The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-09

James Madison Secretary of State Robert r. Ivings
ton minister To France dated Department of State Janu
ary lB, 1908: .'qf
Mr. Monroe will be the bearer of the instructions under
which you are Jointly to negotiate The object of them will
the United States and consequently the establishment
the Mississippi as the boundary between the United States
into the of money will mark part Of prop
ositions to which will be added such regulations the
merce OF that river and of the others entering the Gulf
Mexico as ought to be satisfactory France" =
Thc umaum on this point will be settled before the de-
The limited the letter to the President above refer
red TO- ivres If less will not do prepared to
meet it, ...F..-.
Mr.. Chairman, having think explained to the salts
faction of the committee the circumstances attending the
negotiation and ratification of the Louisiana treaty, and
shown very conelusvey that does not sustain the gen
ueman from Missouri propose to present brief review
OF the action of other administrations in their exercise
the treaty making power for the purpose of showing that
the principle for which contending has been rccog
Missed by our wise and patriotic statesmen from General
Washington TO the present time. II will not be denied
that the treaty (the ratcatons Of which were ex-
changed at London 28h October 1857 embraced legisa
tive matter yet II was negotiated, ratified and proclaimed
the law OF the land without President Washington
having first consulted the House of Representatives in re-
a,ion to it, That General Washington, well other
PRESIDENTS may have on some occasions consulted the
House OF Representatives in relation treaties part
of the issue presented the present occasion. What
propose 10 establish is that most, if not ALL Of them
have made or attempted to make treaties embracing sub
jects of legislation without first having consulted and
obtained the of the House. thereby recognising
its fullest extent the principle that they bound
to do So have shown one case which occurred in Cen
era Washingtons administration could present others
if it necessary. have also shown that Mr. Jefferson
recognised and acted upon this princpen the acqu
son Of louisiana Mr.. Madison, who Mr. Jcffersons
Secretary Of State the time is also fully committed with
Mr. Jefferson The is also true of Mr.. Monroe u-
ring whose administration the Flordas obtained by
treaty from Spain. i LlFl
n. A
State when the Floridas acquired and thereby
mtted to the principle but during his administration and
while Mr. Clay Of Kentucky, his Secretary of State he
endeavored TO obtain Texas by treaty with Mexico without
first asking the House of Representatives for its consent
General Jackson, with Mr. Van Buren, his Secretary of
State MS will presently notice in DETAIL opened
goations with Mexico with the view Of acquiring Texas
without consulting in advance of such negotiations the
House of Representatives Mr. Tyler with Mr.. Webster
his Secretary of State, made the Ashburton treaty by
which large of money agreed be paid with
out first asking the consent OF the House and while Mr.
Calhoun his Secretary of State treaty for the
alton of Texas negotiated and submitted to the Senate
During the Brilliant wise and patriotic administration Of
Mr. Polk difficulties in Oregon settled by treaty
with Great Britain, and our troubles with Mexico
settled by the acquisition Of large extent of valuable terri
tory In the latter case S3OOOOO0 had been put at the
disposal of the President The circumstances attending
those negotiations of too date and too familiar
to this committee, to justify me in a consumption of time
to recte them. sf rFA
Mr. Chairman have said that General jackson endeav-
ored to acquire Texas Mexico by treaty without first
asking the advice of the House of Representatives, have
not had the time, however to examine very particularly
the correspondence that point speak, in most part
from memory OF the fact however, OF his entering into
with Mexico for its purchase there be
doubt
In speech delivered in the Senate of the United States
the l6th lBth and 20th May, ls44 by the gentleman
from Missouri, Ar. BENTos then member and dstn-
guished one that body find only extract from
letter of Mr. Van Buren, in relation Texas which pro
pose read but also ask the indulgence of the commit
tee while read few extracts from the speech itself Mr.
BENTON said
"The data is this that in 1922 being the first wear Of
great service to his country of getting back sacrificed
territory and Sy distractions Mr. to
any part Of the dmembered territory which could be OBJ
Of State and who in his recent letter. has brought the great
fact to light. quote paragraph from III
prepared by direction of the President instructions
minister at Mexico by which he directed to open with
the purchase of the greater part of the then province of Tex
as and by which he likewise authorized to the
treaties for the incorporation of the inhabitants Texas
into the Union it could be done consistently with
yor of sis stated large IN that docnmen. In
king this step the administration of President jackson
attempt to accomplish the object which had been
made by its immediate predecessor Instructions similar in
their general object had in the second year Of the latter ad
same American minister at Mexico net that
there any material difference between them other than
those of 1925 proposed acquisition of territory far west
the Rio del Norte being believe the boundary
of Texas; mh e eesson asked to Iy President Jaeson
prairie Aieh e rper Nueces and that for the
former the ofone million of dollars authorized
whilst by the administration of President Jackson the Amer
ispensable, five millions. Both ouhorixed agreements for
In respect the proposed stipulation for the
ultimate incorporation q inhabitants into the Unon both in
structons were identical,