The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1850-08-14
aIEssAC.E OF. THE
PRESIDENT OF THE g.. STATES,
On Tho Tsxas Boundary QaesuOn.

! herewith transmit 10 the tao Houses OF
Congress q letter from bis excellency the
Governor Of Texns, dated on the I4Ih of
June lasi, addressed to the late President Of
the UniSed States, which, not having teen
answered by him, came 10 my hands on his
death; aud | also transmit copy Of The an
'sRsr which have felt il TO be my duty 10
cause to be made to that communication,
Congress will perceive that the Governor
Of. Texas officially states, that by sulhoriiy
Of the Legislature of lhal State he despatch,
ed special commissioner, with full power
and instructions to extend The civil jnIIsdic-
aVn Of tho State over The unorganiz=d coun>
ties Of II Paso, Worth, Preside, and Santa
Fe, situated ON ils northwestern Iimi,s.
lie proceeds TO say that the commissioner
had reported to him, in an official form, that
the military officers employed in The service
OF the United States, stationed a Santa Fe,
interposed adversely, with the inhabitants,
10 lhe fultillment of his Obj ,ct, in favor Of the
establishment Of separate Stale government,
east Of the Rio Grande, and within the right
sEui limits Of the State Of rex,s. These louI
c0an,es which 'rex1s proposes to establish
and organize, as being within her own jurIs'
dicton, extend over the whole OF the terrific
ry easI Of The Rio Graude, which has hereto.
fore been regarded as on essential and inle-
gFal par. OF the department Of New Mexico
and actually governed and possessed by her
people, until conquered and severed from the
republic Of Mexico by the American arms.
These proceedings of Texas may well ar
"a iha -, ,kn- ,,f o.,
eminent OF the United States, aud rejoice
that they occur while the Congress is yet in
session. tits, fear, far from being nposs
sible that, in consequence of these proceed
ings of Texas, crisis may be brought on
which shall summon the two Houses ol
Congress -Annd still more enphatically the
Executive Governmenl--to an immediate
readiness for the performance Of their re-
spectiVe duties.
BY the Constitution Of the United States,
tbe President is constituted commander in
chief of the army and navy, and oil The militia
of the several States, when called into the
actual service of the United States. The
Constitution declares, also, that lie shall take
care that The laws be faithfully executed
and that be shall, from lime to time, give 10
the Congress informaliu of the slate Of the
Union.
Congress has power by the Constitution
TO proyidefor calling forth the militia TO ex-
scute the laws OF the Union; and suitl bic
and appropriate acts of Congress have been
passed, as well for providing iol calling forth
The militia, as for placing other suitable and
efficient lIsaasin the hands Of the President,
10 enable him 10 discharge the constitutions
functions of his office.
The second section Of tie act Of the
rwenty-eighIh of February, seventeen hun.
dred aud ninety five, declares, that whenever
the laws of the United States shal! be op2o,
sed, or their execution obstructed, in any
State, by combinations loo powerful! to oe
suppressed by the ordinary course Of judicial
proceedings, or the power vested in The mar
>hals, the President may call forth the milh
IA, sliar as may be necessary TO suppress
such combinations, and to cause the laws to
he duly executed.
By the act of March 8, 1907, it is provided
4hat in ali gases of obstruction tn the laws,
either of the United States or any individual
State or Territory, where it is lawful for the
President 10 call forth The militia for the pu!,
pose Of causing the laws 10 be duly executed,
II shall be lawful for him to employ, for the
same purposes, such part of the land or naval
nrce oftne United States as shall be judged
,hecessaIy.
These several cnacimeDts are now in fall
free 80 that if the laws of the United States
are opposed OF obsi,ucted, in any State or
Territory, by combinations too powerful to
g suppressed by the Judicial or civil author
ties, il becomes case in which it is the duty
s,l The President, either 10 call out The militia
"r 10 employ The military or naval force Of
The United States, or do 10th, if in his judg.
Hent The exigency Of the occasion shall so
require, -fer the purpose Of suppreSsing such
combination.
The constitutional duty Of the President is
piale and peremgtoryj and the authority
vested IN him by law, for its performance,
clear aud ample.
Texas is State authorized 20 maintain
her own laws, SO Gar as they nre not Tepngo
D mt 10 The Constitution, laws and treaties Of
me United States, to suppress instructions
agalnst her authority, and 10 punish those who
RAY commit treason against The State, accor.
i ng 70 the forms provided by her own con-
,ttniion and her own laws.
But all this power is local, and confined
ruIirely .withiH the limits ot Texas herself
She can possibly confer no authority which
can be lawfully exercised beyond her own
) ,undaries.
Az this is plain, and haIdly needs argus
IN ~ Of elucidsiion. Ii Texan militia,
therefore, march into any one of the other
States, or into any territory of the United
S'stes, there 10 execute or enforce any law
u Texas, they become al that moment
respassers; they are no lohgcr under the
objection Of any lawful authority, and arc to-
~ regarded merely as iptrudeTs; aud If
within such State or Territory they obstruci
,ay law or the United States, either by po%
. Of aims or mere power Of numbers, con
.siiyling such combiBation as is too power.
III 10 bs suppressed by the civil authority,
ns President of the United States mas no
,plon left to him, bui IS bound to obey the
lJleinn injunction Of the Constitution, and
'xereise The high powers vested in him by
hat instrument, and BY the acts Of Congress.
OFF, amy civil posse, armed or unarmes,
inter into any Territory af the u States,
inder the protection of tho laws thereof,
With intent to seize individuals 10 be carried
Elsewhere Or lrial FOR alleged Offences, and
his posse 10 loo powerful 10 DO resisted by
hc local and civil authorities, such seizure,
,r attempt 70 seize, is 10 be prevented or ses