Mexico as it is
New Mexico has no representative here. Every
phase of this compromise exhibits dismember
ment Of her territory; and yet she is TO receive
no equivalent. Texas already has q vast domain
Of SURPRISING fertility. New Mexico is less ex
pansive and comparatively sterile. This bill
nevertheless, literally applies the Scripture, Fol-
unto every one that hath shall be given, and h
shall have abundance; but from he that hath not
shall be taken away even that he HATH
This perversion of right proceeds upon tn
| ground that either New Mexico has no oerta
title, or that she has no political Government I
defend IT,
Sir, New Mexico was distinct colony of Spain
| New Mexico was State in the Republic of Mex
loo, and afterwards was a political Territory II
that Republic. She was never less than that w,
found her in that condition and character. Sh,
retains that character now. Only her allegiance
is transferred to the United States, while some Of
the powers Of government suspended by conquest
remain in allegiance She is Republic according
the definition Of Cicero: Res pubiied, res popnh
populus amem, non omnis hOmapm eatus, gnoquo
modo eongvegatas, ssd eRtus muhIudinis jnriS con.
ssnsu, e. wilaatis commnnione sOei0tusD
New Mexico has domain, population, resour-
ces and qualified dominion-arts, customs, laws,
and religion. She holds these physical and moral
elements of State subordinate to the United
States but nevertheless distinctly and apart from
all other communities. New MEXICO, moreover,
has framed her institutions on the principle Of
the common origin of man aud the common gov
eminent Of God And thus she possesses the
first last, and chief element Of democratic or re-
publican States-impartial civil liberty-that ele-
ment which favors the creation Of wealth, without
which state must be powerless; the equalization
Of property, without an approximation TO which
State is exposed TO oppression; the diffusion Of
knowledge, without which republican institutions
cannot be preserved, and the development Of
strength, courage, and enterprise, without which
O State cannot flourish. New Mexico has adopt
ed the system that Is best fitted to maintain war,
and the system that is best adapted TO secure
peace New Mexico, therefore, might we'll have
aspired, even under Mexican swsy-much more
may she aspire under the fostering care Of the
United States - to such greatness as the free
States in this Union have attained - such great
ness as is attainable by only purely democratic
States.
New Mexico, pressed by the encroachment Of
Texas, and by the jealousy Of the slave States
implores from us protection Of her territory, and
of her Constitution This bill Of Compromise
compromises her claims by dividing her territory
right and left, boldly assigning part to undis-
guised slavery, and the rest insdiously TO exposed
freedom Sir, If concur In giving any Govern.
ment to New Mexico, it must be as good one as
she has already. Although the drama Of our con-
quest In Mexico falls into successive acts, con-
Quoted by different performers, It IL nevertheless
one whole transaction and II this bill shall pass,
that transaction 50 far as New Mexico Ia concern.
ed, will be conquest Of a free Republic, and the
Of 1t in whole or In part into q slave
State.
What Is New Mexico, that she should be thus
An unofending rival, PROSTATE at our
feet pray you Senators, for the sake, II not of
justice, at least Of magnanimity, to exercise your
power over her by sparing her--to punish, by
forgiving her the crime Of loving liberty too we'll
Her ancient charter contains the glowing words
established by the consent Of mankind AZ the
Of all true government, which Jefferson
made our own-"All men naturally were born
free, and were, by privilege above all the cres-
lures, born 10 command, and not to obey earthly
authority, not derived from their own CONSENT
That charter Is in our hands
IN We rase sll that out, and give the charter
back to New Mexico, Q mutilated and lifeless
thing, we shall have repeated the crime Of the
partition Of Poland, the crime Of the subverson Of
the recent brief, but brilliant Republic Of Italy
We shall have emclsted the Stuart, who seized the
charters Of the free corporations Of England, and
thereby lost throne; and shall have surpassed
the Guelph, who interpolsted taxation without
representation into the Constitution Of Britain,
and thereby lost the empire which We enjoy. Sir,