The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-23

THE TEXAS DEBT.

THE TEXAS DEBT.
Are the United States responsible for the foreign debt
Texas? 6
This question admits of ready answer by reference toa
few settled principles Of international law. win frs,
state the principles and apply them after wards in the b
est manner.
Civil society is obliged by the social compact to guard
the rights Of its several members "and not only such in
uries affect nation Immediately in its collective capa
city, but such likewise done any Of its members
are usfabe cause Of war;
The injury may be either tort polation Of contract
and the mode Of redress may be either by rcprals by
war; These principles will be found distinctly announced
in the following extracts from writer's Of the first author
Iity:
"The right of reprsals is the right which every sove-
reign has TO do justice to himself to his subjects for any
INJURY committed by any foreign prince subject where
justice is denied when State has seized that which
belongs to another refuses to repair injury
debt to redress wrong the State that ia injured
anything that belongs the offending State and de-
lain confscae it in satisfaction of such wrongal
Wild, 1851 @s4I 49t& i@ s@f a
There must be injury but it is not necessary tina,
this injury should be accompanied with violence To rem
der reprsss lawful the law Of nations does require
that any of violence shall have been committed by
the prince against whom this remedy employed by
his subjects that part of the territory of the prince
who employs il should been seized the bodies or
goods of any of his subjects IT is enough if there be de-
nial Of justice, or refusal TO pay iagtm debt whether
due from the sovereign or from his snbects'-l Wild,
1873 #a3 es4 #etE.
"Not only such injuries affect nation immediately
in its collective capacity but such likewise done
any Of its members justihable cause of war For
these the law nations parts of the collective per-
son of the nation and injuries which done parts
5o7s
Though society is obliged TO redress them such in
ures by war when this method of redress is inconsistent
with the general interest yet is still obliged 10 Their
rights and this obligation be ohereiss discharged
than b making then. amends out Of Tie public propertyJr
bs,yJ oys last ruth Inst
Now for the application of these principles which rest
upon the authority Of such writers Grous, Bynker-
shock Guidon Vain and Ru,hcrorth bu, in accord
ance will, the Of mankind.
Before the admission OF Texas into the Union the foreign
debt of that State held by citizens Of the United States
who would have been entitled to the aid Of the United
States for its collection in of refusal 10 pay by either
reprissls war if those remedies inconsistent
with the general interest then indemnity ont Of the
public property Of the nation.
By the admission of Texas into the Union the United
States have abandoned both those modes of redress The
government longer make reprisals make
upon Texas II has yielded up the remedies which II might
have employed and which II would have been bound to
employ, in OF refusal to pay. What then, is the
sequence Il the loss TO fall upon its individual subjects
who the holders of this foreign debt In the Ian
guage OF Rutheriorth is not still obliged 10 their
rights and make nem amends out Of the public property
II is that the United States in the resolution for the
admission OF Texas instead Of requiring the ccsson to The
United States Of her vacant and unappropratcd lands h
those lands in the hands Of Texas with the express spu-
laon that they should be applied TO the payment Of the
debts and liabilities Of that republic Yet such stipulation
not discharge Of the obligation they under TO Sc
the rights Of their citizens They have parted with
the efficient remedy Of rcprsas and they are bound
to make amends out of the public property to those whose
rights they obliged II is true that Texas
is bound by solemn contract and by every principle OF
honor and Justice, pay the debt well since her adms
sion into the Union she before But the United
States also bound by the obligation she under to
the rights Of her citizens and the fact of having
leased the remedy II happened that subsequent trans
action namely the adjustment OF the boundaries Of
Tcxasut II into the power Of the United States TO have
secured the payment Of the debt by retaining The whole
ten millions stipulated to be paid Texas but not having
done sobayinq only retained iaoiety Of that sum-it
remains for tue United States to make provision for
the payment of the debt due TO her citizens whose
rights The government bound TO secure and then TO
adjust the matter With Texas in the best they can