-
1· I I I I
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1850
128
"Oh! by our fathers' common toils and fame, By all the glories of our country's name, By that high mission that commands her still The measure of her destiny to fill; By all the hopes of myriads through the world, Whose only stars are on our flag unfurled, And who, amid their long and dreary night, Knew not beside one lingering ray of light, By richest gifts to country ever given- Forbid the sin and shame, protecting Heaven!"
If sentiments like these inspired every mind, if emotions like these dwelt in every heart, if every heart dictated such action, there would be no just reason to fear a dissolution of the Union. An idea of that character would be treated with abhorrence by minds imbued with patriotic and virtuous sentiments. I regret, Mr. President, that the distinguished Senator from Kentucky, who has been remarking on that little section of the Union ca11ed Texas, should have questioned her right to the boun- dary for which she has ever contended-the only one that she ever asserted-the only one by which she has ever been known to the American people-one, too, sir, that was never controverted by Mexico. On this subject I will not detain this honorable body, but will leave it to abler hands to make a thorough investigation of the whole subject, if it has not already been done by my col- league and the Representatives from my State in the other House. This investigation, I trust, will leave no doubt as to the validity of the claim and the justice of our rights. I would state in pass- ing, however, that at the time Texas was annexed,' or at the meeting of her first organic Congress after the adoption of her constitution, she was recognized with the boundary as declared in her statutes, and as exhibited to the United States. With that boundary she was recognized by the United States, England, and France; with that boundary she was recognized by Holland and Belgium; and with that boundary she was annexed. That boun- dary was recognized in the protection that was accorded her as a State of the Union after her annexation; and it was again sol- emnly ratified by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo; and the map defining her boundary to the Rio Grande, from its source to its confluence with the Gulf, is acknowledged beyond all doubts of question. The first time I ever heard this boundary disputed (for that difficulty never originated with Mexico) was in this country.
Powered by FlippingBook