The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-24

lnye denied our title; but the Government never
las taken that position. This compromise bill, if
raised, would assert for the first time, by this
Government, claim to the country on the east
hank of the Rio Grande. II is drawn with the
skill of a master in this respect. The 25th Sec
ton provides
ssPreyious 10 the first election, tho governor
shall cause census enumeration Of the inhab-
iants of the several counties and districts of the
Territory to be taken; and the first election shall
he held at such time and places, and be conducted
in such manner, as the governor shall appoint and
direct and he shall, at the same time, declare the
number Of members of the council and house OF
representatives TO which each Of the counties or
districts shall be entitled under this act. The
humber Of persons authorized tn be elected having
the highest number of votes in each Of said coun-
,l districts, for members of the council, shall be
declared by the governor to be duly elected to the
council; and the person persons authorized to
lie elected having the greatest number Of votes for
the house of representatives, equal to the number
- which each county or district shall be entitled
shall be declared by the governor to be duly
elected members Of the house Of representatives
Provided, That in cass of a tie between two OF
more persons voted for, the governor shall order
new election to supply the vacancy made by such
lie. And the persons thus elected to the lcgisla-
tive assembly shall meet at such place, and on
after, the time, place, and manner Of holding and
conducting all elections by the people, and the
npportioning the representation in the several
counties districts to the council and house of
representatives, according to the population, shall
lie prescribed by law, as well as the day OF the
commencement OF the regular sessions Of the
legislative assembly"
In the irst place, the provisionis strong implied
recognition of all the counties aud districts as now
regulated by the present military, and by the for
mer departmental government Of New Mexico,
which establish boundary entirely exclusive Of
IL. Ia
take census, to say how many and which Of
these counties and districts in the Territory,
IND name the seat Of government in the first in
stance. II confers on this officer ample power to
fix the boundary for all practical purposes in the
first instance. After the first session of the egiS-
lative council, that body is given the power to
establish the seat of government, and the counties
and districts, and, matter OF course, the right
u declare the exterior boundary ofthe Territory
The faculty to do this, both in the governor and
legislative council, is clearly granted in the
power of nppOrtiOnment and regulation of the
counties and districts. The result Of all this
is the establishment Of boundary for New Mex
leo, and determination of the right against
Texas, so far as it can be done by the legislation
of Congress. With the Supreme Court Of the
United States, this law would be conclusive of the
whole controversy. That court decided, in the
cases of Foster, and Elan, Garcia and Lea, and
the United States and Reynes-the last case nj
The present term--that it was controlled on ques-
tons of boundary by the action Of the political
departments of the Government, and would not
look beyond that action into the facts and Justice
Of the case. Under the compromise this firmly
established rule would compel the court to decide
the question of-title against Texas, if it ever was
brought before that tribunal. With the court,
this bill would be conclusive Of the whole contro-
versy.
will never give any vote here, which will have
the effect to deny or prejudice the title to Texas,
place it in any worse condition than it is at
present. AS a part of the Southern question,
there ought to be unconditional admission Of
the boundary Of Texas, she asserted it when
she came into the Union. The fact need not be
disguised, that If California is admitted with her
present boundary, the South will be excluded
from the whole country west Of the Rio Grandc,
either under the non action policy of the Presi-
dent or the non-intervention platform with the
Mexican law; unless that law be repealed, or
division Of the territory effected. On this ban
of non-action, non-interyention, or the comI$1l
mise Of Mr.. Clay, there is nothing practical in
this question, to the Southern States, beyond the
boundary of Texas. With all these measures,
the practical result to the South il the same excu
sion. Why, then, surrender the slave territory
Of Texas, and place it within the power Of free
soil?
If the object of the Compromise Committee of
the Senate had been merely to settle the co.tro-
versy, so as to accommodate the people of New
not necessary to establish the boundary much
below $50 3O. Santa Fe is in $50 a. G., accord
ing to the observations Of Colonel Emory. At
$50 30 there is natural boundary presented by
the CONFORMATION Of the country below that line,
the valuable gold, silver, and copper mines to
lie found on this side the river. Below that line
is the country most valuable for slave labor, with
exception, perhaps, of the mining district above.
Up to about that line learn from an intelligent
traveller direct from Ell Paso and Santa Fe, who
iourneyed with Major Neighbors, the Texas COM
missioner, the people submitted at once to the
jurisdiction of Texas. He met with little or no
opposition until he arrived at Santa Fe, where
there are some four or five hundred Americans,
who want offices under territorial or State Gov
eminent. .a
Let the title of Texas be acknowledged by Con-
gress-placed beyond contestant l am willing
{, submit any fair proposition to the people Of
Texas. | am willing to trust them to pass upon
il, whether it meets my own views or not but
shall oppose any scheme which, in terms or by
implications denies her title the country in ques
ton Congress shall not, even by inference,
assert claim to it by aid of any vote Of mine,
ecause that would change the present status of
the legal question
The Compromise bill is, in legal effect, pres
ent appropriation Of the territory, il Texas with
holds assent, and a present sale as soon as she
sssents. Now, sir, although l might be willing
10 submit proposition, the title Of Texas being
first admitted, am not Wiling 10 20 DeyOnO this.
The Legislature Of Texas has placed all this dis
puted country in my district, and do not under
stand that my mission here is to be fulfilled, on
my part, by a sale of half my district! The Legis-
nature of the State has been in session since the
proposition Of Colonel Benton was first made, and
took no action upon it. have seen no develop
ment of public sentiment in Texas which looks
like an appreciation of any of these measures in
their present shape To this proposition for a
purchase there are two objections which will
here notice In denying practically the title of
Texas, the compensation is offered to her only in
the shape Of hush money, and for the sake of peace
IL goes on the hypothesis Of buying off an I'M
founded pretension of title, and places Texas in
this odious and Illuminating attitude before the
world. II the proposition was, in other respects,
free from objections, the State, in my opinion,
would Indignantly reject the offer, clothed in this
insolent form. As Southern measure, it presents
the further serious difficulty that it so establishes
the boundary as to preclude the idea of cession,
and, of course, substitutes the uncertainty Of the
Mexican for the certainty Of the Texas law the
subject of slavery 1t the ultimate division
Of New Mexico into two States, which will be