The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-09-11

have been bound TO maintain hersjuris-
diclion 10 the extent Of her limits pre-
scribed by her laws, and TO have put
down any nsurrection against her
laws within those limits The only
contes;ing party Texas had was Mexi.
co; and when Mexico ceased the contest,
Texas and the United States stood TO.
wards each other just as they would
have stood if no contest had ever aris :.
en-, unless in making the treaty which
terminated the contest, and where the
United States only had jurisdiction,
some restriction was imposed upon
Texas. If such restriction had been
inserted in the treaty, Of course Texas
would have been bound by il; for this
Government bad the power in that why
to take jurisdiction over it, bu, in no
other way. And as The treaty does not
contain any such restriction, and as
Mexico is no longer contcsting, main
tain that Texas and The United Salcs
stand toward cnch other upon this sub.
ject now just ns they would have stood
il the war had never been wagcd, and
Mexico had never disputed her claim.
The gentleman, trust, understands me
and feels fully answered.
Mr.. Stephens, Of Pennsylvania, ask
ch # 1t was no. competent for Mexico
TO assign her interest in the disputed
territory TO the United States under
the treaty, was no, the United Suites
the assignee Of That interest
Mr.. Stephens, Of Georgia, continued.
No, sir. In the articles Of union be.
tween TcXns and the United States, or
the resolutions of annexation, Texas
gave this Government, no power to be.
come the assignee Of Mexico. The on.
ly power conferred was to cStinguish
the outstanding claim. This Govern
ment assumed the character Of an un>
pirc. She had power 10 settle the dis.
pmtc as II disin,creslcd person, but not
to become party to the controversy.
She had no power 10 purchase the out.
Standing claim, AMI to BECOME the as.
signee ,l!eseofs And if she had so pur.
chased il, her rights would have been
invalid, md the purchase would have
ianEed ig2insa iat "a. aecoldina 10 yyeli.
q II: f4os AZ atssy.
csSt,if "a fsa$t, Dit. sis, lilo tsGa!S
shows hn, she did nol attempt 10 take
an assignment OF the interest Of Mexico
in The disputed territory, and TO pu,
herself in The shoes Of Mexico in this
matter. There are no such words. in
that treaty: no such clause, no such in.
tent is 10 be found from the beginning 10
the end Of that treaty, and no such con.
strnclion can be pu, upon it without com
mlt'ing asSrenI an outrage upon the En-,
gliS'l language us Some men seem dis
posed tocommit upon what lnow consid.
cr 10 be the inIispu,ablc constitutional
rights ni'rcxas. These rights hnve, in
my Judgment been thus indisputably es.
lablishcd by the action Of this Govern
mcnt. do no, intend now TO speak Of tho
policy which governed the public coun.
sells al ,hn! time. |, is known thai | op.
posed il 10 The utmost Of my ability Blu,
what was done then canno, be undone
now. We have heard great deal for
some years pas. Of The odium Of rrepu,ln
alton; md strange to say, the very men
who have been !ouhcsl in their dcnunci.
alton against particular States who fail
ed Tor n time 10 fulfil their public engage
mcu,s are now The loudesi in their clam.
ors for total disregard of,hc pledged
faith ofthc Union. These are tic men.
also, who are pleased to assume to them
selves the title Of conservatives. Sir, if
! know anything OF conservatism, it is
tina, principle which susrains the su.
prcmacy Of the law, which maintains
the rights Of all parties under the law,
and which never abandons the public
faith when once consiilulionaly given.
This is the nature Of my conservatism.
And could more shameless spectacle
be presented 10 civilized world than for
this Government, after having gone to
war with Mexico for conlendng that
The rights Of Texas did not extend 10
The Rio Grnndc, and after spending all
the blood and treasure which was vast
ed in that war, to turn round and com.
mence another equally bloody and
much more unnatural conflict nrains,