The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-10
SENATE DEBATES.
THr TEXAS BOUNDARY.

The Senate then resumed the consideration,
"a in Committee of the Whole, OF the bill pro
posing to the State of Texas the establishment
of her northern and western boundaries, the re-
linauishment by the said State OF all the terrific
nv claimed by her exterior to said boundaries
and of all her claims upon the United States.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD, who was entitled to the
floor inquired whether he should be interrupted
at u O'clock, the hour fixed for the California
bill /! Ii was unpleasant to make speech In de-
tached portions during the morning hour, and il
he could do so he should be glad to proceed and
finish his speech Mt once.
The PRESIDENT replied that he could do
so without interruption.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD then proceeded and ad-
dressed the Senate for two hours and a half
A report Of his remarks will be published here
after
Mr.. EWING. Before the Senate passes to
the consideration Of another subject, desire to
offer an amendment to this bill, that it may be
laid on the table and printed. | propose, after
The words First. The State Of Texas will
agree that her boundary on the north shall COM
menee at the point at which the meridian of one
hundred degrees west from Greenwich" to strike
out the words 9 is intersected by the parallel of
IS degrees 80 minutes north latitude, and shall
run from said point due west to the meridian of
lO3 degrees west from Greenwich thence her
boundary shall run due south to the 32d degree
of north latitude thence, on the said parallel OF
32d degrees of north latitude, to the Rio Brave
del Norte," leaving undisturbed the following
words @Thence with the channel of said rive
to the Gulf of Mexico !" and for the word
stricken ont substitute Others SO that the para
graph will read as follows
First The State of Texas will agree tina
her boundary on the north shall commence ut thu
point at which the meridian of 100 degrees wes
from Greenwich crosses the Red river, being the
southwest angle on the line designated between
the United States and Mexico, and the same an
gle on the line of the territory set apart for the
Indians Of the United States thence southwest
wardIy to the most northerly point of the dam
across the Rio Bravo del Norte, which supplies
with water the irrigating canal which supplies
the town of Ell PasO with water; and thence,
with the channel Of said river, to the Gulf Of
Mexico"
That is one amendment. The next propose
il to strike out the second paragraph, as follows
Second. The State of Texas cedes to the
United States all her territory exterior to the
limits and boundaries which she agrees to es-
tablish by the first article Of this agreement
And insert the following in lieu thereof
Second. The country between the Tooth
and the l03d degree of longitude, south of the
Arkansas river and north Of the before desig-
mated line between the Red river and the dam
aforesaid, is hereby declared to be Indian terri
tory, to be parcelled out and divided as such, in
such time and manner rs Congress shall pro-
vide"
Then, in the fourth paragraph, desire to
strike out the words "cession Of territory" SO
that it shall read
Fourth. The United States, in considera-
ton of said establishment of boundaries and re-
linquishment of claims, will pay to Texas" &c.
The PRESIDENT. The question must be
taken on the amendments separately, and not
altogether.
Mr.. PEARCE. / ask the senator from Ohio
to withdraw his amendments for a moment, in
order that may propose the amendments neces-
sary to perfect the bill.
purpose.
M. PEARCE. move, in the 44th line, 9th
paragraph, to strike out the word fifth" and in
sert fourth" The reason for this is, that, by
some clerical error, the word fifth has beer
substituted for the word fourth" to which
paragraph reference is made.
The amendment was agreed to. ~
Mr.. PEARCE. now move to amend the
9Th paragraph of the bill by striking out the fol
lowing proviso:
Prorided also, That FIVE millions of said
stock shall not be issued until the creditors OF
the State holding bonds of Texas for which
duties on imports We're specially pledged, shall
first file at the Treasury of the United States
releases Of all claim against the United States
for or on account of said bonds"
And insert the following
Propided also, That no more than five
millions of said stock shall be issued until the
creditors of the State holding bonds and other
certificates of stock of Texas for which duties
on imports were specially pledged, shall first
of all claim against the United States for or on
account of said bonds or certificates, in such
form as shall be prescribed by the Secretary Of
the Treasury, and approved by the President Of
the United States"
The object of this amendment is double.
desire to correct verbal error in the first place.
and in the next desire to include specifically,
in addition to the bonds of Texas mentioned,
other certificates of stock for believe the GER
tifcates by which the customs We're pledged
were not all bonds. There were some certif-
Gates of stock of different character. have
thought it proper also to add the words, " in
such form az shall be prescribed by the Secretary
of the Treasury, and approved by the President
of the United States 1t seems to me that the
releases directed to be first filed in the Treasury
should be in form satisfactory to the Treasury
Department, and that it was necessary therefore
to give the Secretary the power proposed to be
conferred on him by the addition of this provi-
sion.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. l rise to state what
should have done before, that for the bonds
which were issued, except upon the small loan
to which l have referred, the lands of Texas were
generally pledged. AT one time there was law
OF Texas authorizing the receipt of all these
bonds, and the certificates which We're payable
in land, at 80 cents the acre; and Mt another
time these certificates were receivable, accord
ing to the laws of Texas, in payment of land at
the rate of 81 per acre. But Texas subse-
quently passed law prohibiting their receipt,
even in payment Of settlers rights, at 81 the
acre, and would not allow them to be redeemed
in that way. So that all these claims which
were charged on the public lands of Texas, and
which under the laws as they at one time stood
were received as l have indicated, have since
according to my examination Of the Legislation
- LII,