Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/61

Rh between the Nueces and the Del Norte, [Rio Grande], and to repel any invasion of the Texan territory which might be attempted by the Mexican forces." No measures were taken to recall any portion of the troops at this session, and at the following one a law was passed, establishing post-ofﬁces upon, and post-roads extending to the Rio Grande. These facts show, therefore, that the claim originally made by Texas to the left bank of the river, was adopted and asserted by the government of the United States, from the inception of the project of annexation, until and after the commencement of the war, with the following qualifications: A willingness to negotiate upon the question of boundary was evinced by the terms of the joint resolutions, which provided for the annexation, subject to the adjustment, by the United States, "of all questions of boundary that [might] arise with other governments;" and, secondly, the claim to any territory east of the Rio Grande, and north of the ancient limits of Texas, was tacitly, if not expressly waived.

The boundary claimed by Texas embraced a considerable portion of the province of New Mexico, lying east of the Rio Grande, and containing a number of towns and a large population. This province was ﬁrst visited by the Spaniards, under Vasquez Coronado, in 1540, who occupied the country until 1542, when they voluntarily evacuated it. They revisited it again in 1583, and made some temporary settlements. The ﬁnal subjugation of the country was effected by them, under their leader Onate, in 1595; twelve years before any permanent settlement had been made in North America, except by the Spaniards themselves, and long previous to Father Hennepin's voyage down the Mississippi. The Indians drove the Spaniards away in 1680, but they