United States -- Politics and government -- 1845-1849
I have in vain sought for any document, emanating from the Republic or
State of Texas, for the purpose of sustaining its claim either to New
Mexico or to the country bordering on the lower portion of the del
Norte. The only official papers within my reach, in which the claim of
Texas is sustained, are the President's messages of May 11 and Dec. 3rd,
1846; and these refer only to the country bordering on the lower part of
the del Norte. The portion of the message of May 11th, 1846, relating to
that subject, is as follows: "Meantime Texas, by the final action of our
Congress, had become an integral part of our Union. The Congress of
Texas, by its act of December 19, 1836, had declared the Rio del Norte
to be the boundary of that republic. Its jurisdiction had been extended
and exercised beyond the Nueces. The country between that river and the
del Norte had been represented in the Congress and in the Convention of
Texas; had thus taken part in the act of annexation itself; and is now
included within one of our congressional districts. Our own Congress
had, moreover, with great unanimity, by the act approved December 31,
1845, recognized the country beyond the Nueces as a part of our
territory, by including it within our own revenue system; and a revenue
officer, to reside within that district, has been appointed, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate. It became, therefore, of urgent
necessity to provide for the defence of that portion of our country.
Accordingly, on the 13th of January last, instructions were issued to
the general in command of these troops to occupy the left bank of the
del Norte....
The movement of the troops to the del Norte was made by the commanding
general, under positive instructions to abstain from all aggressive acts
towards Mexico or Mexican citizens, and to regard the relations between
that Republic and the United States as peaceful, unless she should
declare war, or commit acts of hostility indicative of a state of war.
He was specially directed to protect private property, and respect
personal rights."
In his annual message of December 8, 1846, the President states that
Texas, as ceded to the United States by France in 1803, has been always
claimed as extending west to the Rio Grande; that this fact is
established by declarations of our Government during Mr. Jefferson's and
Mr. Monroe's administrations; and that the Texas which was ceded to
Spain by the Florida treaty of 1819, embraced all the country now
claimed by the State of Texas between the Nueces and the Rio Grande.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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