The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-28

The United Sfat4s.--England and Frame ave
seeking relations with you, which would be far
your interests to form relations with us bv enter
ing into the Union: Will you do SO,
Tsras.-I IF my Western limits are omar
anteed las bordering on the Rio Grande from 1he
mouth to its source; and no obstacles to its main
tenance are interposed.
session in Eastern New Mexico-and you never
carried your conquests that far,--nor have had
possession of it, Upon what ground do you claim
title thitherl
Teras.--Through the total overthrow of the
Mexican Army at San Jacinto, and the Treaty
with Santa Anna, the President Of Mexico.
The United States.-But he was prisoner of
War,--and could not bind his country.
Ieres.-Ihat objection would be valid, but for
two attendant and conclusive circumstances
which from the earliest ages, have impaired vail
dIty and force TO Treaties and Compacts, which
wi hout them, could have acquired nether:-The
one was, that the Mexican General on whom the
command devolved, signed that Treaty and was
nota prisoner of War,-and acting entirely within
his province and powers hound his Government
to its terms, by the Law Of Nations:-The other
was, shat Mexico herself had fully ratified that
Treaty, by accepting all OF the sipuations made
in her favor, and this carried with it the ratifca-
tons of all the other stpuations. OF those made
in her favor, but two need be mentioned: The one,
the saving Of her Presidents life, which had beer
criminae massacre he had ordered at Bexar:-The
other,--the saving of her vanquished and routed
army, with all the implements and munitions of
War, from destruction or capture. This made
the Treaty binding in all its parts and our title to
the Rio Grande, (Which it explicitly recognized)
absolute and ndefeasible: No adverse posses
sion by ratfying party to the Convention, can
take away impair our Treaty -RIghts:--and It is
our purpose to enforce them and wrest the terri
tory from Mexico at our earliest convenience,
and ~
The United States.--Say not word more The
facts and the laws you have referred to, are
elusive of your title and render it incontestible:-
We admit the justice of it fuly;-but if you enter
into the Union. you must conhde the obtaining of
it to us,-for under our Constitution single State
cannot make war. evil not exactly guarantee
its restoration to you,--but if you will comply
with prejudice of portion of our people, and
accede to the long standing compact of partition
between the two great sections Of the country and
prohibit slavery North of the line OF 36o 3d., we
will do the utmost in power to obtain the Ter
ritory: Nor have we any doubt at all, that soon
er or later, we shall have entire success
Ieras.--The compact eff partition you spesk of,
exclusively applied TO territory held in common by
the States, and is without application to territory
which is wholly our own However, in full trust
and confidence, that you will strive to the utter
most and must fully succeed in securing our
boundary from the mouth to the source of the
Rio Grande---we will submit to the sacrihce-ac-
cede to the compact, and enter into the Union.
Such the boundary-compact between the
United States and Texas, and such the interpre-
taton it universally bore Look at the instruc-
tons to our Ministers to Mexico, (Messrs. Sill
dell and Trist,) and you will find unequivocal
acknowledg ements Of the title of Texas to the
territory, coupled with the express admission Of
the obligation, and an explicit avowal of the pur-
pose, to obtain it for her. Well: War ensued,
and the boundary controversy was the occasion
of it. The Mexican Army crossed the Rio
Grande, and hostes opened In announcing
the fact TO Congress, the President declared, that
!" American blood had been shed upon american
soHH' In passing act to prosecute hostilities,
Congress- echoed back in preamble the language
of the President that " American blood had been
spilled upon american sol!'' and yet the treaty
with Santa Anna had not distinguished that por-
ton OF the Rio Grande from any other--and the
Texans were as void Of possession where HOSTILE
ties commenced, they were IN any portion OF
Eastern New Mexico!
AT last came peace and with it Treaty, which
extnguished forever, the only claim in existence,
which had clashed and conAicted with that of
Texas. Well;---that ended the matter, did It II /,
and Texas took her own? Not at all The Free
States, (not content with receiving from Texas
her generous concessions and in exclusiveness and
perpeuty,--th large Of her territory north
of $50 30, Ito which they, nor any other State
had the slightest shadow of claim) overlapping
the barrier of 36o 30 ,--penetrate the Texan soil
latitude, land insist upon having to themselves
the whole Of the territory of Eastern New Mexi-
CON- breach Of the public faith and in palpabe
violation of the compact of Annexation Only
look at this nIonstrous and shameless pretension
Texas explicitly claims this territory her own;
but on the express condition that this Govern
ment will maintain her rights to it, and procure it
for her when practicable, she valves her own as
serton Of it, at the instance Of this Government;
appoints the United States her agent to procure it
for her: the former expressly admitting the claim,
accepts of the trust;-and thereupon Texas accedes
to the compact Of annexation and enters into the
Union! Faithful to the trust, this Government
makes claim of Mexico for the territory; as
serts the rights Of Texas thereto: negotiates for
them: insists upon them fights for them: and,
Mexico yielding, acquires them For whom ?
For ITSELF Is there one man who wears
conscience in his breast who will say, that such
pretension is either legal, just honest'-
What demanding before the world, OF For
egn Government, the territory as belonging
to Texas under the treaty with Santa Anna,
and pressing the claim through all the forms of
negotiation, and all the extremties Of war; and
when obtained, Acknowledge before Chiisten-
dom, that it had deliberately lied;--that Texas
was void Of all just ntle and that her preten
SONS were used but as a fraudulent pretext for
wagng an unjust war! Such is the attitude in
which such pretension presents our country be-
fore the world And what would be her attitude
before Texas3 Behold her!---A shameless repu-
dator of her public faith and treacherous violater
of her solemn compact Why the transaction is
unexampled in al The world How would it tell
in private life An agent, for an ample considera-
ton which is paid in advance, -binds himself at
his own cost and trouble, obtain for his princi-
pal piece Of property, the title to which he ac-
knowedges and declares, to be in his princIpal;--
and when he obtains 1.-THE holds on to the con-
sderation he received for its recovery,--and APP
propriates the property in exclusvenes to him
self! Is there a society OF private gentlemen in