Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/396

 character of the soldiers of Texas, increased with the services rendered by them to the Government and to the army? And are we now to have visited upon us further consequences resulting from this prejudice? Is the State of Texas, as a sovereignty, to succumb to the degradation of an infringement upon her rights, the subversion of her authority, and the infraction of her territorial limits; and is it expected that we are to submit calmly to the infliction of such gross and unjustifiable wrongs?

Mr. President, there is a principle involved in this matter which extends far beyond the temporary inconvenience imposed upon Texas, or the actual injustice which may be inflicted on her. It is a principle which lies at the very foundation of our Government, the subordination of the military to the civil power, the subversion of which would be the destruction of our liberties. Is a mere military power allowed to interfere and prescribe to a sovereign State what shall constitute her territorial limits and boundary?

In this case, the former President of the United States, who established in time of war temporary military governments, ordered the government of the Territory to be surrendered to Texas as soon as peace terminated the war, or I have been misinformed; yet the present Executive has continued the military government, and has not surrendered the territory to Texas. Less than two years ago, the military authority. Colonel Washington, expelled, or rather caused the ejection of the judicial officers of Texas from the territory; and now, when Major Neighbors had succeeded in reorganizing the counties where no military authorities were stationed, and went to Santa Fé, what was the consequence? There the military Governor avowed his resistance to the authority of Texas, and caused that hasty and inconsiderate action of the population which has resulted in the handing over of the territory to a mere judge of the Kearny code. And he, forsooth, has taken all under his control, and now assumes to be the sovereign over this wide domain of Texas! Sir, if the military authorities of the United States have a right thus to conduct themselves in such a manner in that territory—a territory within the limits of what we have ever claimed, and which were recognized by all nations previous to annexation—then they have a right to occupy our Capital, or to wrest Galveston from our possession That territory no more appertains to New Mexico than does any other spot within the limits of Texas. Yet Texas has not been complaining, nor has she manifested undue anxiety in demanding her rights from time to time. Years have passed by since she had a right to expect the settlement of her boundary. The territory to which it extended has been acquired by the United States Government, and in good faith, if they had discharged their duties, they ought to have settled the boundary with the termination of the war, and said to Texas what and where it was.

Does any one for a moment believe that if Texas had been aware of this attempted curtailment of her limits, she would ever have become annexed to the Government of the United States? No, sir, no one can believe it even for a moment. Mexico would willingly have consented to recognize Texas as a separate power, without the slightest hesitancy, if the latter had proposed to submit to a curtailment of her territory. And is it to be expected that Texas will submit now to such a violation of her rights as is here indicated? I ask the Senate, as Americans and honorable men, whether if this were a question between the Government of the United States and Mexico, as to boundary, it is believed