The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-30

have dec Jared tho Rio Nore from m its source
| 10 De a boundary of that republic.
Ia regard 10 the right Of Texas the boundary the Del
Nore from It's nout TO the Paso, there cannot
hended be any very serious doubt 1t would be easy
absh by The authority OF most eminent ssiesrnen-a
litne too when the question OF the boundary OF the prov
nce OF Louisiana better understood ii al pres
en-tha to this extent at least the Del Noric s
em limit
1t cannot be denied however, that the Florida treaty q
February 2 1872 cedod to Spain al that part OF ancen
Lousi within the present limits of Texas; and
Important inquiry Is what Il the oi the
rial rights which Texas has acquired by the sword in
righteous resistance to Mexicog
Here he is looking the sword the only source OF
power which Texas could rely upon for the extension OF
her domain Then, after going to speak OF the battle
OF San Jacnto and the establishment of her independ
ence, he says;
western boundary Of Texas need not furnish you GU
msn,s to coa'roven this position
The = different, in regard New Mexico Santa
centuries 1906 and that province has been since in
their possession and that of the republic of Mexico The
Iexans neDtr haze conquered taken possession II
have its people bssa yessenftd in any Of then gsa
tiVe assemblies or conventions.
Here hen, Mr. Buchanan proceeds after asserting the
title Of Texas to the Lower Rio Grande deny detail
every source of power upon which Texas could rely
every argument which could be urged in behalf OF Texas
to extend her limits to the Upper Rio Grande She had
never conquered she had taken possession OF II
tins people had been represented in any of her egs
lative assemblies, in the convention which formed
the constitution under which Texas into the Union
think, them sir, that the honorable senator from V-
gina Mr. HuNTERl will lind nothing in the letter OF Mr..
Buchanan to Mr. Sde that countenances in the slight
est degree: the title now set UP for dominion any
portion OF New Mexico He excludes it. But what does
tie President authorize him to propose! He says
Shonld the Mexican authorities prove unwilling 10 extend
our boundary beyond tie Del Noe, you are in hat Mt
instructed 10 oner assume paymen, Of all the ju.t
claims oil cizeps Of the United States against Mexico
should she agfes tina, the line shall be establish along
boundary defined by the Congress OF Texas approved
hio Grande thence 1.-The principal sfoam of said river
to us source thence due north TO the forty degree Of
north latitude
He offers TO pay TO Mexico 6 100000 by assuming the
payment OF the claims OF the citizens OF the United States
against Mexico, provided she would cede 10 the United
which 1t Is now insisted already within their actual
boundaries! Is this in accordance with the usual policy
OF our governments governmsnt which went TO
WIN Mexico TO vndcate, as sad the title OF Texas
to the Lower Rio Grande-o offer to pay 10 Mexico
claims estimated to amount TO six millions of dollars for
cesson OF territory to which our title equally clear
No, sir with such claim of title such proposition as
that could ever have been made with honor by the govern
ment OF the United States No such proposition ever was
made by the United States under belief that the territory
Tor which this sum OF money offered territory TO
which Texas had already established her title This
whole claim OF Texas to the Upper Rio Grande amounts
10 nothing more than this: Texas, while engaged in
with Mexico for the establishment of her independ
cnce was naturally deslTous of extending her domain
the Kio Grande She hoped if she successful in the
conduct OF the war; 10 be able TO acquire dominion that
extent by the force of her She struggling
so far as her claim to The Upper Rio Grande concerned
TO vndica!e her title 10 any territory that she then owned
or had ever bu, she was struggling acquire
by the sword, addition to that dominion, the sovereign
" over which she had already established by the sword
s'hs had NOT ssessecd IN 'e' sI, No a.ty of rs~-v
had penetrated New Mexico. No Texan, ii has been
already remarked had set hs foot upon that territory
hostility to the government OF New Mexico, except
prisoner OF war Mr.. President, ! understand that the
CLAIM which was at time set up IN behalf OF Texas,
growing out OF the made with Santa Anna
when prisoner abandoned. No who will examine
that instr ument and what il purporls to be upon the
face OF it, aud will follow up his inquiries and learn what
the action Of the republic OF Mexico when il
FIRST presented for It's consideration, will fail to perceive
that not the shadow OF Argument can be drawn from
1t IN tavor OF the extension OF the CLAIM OF Texas
Did the Congress OF the United States, by any act OF
theirs, recognise admit the clam OF Texas to the
Upper Rio Grande SO far from IL. MIR President, Con-
gress the Sd OF March, lsi5 three days after the pas
sage OF the joint resolution, passed act allowing
drawback o duties on foreign merchandise exported to
chihuahua and Santa Fe, in New Mexico-declaring,
hsreore upon the face OF your statute that Santa
Re was part of Texas, but in Mexico. Congress
certainly did not then consider this part OF Texas
The President in his war message to Congress did not
speak of it part OF Texas He had instructed Mr.
Buchanan, months after the passage OF the JOINT resou
lion, TO with Mexico for the purchase Of this
Tory, and Mr.. Buchanan had dsclaned any pretence Of
title TO New Mexico, az have already shown from his
etter
But il has been said by the senator from Texas. (Mr
RusK iha, The war was declared 10 vlndoa'e The iie OF
Texas to the RIO Grande do not deny sir, that BY the
ac OF Congress which constituted the declaration oi
the territory The Nueces and the Rio Grande
regarded ss American soil but 1t the Lower R'o
Grande only that treated as part ol Texas. 10
that extent was indeed conceded by that act las M
Buchanan had before insisted in ms letter to MIR Sill
del that Texas had been successful in indicating her
claim. In adding TO her original domain. Whatever
may be my opinion regard TO and certainly enter.
tained very different opinion al the time-Corgress and
the Executive did give couDtenaDte to the caifn o'
Texas the Lower Rio Gande But, sf, no department
oil this government recognised anterior TO the rat
6caen the treaty Of Guadalupe Hdago, any title Of
Texas to the Upper Rio Grande. Then, Mr. President,
what have herel We have the joint resolution OF
Congress requiring that the people OF Texas, who are
invited TO this Union living Their assent to e
conditions II proposes shall with republican con
sttntlon adopted by them in convention We have The
great fact that Texas presented her constitution Tor our
approval without consulting New Mexico, or inviting
her people 10 participate IN is formation here. tben
was abandonment By Texas al that hme-an utter
abandonment OF any pretence OF title TO New Mexico
Whatever clam she had before made, whether by the
declaration her statute book otherwise. she must
be deemed have abandoned it, when she presented her
institution, adopted bya different people, the consii
tuition required by the Joint resouon and to be acted
upon by this government.
We have, then, not only the cotemporaneous conducf
Of Texas, but OF the people OF New Mexico, also. who
all this time quietly reposng under the protection OF
their own laws aud had thought for one moment
that any other power than the republic of Mexico had
any right Of dominion them, except that which was
exercised by their own departmental Legislature we
have them the cogen evidence from the cotempOra-
conduct OF the Congress OF the United States OF the
Executive OF the United States and OF all tina departments
OF this government. well as OF the government oil
Mexico did, in fact OF right form any portion of
the republic oi Texas
But this il not all sir After the war declared, an
army sent by the United States to conquer New Mex