The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-08-20

on the RIVER. Hence, when he ordered Gen.
Taylor to march and take position on the Rio
Grande, his political opponents in Congress as.
sailed the measure as one of hostility to Mexi.
co, denying that this region rightully belonged
to Texas. President Polk and the majority in
Congress thought differently--and when a
scouting party of Gen. Taylor's army was at
tackled and some of them killed by the Mexican
forces, the President in Especial message an
nounces that "American blood has been shet
on American soil,' and Congress supportedth
declaration by voting that "war exists by the
act of Mexico" The Mexican war was thus
begun to vindicate the right OF Texas tosthe
beandary of the Rio Grande from it's mouths 10
its source. For it all rested upon the same
foundation. So far as possession was concern,
ed she; had no more possession of the scene of
Capt Thornton's unfortunate skirmish, than of
the city of Santa Fe, at the time of annexation.
The United States army, representing Texas rs
well as the other States, conquered and took
possession of the country lying along the whole
course of the Rio Grande.
When the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was
negotiated, establishing peace between Mexico
and the United States, map was attached to
the treaty to show precisely what Mexico yield
ed, and what Texas (the vindlcation of whose
boundary was the professed object of the wary
and the United States gained. On this map
the Rio Grande, from its mouth to its source, is
marked in colors as the boundary of Texas.
Here the object of the war, so far as Texas
was interested, was fully accomplished. Her
boundary was enforced by the General Govern
ment, and acknowledged by Mexico. On this
map, the territory lying West of the Rio Grande
is designated as New Mexico, thus showing
most clearly what the treaty meant when speak
ing of New Mexico, and what was understood
to be conveyed and received as belonging to the
United States.
1t might be supposed that this would have
precluded all dispute as to the boundaries Tex
as, both with Mexico and the United States.--
And so it did, according to the constructonof
those who entered into the war to vindicate and
settle the boundary of Texas, and of those who
made the treaty. PresidentP Polk, at the request
of Texas, withdrew the United States troops
from the lower Rio Grande, and, when request.
ed to do the same on the upper, he gave instruc.
tons to the officers in command at Santa Fe,
to aid Texas in extending her laws and juris.
diction over that district Shortly after Presi.
dent Taylor's Administration came in, the Sc
t-cretary of War. Mr.. Crawford, extended orders
| to the same effect
| 1t was not until fortnight before the present
Congress met, that orders of contrary purport
were issued to Col. Mccall. Here for the first
time the Government of the United States
avowed the policy which it has since pursued.
The scheme to wrest this region from Texas
and the South, and appropriate it to the North,
was now first disclosed 1t was not enough to
seize upon the whole of California and the Ter
ritories lying beyond the Rio Grande. The ap-
preparation of these, by means alike unjust and
unlawful, seems only to have sharpened the ap-
petite for plunder They cross the Rio Grande
and lay claim to an immense region belonging
to one of the States of the Union, and by means
of this ruthless spoliation they propose to belt
the South all round by Gordon of Abolition
States.
As part of the scheme of robbery, Colonel
in the army is ordered to instigate and aid the
inhabitants Of this part of Texas to organise
themselves into State. President Fillmore
approves all these monstrous doings, and threa-
tens Texas with the navy and army and militia
of the Union, should she dare to resist. 1t is a
contest between consolidation and freedom
between the North and the South, in which the
safety of the latter is staked against the domina-
ton of the former.
DELIVERY OF FuC1rIyE SLAvEs.-A bill to
compel the delivery of fugitive slaves should be
passed by Congress before adjourning. Slaves
are constantly absconding from Maryland and
and seeking refuge in Pennsylvania, where they
are concealed and protected by the abolitionists
though in several instances, recently, citizens
ofthat Statehave seizedth fugitives and brought
them back An instance of this kind is stated
in the local item column of our paper to-day;
and it will be seen that ar roilicer Of the United
States, the postmaster of Shrewsbury, Tor Stras-
burg,) publicly interfered and assisted to res
cue two of the slaves from their captors This
is not to be tolerated, and we call upon the
Postmaster General to remove the said post
master from his situation. Such interference
to deprive the people of Maryland of their pro-
perty, is producing feeling by no means cal
culated to promote good neighborhood; and we
would advise those who are known to harbor
and protect, or to rescue slaves when taken, not
to cross South of Mason & Dixon's line too
frequently, or they may be made to smart for