The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-25

| Mr.. BRADBURY said that the Senator from Mis-
souri, should be the last man to urge the objections
Just expressed TO this amendment The PROPOSE.
! tons heretofore introduced by the Senator himself
were a sufficient answer 10 the objections.
! The Senator had introduced a bill proposing 10
settle this boundary by giving Texas fifteen mil
lions Of dollars, for her consent TO line to be run
| between her and New Mexico. Ii is said that the
| line proposed by the committee dismembers New
Mexico and that Texas is 20 be paid ten millions.
The Senator says his line, for which he proposed
! fifteen millions, does not dlsmember New Mexico.
For what the hiteen millions to be PAID, II II
! were not that Texas has u claim which was 10 be
| quoted!
! He alluded 10 n statement made heretofore by
the Senator from Missouri, that the line proposed
! by the committee took from New Mexico over
10 600 square miles and added II TO Texas and ar
gued to show that the difference between the ex-
tent of territory as proposed by the line OF the COM
mittee and that in the Senator's own BILL did not
exceed one half of 10000 square miles The Sena-
tor had, former occasion, alluded to an occur
renee which took place before King Solomon, be-
tween two claimants for child, and applied 1t TO
the proposal to cut New Mexico. The people OF
New Mexico lately met in convention to frame
State government, and 1t was to be supposed that II
they were qualified TO be admitted into the Union
a a sovereign State, they should know something
of their own boundaries. They, by taking part
of the undispued territory of Texas and of the I'M
disputed territory of California, had shown that
they did not hesitate to take what they desired.
Yet this convention had not brought their bounda-
living child in half! Had it cut New Mexico in
twain below the hips?
He said that he had heard the Senator's speech
against the propriety Of voting TO MI up the blank
in the bill, and that II was bidding for votes. He
opposed to it, aud had prepared this amend
ment to obviate and prevent any such occurrence
But the Senator had also introduced bill contain
ing money consideration TO Texas. lie alluded
10 the fifteen million bill.
The state of the question was this: boundary
difficulty existed, and it was desirable thatt should
be settled. The line proposed by the Senator from
Texas-the Rio Grande 10 its source-it was known
could not be adopted. The line proposed by the
Senator from Missouri, which gave New Mexico
! some two three hundred miles more than she
| claimed, il was also known could not be adopted.
| Was nothing to be done! The committee had pro-
| posed one plan; he had proposed another because
he thought il better, and for which there we're pre-
Ccdents. lie cited the case OF commissioners being
appointed on the part OF the United States, and on
the part of Georgia, 10 run line IN lSU2 Also a
like case pursued in relation TO the difficulty between
the States of Missouri and Iowa. He anticipated
no difficulty in getting suitable and proper men TO
act commissioners. In the case oil Georgia,
Madison, Gaatiu, and Lincoln acted the part
of the United States, aud they had accepted the
duty.
He said that he was in way responsible for the
union OF California with other measures, or Tor the
joining of any of them. He did not agree, how
ever, that any greater progress would have been
made had they been kept separately Nor was he
responsible in any way for the great consumption
OF time. lie had proposed no amendments but this
one, and had made bat few speeches.
Ii was not at all probable, If this amendment were
adopted, that the commissioners would run a line
to the mouth of the Rio Grande, nor Was 1t proba-
bic that Texas would assent to It, Neither did he
think that there WAS any prospect that any absurd
line jeopardizng the interests of the United States,
would be agreed upon by the commissioners, or re-
ceivc the sanction of Congress
Mr.. BENTON replied. lie examined the boun-
diaries of New Mexico as laid down in the consttu-
ton lately adopted there and showed that instead
of there being less claimed by New Mexico than
was proposed her by his bill, there conside-
rably more. He explained the bill he had intro.
duced, as one which was to pay Texas for what was
her own, and to pay the debt due by her, and for
which her revenue was pledged.
MIR. HALE modified his amendment slightly.
Mr.. BRADBURY replied to Mr.. BESToN as to
the boundaries of New Mexico.
Mr.. DAWSON followed in support Of the amend
ment citing the cases of Georgia and Missouri as
presidents.
Mr.. BENTON replied.
MIR. DAVIS of Mississippi and Mr.. BUTLER
followed in opposition to the amendment.
And then, on motion, the Senate adjourned.