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judicial department, continued until March 2d, 1836, when a convention of delegates at Washington proclaimed the independence of Texas, and declared her "fully invested with all the rights and attributes which properly belong to independent nations." The same convention, on the 17th of March, adopted a constitution and provided for a Government ad interim, which took the place of the provisional Government; this constitution was confirmed hy the voice of the people in their elections on the first !Vlonday in this month, and the Government ad interim continues until the 2d Monday in December, when the President and Vice President elect will assume their constitutional duties, and thus perfect to that extent the intentions of the people. The authority of sovereignty, even as to foreign nations, was very soon exercised by Texas after her provisional Government went into operation, and that, too, at the expense of some of our own citizens. On the 2nd of June last, the American schooner Watchman was captured in Copano bay, with a cargo of bread, rice, and beans. On Lhe 19th of the same month, the schooners Comanche and Fanny Butler, similarly laden, were taken in the same neighborhood, and the cargoes of all condemned by the prize court for "consisting of articles for the comfort and subsistence of the Mexican army." The value of the Watchman's invoice was about ... $4,000.00 That of the Comanche's invoice was about.. . . . . . 7,528.14 Of the Fanny Butler's invoice was about . . . . . . . . 8,664.56 Making in all .......................... $20,192.70 On the 21st July, the President proclaimed the blockade of Matamoras, the Brazos-Santiago, and all the neighboring estuaries. This included American vessels; and Lhe trade, which is very considerable from our ports to the Rio Grande, particularly from New Orleans, was thus interrupted, and, indeed, cut off, until the 13th August, when, upon my representations, the decree was rescinded. These proceedings would give rise lo three propositions: First, whether Mexico, so far from maintaining her ability to protect her own territory as required by the law of nations, has not failed in that duty, and extended the injury Lo the commerce of the Uniled States. Secondly, whether, if Texas is not an integrant of Mexico, hut a separate Government, Mexico has
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