The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-02-02

on the Rio Grsnds; to which the government Of Texas
respondeds that her courts were open to the
Of suits to settle the rights OF the claimant who had mus
applied
TEXAS By its assertion that Mexico had acknowledged
the Independence OF Texas previous to annexation Mr.
Polk in his annual message OF December, ls4o asserts
.whs the question q snnsaa.oa was pending ih ssss
iadspspdsnes Fsas condition that .hs would ao
knowledge the Independence Of Texas whether with Or
s % saa ~
self and she had right authority prescribe restIlc-
tons as g the form which Texas might asr
II il be true that this is to be held as an acknowedg
ment Of the Independence Of Texas by Mexico nasmuch
edgmen Of the nationality Of Texas with the boundaries
as by herself defined. Nothing else Texas, in the
sense OF the revolution of 1896. fsHQ
by Mexico Of validity is certainly correct Il s
not in the power of nation to regulate the internal
Of another and say what shall or shall not
International law than this The condition was void be-
cause illegal, and contrary to the law OF nations. II
would be Inconsistent with the sovereignty OF nation to
men which her people might Afterwards choose to adopt
No such stipulation would be binding because II is not
in the power Of the people Of this day to impose upon
country forms and principles OF government which are to
be unalterable throughout all time. Vattel Says
ST 10 . manifest consequence Of the liberty and indie
endence OF nations that al have gnt e pe govefnSa as
TO interfere In tho government OF another State
The United States took possession Of the whole coun
ali occasions Pending The neg citation for annsxation
on the 10Th June. 1885, previous to the meeting OF the
Texas convention, which acceded to the proposition OF
President. instructed General Taylor in anticipation Of
an invasion OF Texas by Mexico, defend the territory
Of Texas as far the Rio Grande. He says
frontiers Of Texas where you will select and occupy, or
near the Rio Grande such site as VIII consist with the
sion and protect what in the event Of annexaton Will be
our western border"
On the 3Oth of July, after the resolutions Of annexa
ton had been accepted by the Texas convention, Gen
Taylor again instructed by the Secretary OF War:
M is expected that in selecting the establishment ior
a
In the whole action Of the Executive no distinction
was made between the upper and lower Rio Grande II
all ADMITTED 70 b he Ter RS asss q
quence of the advice OF Gen. Taylor in his letter OF the
4th OF October, 1645, that
'Ifour governmen in settling the question Of boundary
doubt but the settlement, will be greatly facilitated and has
BY our taking 2; once o. one or TWO o'a
twas thus to assert the line of the Rio Grande from
lis mouth to its source that our troops took position on
its banks opposite Matamoros ~
By the annual message of s4e by the response OF the
President to the executive OF Texas calling for an exPa
nation Of the possession of the United States troops IN
Santa Fe as well as by the special message on mat SUB
ls4s the right Of Texas to New Mexico is clearly ad
mtted and asserted In the latter message called out by
this very subject Of boundary. the President says:
on the sh d Janssy isi1 Secretary e STATE p az
sss that in the Presdenfs annual message December
1885, You have already perceiyea that New Mexico is At
United Staes and the government over is military in It's
character Ii is merely such government as must exls,
under the laws nations and owar TO preserve order and
protect the rights of the Inhabitants and will cease on the
esp o. O. hsn that III.
government resulting from ss, can neve,
serted by resas 70 the whole territory this side d he Rio
Gande, whenever the Mexican claim 70 shall have been
extinguished by treaty" ~ : .-fasr IS
Thus was New Mexico taken possession OF by our
army in the name of Texas The night was not only ad
mted in the annual message Of 1885, but on the demand
Of the executive Of Texas, i was admitted by the Presi.
opinion as to the powers OF the Executive questions of
boundary there be doubt that. commander-in-
chief of the army, s his constitutional perogahve. IN
on OF the government in taking possession OF country
in the time Of war, and that the intention 90 declared
must be admitted to be binding upon all other depart
ments well the country This possession, thus
soenly admitted to be in subordnation 10 the title OF
Texas, cannot be changed into an adverse claim,
without violation Of every principle OF law and national
faith But as have already shown, the assertion OF
the rights OF Texas does not rest upon the acts OF the Ex
ecuiive alone Il has the solemn sanction OF the Cen
gress OF the United Stscs who declared that war ex
isted between the countries by the act oil Mexico,
the meaning of which was that the government in ta
king poesion OF the Rio Grande in the name OF Texas,
was within the territory of that State, and that Mexico
had invaded the United States by crossing that river IN
hostile array. W efi ~ o.
No portion of the Rio Grande now be iaken from
Texas without changing the character of the late war
with Mexico into one of invasion and conquest To
sert that this territory acquired by the treaty. would
be 10 degrade the couny at home and Disgrace abroad,
by falsfyius every ground OF Justification Of the war
with Mexico II would be admitting, in terms, that
General Taylor invaded Mexico when he took possess
sion Of the Rio Gvande. ,. .ft
l. maintain that the right Of Texas 10 the boundary
OF the Rio ande, from ts mouth 10 is source, and to
the forty second degree of north latitude good e
gal title previous TO her admission into the Union. Her
night rests merely upon the force Of revolution, and
the extent TO which she actually reduced the country 70
possession, but upon treaty spulaons and the acknow
edgments OF Mexico. New Mexico, well az the lower
Rio Grande was admitted to be within the nmits OF
Texas by the treaty between her and the republic OF Mex
leo, entered into ---. 1896. assert the authority
present treaty OF Hdslgo II 10 supported BY as many e-
fecty dcmonstrabe not only that Santa Anna had full
power TO make the treaty. but that it was not aecied by
the fact that he prisoner OF war at the tme h
In 1896, Santa Anna was absolute in Mexico. By the
plan of Zavalea, called, promulged 22d December.
is32 the federal government Of Mexico was entirely
overthrown, and military despotsm erected its ruins
by the military chieins Of the time. This plan received
the sanction of the Mexican Congress the 27th Of
nd IN follouvinr dav Santa Anna WAS