The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-21
CONGRESSIONAL,
REMARKS or mR. WINTHROP,

OF MASSACHUSETTS,
On the boundary of NeU Mereo, Sc deiiuered Ia the
Senate of the United STATES. Wednesday. august ia,
1850.
Mr. WINTHROP said Mr. President, the honorable
senator from Ohio has twice INDUCED OF remark
on this subject which, reluctant am TO trouble the
Senate, cannot allow TO pass without some notice.
him 10 say at the outset and TO repeat at the
close Of his remarks, that the main objection the late
Compromise bill was the boundary line which proposed
10 run between New Mexico and Texss, and the ten
millions of dollars which il opposed TO pay Texas for
agreeing to that boundary line.
Mr.. CHASE The statement which made was that
main objection to the series OF measures proposed by
the Compromise bill was, as | understood il, the great
concession made 10 Texas of territory believed to belong
the United States; on, TO speak more accurately it
the bargain proposed 10 be made between the United
States and Texas in reference 10 their reciprocal cession
Of territory by which The United States were 10 pay ten
millions did not say there not other serious OBJ
ectons to that series OF measures There other
objections. But this was most urged II was most dwe
upon il most considered The other principal OBJ
lection to the bill was that il bill of incongru
elements.
Mr.. WINTHROP. Mr. President, understood the
senator from Ohio pretty distinctly to imply, not merely
that members Of the Senate who had opposed the Com
promise bill mainly upon this ground had now yielded
to terms which We're much less advantageous TO the Uni
ted States, but that there something in the fact OF
recent change OF administration 10 which this concession
70 be attributed The SENATOR even now has hard
y modified the idea which he. then suggested. He
tainy stated that OF the main objections to the Com
promise bill was the running Of tins boundary line and
the appropriation OF these ten millions ef dollars he
also nmaed that owing TO The influence OF some change
OF administration, gentlemen had been willing TO assent
to measures which they had previously opposed
Now, sir, had really imagined that the honorable
aor from Ohio would be one OF the last senators on tins
floor to assert even TO intimate that one OF the main
objections 10 the Compromise bill this adjustment of
boundary between Texas and New Mexico. Certainly
conceive that senators should have objected that
boundary line and 10 the consideration which it pro-
posed to pay tor il, element in bill OF that mixed
and composite charac'er-n bill made up, as think, OF
many ncongruous ingredients and into which this par
tIcuIa was raw he
least of having been inserted for the purpose OF carrying
through Congress measures which could not have been
carried without IT, SO far many of may have objected
TO that element oil the bill.
But sir the honorable senator knows well that the
part of his State OF Ohio and the part of the State
which have the honor part represent the main OBJ
lection to that b above all other considerations and in
comparison with which any mere matter OF boundary
OF bonusof acres oil dolarswas but as the light dust
OF the balance, found in the fact that il undertook to
establish governments tor vast territorial possessions
which had been acquired TO the United States free SOIL
without any restriction as TO the admission OF slavery
The honorable senator knows that perfectly we'll And
he knows fat upon that subject have yielded nothing
and proposed TO yield nothing the passage OF this Texan
boundary bull; but that, on the other hand, we have
taken the first and most Indispensable step towards Sc
curing the existence OF free Stale, or indeed OF any
State, on the Rio Grarde
MIR. President required no change OF administration
10 convince any OF us think, OF the absolute necessity
OF running boundary hne OF some sort between New
Mexico and Texas And that sir, not by the slow pro-
cess of Judicial adjustment nor by the dilaory decision
OF board OF commissioners, as proposed by the honor
able senator from aine, Mr. BRADBURY, but by the
prompt and immediate action Of the Congress OF the Uni
ted States. You may call it tmidy you may call il
pusilaniily, you will but confess have believed
that upon this question brought at last 10 the
alternative OF drawing the line OF drawing the sword
confess have believed that unless some measure OF
this sor, were speedily adopted should not have
foot Of free soil this side OF the Rio Grande without
fighting for it. Now sir, for my own part had rather
that this boundary between sister States should be
by gold than By steel by money than by blood and that
II should be marked upon the map OF our Union, IN all
time TO come, in lines OF any other color than red
Sir, always from the beginning OF the session, be-
eve that both my colleague and myself have agreed in
the idea that this boundary line must be settled sepa
rate and independent question, and that was to be set
lied, if possible, by the Congress OF the United States
upon fair and liberal terms towards Texasnot in spirit
OF unworthy concession but in spirit of just and liberal
accommodation. And when il shall be so settled the
only cloud which casts serious shadow the do
mestc peace OF country will in my Judgment have
disappeared But how is it, sir with the precise bound
ary which the bill which has passed this body has
proposed TO run The senator from Ohio has alluded TO
The line proposed by the senator from Missouri Mr.
BrNToS] as one greatly preferable acknowledge that
tits so in many respects but how far was II practicable
lnel Ii will be remembered by the Senate that offered
that line myself just before the Senate adjourned on the
day before the bill was put on lis final passage, and that
| Withdrew ii the next morning. And why did with
draw III Because ascerianed, on examination and in
quiry that the convention OF New Mexico which framed
that State constitution, WHICH II IS my earnest hope that
Congress will day other acknowledge and railiy,
had themselves cut Oft large portion OF the territory m
cuded by that boundary lne and had put their own line
about the 32d degree OF north latitude. Thus the
eny thousand square miles, spoken ol by the senator
from Missouri around The OF the river Puerco
had been abandoned by New Mexico herself
Mr.. BENTON, Tin his seat) A part OF H.
Mr.. WINTHROP. A very large part OF IT. doubt,
under these circumstances, whether the senator himself
would have adhered to that part OF his proposed line
Certainly he would have done if his views like
my own, had been favorable TO receiving New Mexico al
State. But what does the senator from Mis-
sour tell us this morning in regard to another part OF this
boundary questions He tells sir-and II is most
he IN
OF the senator from OhOhe tells that the thirty thou
sand square ms OF northern territory which the line pro-
posed oy the senator from Maryland Mr. PEARoEJ left 10
Texas and which his own bill would have secured 10 the
United States, IN his Judgment belonged rghtfully 10
Texas ana that he had proposed 10 purchase u outright
bill appropriated.
Mr.. BENTON, lin his seat) Exactly
Mr.. WlNIHRDP. SO thai, instead OF our ceding 10
Texas, IN this qosfe, territory which belong ed New
Mexico, II now upon record, from the lips OF the dis
inguished senator from Mssoun-upon whose lest lmony
would rather stake question OF geography than upon
at Of any other senator IN The cbamberthat these hry
thousand square miles, which the bill Of the senator from
Maryland lett 10 Texas. were already the rghtful
property OF Texas.
" ell now Mr. President, let me moi be supposed to
intimate that am entirely satisfied with the boundary
line which has been adopted desired ayery different
line, and voted uniformly of every one OF the amend.
mens which offered with view 10 impoyeit H. Yet
must say that The advantages OF that line have not
been altogether appreciated by the honorable sen
aior Iron Maine Why, sir, where The most yainaole
pai OF the territory in dispute between the oned o'ae'
ana Ieras-the most valuable Tor every purpose OF
Tree and prosperous Saie Certainly, SIR ~ upon the
borders OF The Rio Grande 1t IS upon the banks and
along the sources of the Puerco. 1t IS not upon the
Iy..A IL L.. kAaYI IN