The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-08


| led upon by the North Having concluded his
address, the question was taken on the adoption
| of the resolutions, read at the opening of the
meeting; whereupon, they were unanimously
adopted.
On motion of Col VIM. b. Cone,
/ RESOLVED That the proceedings of this meeting
be published in the s'Dalton Times" and the
Jerome Southerner."
On motion, the meeting then adjourned
JOHN HAMILTON, Wing, Presidents
y Wl X W M GsAs'' Secretaries.
Mr.. Ho,oard's Speech on the Message Of The
/ President in The House Of Representatives., on
Tuesday,
| Mr.. Howard said On the present occasion
| | desire to make only very few observations
on the message of the President of the United
States 1t is as unfortunate as it is extraordi-
| nary. 1t can have no other tendency Mt this
critical uncture of public affairs than to prevent
an adjustment Of this boundary controversy, by
defeating the passage of the bill introduced into
the other wing of the Capitol on yesterday by
the senator from Maryland, which might, in all
probability, have been so amended as to have Sc
cured the rights of Texas and the honor of the
! South.
In what attitude has the President placed the
issue, in the communication which he has made
to Congress as to Texas? So far as the right
of possession, if not the title ITSELF is concerned
all the country on the east bank of the Rio
Grande is assumed by the message to be in the
United States This possession, in exclusion of
the jurisdiction of Texas, the President declares
he will maintain by the military arm of this gov
| eminent. .s
1t is true that while he assumes that the
country, to the extent Of the ancient limits of
New Mexico, belongs to the United States I'M
der the treaty with Mexico, he recommends to
Congress to make to Texas liberal compensa-
ton in money for her claim. He draws the
sword upon Texas and then calls upon her to
cede her territory. .a.sarH3 ..E
AS one of the representatives of Texas, |
never will vote, without positive instructions, to
cede any portion of her territory, while the
sword is thus pointed at her throat. BY no vote
of mine, sir, is the State to be coerced and over
awed into transfer of her territory and civil
| jurisdiction. .
Sir, this message is an artful and studied mis-
representation Of the most material part of the
history Of this subject The President assumes
that he is doing no more than to maintain the
condition of things as it existed after the concu-
sion of peace with Mexico. He remembers to
forget that one of his predecessors, in February,
/ l847, in reply to the governor OF Texas, gave
assurances to that State that the temporary
military government established there for the
purpose of the war would cease on the conclu-
sion of peace with Mexico The Secretary of
State, by order of President Polk, gave to Texas
the following pledge as to this military govern
ment: f w.. ..a
(" 1t is merely such a government as must
exist, under the laws of nations and of war, to
preserve order and protect the rights of the in
habitants, and will cease on the conclusion of a
treaty of peace with Mexico"
The President, in his message, chooses to
overlook the fact that, after the treaty of Hidalgo,
on the 18th of October, l84S, the Secretary of
/ War, Mr.. Marcy, gave directions to the military
| governor at Santa Fe, that all the country on
the east bank of the Rio Grande, formerly per-
tanning to New Mexico, was within the rightful
limits of Texas, and that the jurisdiction of it
was to be turned over to that State, and that
her civil authorities were not to be interfered
with by the military, otherwise than to be sls-
tanned on all proper occasions 1t was to this
effect: -r sHs.a .e#' .r
"In regard to that part of what the Mexicans
called New Mexico, lying east of the Rio
Grande, the civil authority which Texas has
established or may establish there is to be
respected, and in no manner whatever nterfered
with by the military force in that department,
otherwise than to lend aid on proper occasions
| in sustaining it," w 4@ ta& m.al +
This order was expressly recited and adopted
| by Mr.. Secretary Crawford in his instructions
to the same officer of the date of the 26th of
March, lS49, with the single modification that it
was not anticipated that Texas would extend
her jurisdiction to that remote region; but, if
| she attempted to do so, he would so arrange
his command as not to oppose or come in con-
Bict with the authorities and jurisdiction of
Texas. That portion of it was in the following
language:
| have to remark that it is not expected Texas
will undertake to extend her civil government
over the remote region designated; but should
she do so, you will confine your action, under
the clause above cited, to arranging your com
mand in such manner as not to come in conflict
with the authorities so constituted.
Thus both the administrations of Mr. Polk and
! General Taylor admitted the right of possession
| to be in the State of Texas, and ordered it to
be delivered over to her authorities 1t was an
invitation to her to take possession of the coun-
try. President Fillmore now changes these or
ders, after the right of possession has thus
vested in the State of Texas, and been acknowl-
edged by this government. Ii is gross usur-
patton, and fraud upon the rights OF that
State.
The Instructions Of Mr.. Crawford to Col.
Mccall, of the 10th Of November, l849, direct
ing the military authorities in New Mexico to
assist the people of New Mexico in the forma-
ton of State Constitution, are not in terms
change of the order of the 26th of March. No
boundary is mentioned. Nothing is said which
could warrant Col Munroe in authorizing the
people on the east bank Of the Rio Grande to
participate in that State government. am
aware that General Taylor intimated to Con-
gress that he intended to maintain the possession
for the United States on the east bank of the
Rio Grande until the question of boundary was
settled, but he never issued any order to that
effect.
President Fillmore, therefore, has changed the
whole position of this question: and threatens to
uphold that change by the force of arms
1t now remains to be seen whether sovereign
State of this Union can be invaded by the Fed
eral Government, and subdued within its own
limits by military power and violence. The So
luton of this question will form an era in the