The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-15
w. ID. MILLER, Secretary.
REMARKS OF GOV. DUyAI.

REMARKS OF GOV. DUNAb,
On the Report and Resolutions adopted By mating
ofhe citizens If Traris County, on the llh d
June 1850, in reference 10 the rights Of 7traS in
.Nttc .Nerico.
Gov. Duval being called upon after the read.
ing of the report and resolutions, 10 address the
meeting, said he had so recently become n citi.
zen of Texas, that he had not expected this call
to be made upon him. He certainly should not
have presumed to take an active part IN the pro-
ceedngs of this meeting, or venture, uncalled
for, his opin;o"s II seemed proper that the citi-
zens who had long resided in Texas, and who
had encountered so many hardships, and made
many patriotic sacrifices to establish their in
dependence, should shape the measures, and the
action, which the honor and sovereignty Of the
State demanded. He did not offer these re-
marks to the meeting because he wished to
avoid any expression of his opinion on the deep
ly interesting question of sovereignty set up, BY
the Cabinet at Washington, to n large portion of
Western Texas. Humble as his opinions may
be, it was not his habit to conceal them and, on
so vital subject as this now before the people,
he would be wanting in patriotism, and proper
regard for the constitution of the Union, thus
called upon to remain silent. There is no in
stance in the history of the Union, where the
President and his Cabinet have attempted TO
limit the boundary of any State of the Union
different from that declared by herself
The limits of the States formed out of the
territory belonging TO the Union, have usually
been fixed by Congress; and new State can
only become member of the Union on such
terms as the national Legislature may grant. A
new doctrine il seems, is now urged on Congress
for the admission of California as n State, she
fixing and defining her own limits. Congress
=. b.
they think proper. How does the State of Tex
rs stand Not on the soil of the United States,
but on the soil which she had won with her in
dependence, from Mexico by the patriotism, valor
and sacrifices of her gallant sons The United
States and Mexico had long before settled the
boundary between them, and Texas stood on
her own soil, Won by the blood Of her people.
He would not 90 into an argument to prove the
boundary of this State, This has been ably
performed by one Of our Representatives, Mr..
Howard, and by our Senator Mr.. Rusk lie
would rest it OH their unanswerable arguments.
Thus stood Texas, single handed, against the
Mexican empire for near seven years, when the
United States became FESTIVE under the accu-
INFLATED wrongs and injuries inflicted on her
citizens, and by the insults and contempt mani
tested towards her by Mexico The admins
trations from the time of President Jackson to
the close of the administration of President
Tyler, were anxious to receive Texas into the
Union. Annexation was long DELAYED by the
violent opposition of the North and on the
eve of the late war with Mexico, the annexation
was effected by the almost unanimous voice of
the late Republic. Confiding in the justice of
the Uuited States connected with them bv
every tie of kindred and affection, Texas threw
herself into the arms of the Union as sons of
the same race and family. They gave their
love and confidence to the Union, as long alb
sent and returning son would to his father, So
entire, so unlimited was the love Texas bore to
the Union, that she did not make those stipua-
tons which her interest Justly required her to
secure from the United States. The rights be-
longing to her citizens, her forts and arms, mu-
nitions of war, and her little Navy, were surren-
dered without reserve Her gallant officers,
both of her army and navy, had no provision
made for them Such was her zeal in favor of
annexation, that all was surrendered to the
United States under the conviction that great
nation would not only act with justice and Ii :
e-ality towards her, but would in due time make
her ample compensation for all these advantl-
ges. So far, not one dollar has she received
from the United States; and to crown this sor-
did neglect, the Administration, in violation of
her rights and sovereignty, and in violation of