WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON,. 184-8
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She never raised the question of the Nueces being the boundary of Texas. She recognized again the Rio Grande as our boundary when she required of Texas, as the condition of acknowledging her independence, that she should not become annexed to the United States. All this, fellow-citizens, which I have here men- tioned, and mo.re which might be mentioned, goes to establish the fact that the Nueces never was the boundary of Texas, until it was made so here in the United States. Mexico herself never thought it to be our boundary. We marked out our boundary by our life's blood; we obtained it by the sacrifice of our citizens, and by noble conquest. It was recognized by Mexico and the world, and it would be a scandal to the United States to give it up. (Loud cries of "Never!" never!") We made ourselves, by our acts, a free, sovereign, and independent nation; and we had the right to annex ourselves to the United States. We did so. Who will say it was not constitutional to take us? It was the voice of the American people which took us into this Confederacy; and now that we are a part of the union, it is the duty of the Executive to defend the soil acquired to the Confederacy. There is no question what is the boundary; for it was defined, asserted, and maintained before the annexation was made; and it has never been questioned, except by those who have raised the ques- tion from party motives and faction. Was it, then, the President's duty to defend the soil and territory of the United States?-Or did he, without any cause, bring about this war upon poor op- pressed Mexico. [Laughter.] I sympathize, indeed, with Mexico. I have no antipathy to gratify against her, but while I can divest myself of all hard feeling towards her, I cannot divest myself of a holy devotion to my country, and her righteous cause; and I must spurn the man who would prove recreant to the cause of his country, and espouse that of an alien. [Three cheers called for, and rapturously given.] I cannot regard as fellow-citizens the men who array themselves against the cause of their country, who defame its armies and the glory they have acquired for the nation; who array themselves against the administration of their country, and seek to strengthen the hands of the enemy. Such people do not reflect, or they have forgotten all wisdom of the mind. Impelled by faction, they are the enemies of their coun- try's cause-enemies of that glorious enthusiasm which animates the American patriot-while they reserve all their feelings and piety for "poor Mexico" and care nothing at all about the United States and their own country.
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