Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-02-04
ment of our countrymen intha vicinity es
Salt Lake

Salt Lake. -
A claim has Been advanced BY tie Saassr
of Texas to very large portion Of the most
populous district of the Territory common
y designated by the name of New Mexico.
1.-THE people of New Mexico had formed q
plan of a State government for that Terri
tory as oeded by the treaty OF Guadalupe
Hidalgo, and had been admitted, by Con-.
gress as a State, our Constitution WOULD
have afforded the means ofebtaining an adj
Justment of the question of-boundary with
Texas by judicial decision. At present..
however, no judicial tribunal has the power
of deciding thaeiuestien, and itlrcmalns fors
Congress to- devise some mode for its ad-
justment Meanwhile submit 10 Con-,
gress the question whether it should be ex-
pedient before such adjustment to establish
territorial government which, by including
the districtso claimed would practically de-
eide the question adversely to the State os
Texas, or, by excluding it would dscide il
in her favor. In my opinion such "a course
would not be expedient.. especially as the
people of this Territory ssllienjoy the BEN
eft and protection of their municipal laws.
originally derived from Mexico, and have q
military force stationed there to protees
them against the Indians 1t is undoubted.
ly true that the property, lives, liberties,
and religion of the people of New Mexico.
are better protected than they ever were
before the tseatY of cession.
Should Congress, when California sllals
present herself for Incorporation into the,
Union, annex condition to her admission
as Il State affecting her domestic institutions
contrary to The wishes of her people, and ey-
en- compel her temporarily to complg with
it, yet the State could change her eonstitu-
ton at any time after admission, when To-
her it should seem expediant .Any at-.
tempt to deny to thspesple of the State the.
right Of self government in matter mhicfs
peculiarly affects themselves will infallibly be-
regarded by them as an invasion of their
rights; and, upon the PRINCIPLES laid down
in our own Declaration of Independence.
they will certainly be sustained by the
great mass of the American people. To.
assert that they are a conquered people,
and must as State submit to the will of
their censaepers, ia this regard, will. meet
with no cordial response among American
freemen. Great numbers Of them are ma
tive citizens ofthe United States, net inferi-
or to the rest of oar countrynen in inteli-'
genee and patriotism, and no language Of
meananee to restrain them in the s.Srreiizs
Of an undoubted' right substantially guar
antaed To- them by the treaty Of cession it.
self, shall ever be uttered by me, or encour-
aged and sustained by persons acting, uD>
der my authority. If it is to expected that
in the residue of the territory ceded to us
by Mexico, the people residing there will
at the time of their Incorporation into the
Union as a State, settle all questions of do
mestic policy to suit themselves. - "
No material inconvenience will result
rem the want for short period, of a gov
eminent established by Congress. over that
part of the territory which lies eastward Of
the new State Of California; and tAe reasons
for my opinion that New Mexico Will at no
very distant period, ask for adm ission into
the Union, are founded on unofficial infcrm-
alton, which Isappose in common to all who
have cared to make inquiries on that SUBJ
ieet
Seeing, then, that the question which
now cxcites such painful sensations in the
country will, in the end, certainly be settled
by the silent effect of causes, INDEPENDENT
of the action Of Congress, . again submit to
your wisdom the policy recommended in
my annual message of awaiting the saMts-
rY operations of those causes, believing that
we shall thus avoid the creation of geo.
graphicaaparsies, and secure the harmsny
Of feeling SO necessary to the beneficial ac-
ton ofour political system. Connected as
the Union is with the remembrance ofpast
happiness, the sense Of presence blessings,
and the hope of future peace and prosperity.
every dictate of wisdom, every feeling Of
duty, and every emotion of patriotism, tend
to inspire fidelity and devotion to it, and
admonish us cautiously TO avoid any unnec
essary controversy, which can either endan-
ger it, or impair its strength the chief eie-
ment of which is to be found in the regard
and affection of the people for each other.
z TAYLOR