Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-08-17

of government under which i've should not be jus
fed therefore, taking this view of the question in withhold
ing from the Senate opportunity Of voting upon the question:
what are the rgl boundaries Of Texas II these resolu
lions shall be adopted in lieu Of the BILL a ground of com
pain on the part Of Texas will necessarily be taken away
and she cannot only fire gum but never raise
Of opposition because they yield TO her all that she claims
all the Territory within the alleged disputed boundary am
not going into the argument at all which espassed upon
the Senate time since, discussing the bill reported by
the Committee Of Thirteen, to show what consider the
boundary Of Texas desire bring before the country
part Of the documentary history OF this question: driven
this from the decided position taken by the President Of
United States In the message which he transmitted to US
few days ago on this subject which was utterly at war with
the facts and the history of the question Near the
close of tho message to which advert President Fillmore
says:
Congress will perceive that the Governor of Texas off
caly that, by authority Of the Legislature of thai
State he dispatched Special Commissioner with full
and instructions extend the civil Jurisdiction OF the
Estate the unorganzed counties Of Ell Paso Worth,
Pesido and Santa Fe situated It's northwestern limits
The four counties which Texas thus proposes establish
and organize, being within her juisdcon extend
the whole Of the territory Of the Rio Grande which
has heretofore been regarded essential and integral
part of the Department of New Mexico and actually govern
and by her people, until conquered and severed
sfrom the Republic of Mexico by the American arms"
The allegation is, that all the territory of the Rio
Grande comprised within the four counties which was the
duty Of the Texan commissioner to organize under Texan
laws has heretofore been regarded essential and
gra part Of the department Of New Mexico" Now what
the department Of New Mexico The department Of
New Mexico department Of the Mexican
If means any thing, means that the department Of New
Mexico department Of the Mexican Confederation
and the President tells US in solemn message, delivered
this grave OCCASION that all these four counties have hereto
fore been regarded essential and integral part Of the
department Of New Mexico" Sir historically that is un-
true The very the fact and 10 that which has
principally led trespass upon the attention Of the Se
nate. This question became interesting to the United States
only after Texas was annexed and not before After Texas
annexed to the United States Of the States of the
Union, became important the United States deter
mine what annexed, and find the very first public
document to which have had bringing this subject TO
the notice of the American Congress- refer message
of President Polk Of December 1886 which goes aborousy
through the real history Of Texas shows that as early
1909 tracing back historically, the boundary Of the Pro-
vince Of Texas the Rio Grande in its whole length In
that message President Polk states
First That Teras as ceded to the United States by
France IN has been always claimed as extending west
the Rio Grande, or Rio Bravo"
Second. That the Texas which ceded Spain by the
United States by the treaty of Sl9 embraced all the country
Stained BY the State of Texas between the Nuecss and
the Rio Grande."
Third That the republic Of Texas always claimed this
river as her western boundary"
recognised in the treaty with Santa Anna in
May, 1886" .@
law Of Texas entitled An define the boundaries
the republic Of Texas passed 18th December. 1852
Fourth, and last That this THE TEXAS which, by the
of Congress Of 29th December lS45 admitted
OF the States of our Union" #
Now, sir, that the history Of the original Province
afterwards Republic, and State of Texas Whether
correct not that the history Of that Territory de-
cared by the Executive of this nation in 1896 carried back
lsO3 and he rested upon the constitutional obligation Of
the Government which be presided protect Texas
her integrity within these limits Yet the present Pre-
sdent of the United States for the purposes Of the present
measure, declares that this whole country, from which these
four counties to be organized east of the Rio
Grande has heretofore been regarded can essential and
integral part Of the department Of New Mexico wish
expose this fact to the American people, and especially
to that part Of the American people who have deep political
interest in the result of this measure.
In the message of December, lS47 ALSO President Polk
after tracing again summary the claim Of Texas and the right
OF Texas the Rio Bravo Rio Grande her western boun
dary informs the Congress Of the United States that the Rio
gotiatons pending with Mexico during the war; Mr. Trs
the commissioner, instructed to make that 1Haun
in any treaty which he might form with Mexc, What
lAimatun Why this boundary, which. twelve months
before he had told the Government Of the United States
not only the boundary of Texas he had traced
vince, from isO3 but the boundary which the United
States bound TO make good the State of Texas And
in the message December, Sa7 President Polk says
"The territorial limits of the State of Texas too de-
fined by her laws before her admission the Union
brace all that portion of New Mexico lying of the Rio
Grande while Mexico still claims to hold this territory
other doinons The adjustment of this question boun-
Diary is important"
The with Mexico was then going On waged
because Of the disputed boundary of the Rio Grandehe
boundary asserted by Texas denied by Mexico end insisted
to a by the United States.
These messages of the President intended to forth
and enforce before Congress and the country the right
Texas to the boundary claimed. Whether that be the
true exposition not does not vary the present question
Yet Notwithstanding that being the view Of the boundary
taken by the Executive years before and pending the Mexican
war; the present President of the United States informs Con
gress that all this country has heretofore been regarded
essential and integral part Of the department Of New
Mexico"
Now, sir in tracing this matter little further, find
that Gen. Keany ordered with body Of troops to march
and take possession Of New Mexico both sides Of the
Rio Gande, and he did Now, in order to understand
the spirit in which that order given pending the war,
necessary look the instruction given to the command
ing officer in New Mexico after the peace. II will be found
in letter from Secretary Marcy to the commanding officer
the United States forces Fe dated October I2 lS4s
from which read the following extract sss
exas claims part Of that State all the territory lying
OF the Rio Gande and the Government here has not
tested that claim Whether il part Of Texas, since
the peace It is essentially part of the United States and
not only without but against law to collect duties on mer
chandse kind Of productions coming into New Mexico
from any part Of the United States In regard that
what the Mexcans called New Mexico lying OF the Rc
Grande the civil authority which Texas has established
establish there to be respected and manner what
inerred with by the military force in that department
otherzoise than to lend aid PROPER occasions in sustain
ingi @ Ash 'l'a
Ia sustaining what Sustaining the authority Of Texas In
establishing her jurisdiction the territory within her limits
The instruction there given to the commander Of the United
States forces after the peace was that he should only
interfere with the authority Of Texas but that he shoud,
hv ynfth o