Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/215

Rh into the United States; and Houston read the documentary testimonies that the United States only demanded what had been conceded. He said the cause of the dispute was the fact, that constant revolutions in Mexico brought in leaders who renounced the binding authority of treaty stipulations. He stated: "There have been no less than three revolutions in twelve months." Here Mr. Benton in his seat added: " There have been seventeen revolutions in twenty-five years." "And yet," rejoined Houston, "we regard her as an organized Government, and not entitled to chastisement! The declaration of war against her was almost unanimous in the United States Congress last session. And, therefore," he added, making use of a Bible reference, after the manner common to the older American statesmen—"therefore, the President is as Moses, who, when it was necessary that Israel should go on, sent for Joshua and commanded him, as General, to lead on. And we of the Senate, as Aaron and Hur, so should we uphold the hands of our President, and smite Mexico with the sword!"

The second session brought Houston forward on past and on new issues. The Mexican war had closed, and the terms of peace were to be considered. Having taken Vera Cruz, March 29, 1847, and with an army of less than 12,000 men, having driven before him an army of some 30,000, past successive fortresses, till on September 14th, the City of Mexico was entered, negotiations for peace had made the war indemnity, since Mexico had no money to give, the cession of the territory on the north of Mexico, including New Mexico and Upper California. The title to this territory, lying as it did between 32° and 42° N. lat., was associated with that of Oregon, since it was directly connected with the territory expressly ceded by Spain to the United States, on the purchase of Florida. The question of the future introduction of slavery was naturally mooted; since though slavery had been abolished by Mexico, as American territory it might become subject to the application of the Missouri Compromise, which admitted slavery south of 36° 30′ N. lat.

Several minor topics, debated by Houston, led on to his second great speech on the Oregon question. On the 24th January, a resolution was offered in the Senate asking of the President of the United States whether the President of Mexico was authorized to cede territory. On the 29th January Gen, Dix discussed the legitimacy of annexing territory as a war indemnity. He called attention to the statement of Guizot, then Prime Minister of France, that the three powers contending for American territory were Great Britain, the United States, and Spain, and that "it belonged to France to protect, by the authority of her name, the