Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/42

30 parallel of latitude, the climate is colder, but the country is rolling and fertile, or, if broken, possessing wellwatered valleys, and destined eventually to be occupied for raising stock and grain.

After the cession of Louisiana to France, and its purchase by the government of the United States, in 1803, it was claimed by the latter, that the Rio Grande del Norte formed the south-western boundary of the acquired territory. This claim was never acknowledged by Spain; and when Pike passed through the country, on his way from the Passo del Norte to Nacogdoches, he saw no evidence that the people deemed themselves connected in any way with the Louisiana purchase; on the contrary, their habits, customs, and feelings, were thoroughly Spanish and Mexican. The title to the disputed territory was repeatedly asserted by the United States; but all the claims of the latter to the country west of the Sabine, were surrendered to Spain in 1819. The acquisition of Louisiana was followed by an influx of population from the* northern states. Enterprise and industry soon altered the appearance of the rich lands in the valley of the Mississippi. Their value was enhanced to such an extent, that it attracted attention in Mexico, or New Spain, as it was then called. Texas possessed, the same natural advantages; yet, although it had been settled for so many years, the population amounted to but little more than 3000 in 1820; they had made but few improvements, and lived in perpetual dread of the undoubtedly a tedious one, as is always to be expected in a new country, but the "desert" could hardly have been as cheerless and unpleasant as has been supposed.