that "the Republic of Texas always claimed this river [Rio Grande] as her
western boundary." That is not true, in fact. Texas has claimed it, but
she has not always claimed it. There is at least one distinguished
exception. Her State constitution the republic's most solemn and
well-considered act, that which may, without impropriety, be called her
last will and testament, revoking all others-makes no such claim. But
suppose she had always claimed it. Has not Mexico always claimed the
contrary? So that there is but claim against claim, leaving nothing
proved until we get back of the claims and find which has the better
foundation. Though not in the order in which the President presents his
evidence, I now consider that class of his statements which are in
substance nothing more than that Texas has, by various acts of her
Convention and Congress, claimed the Rio Grande as her boundary, on
paper. I mean here what he says about the fixing of the Rio Grande as her
boundary in her old constitution (not her State constitution), about
forming Congressional districts, counties, etc. Now all of this is but
naked claim; and what I have already said about claims is strictly
applicable to this. If I should claim your land by word of mouth, that
certainly would not make it mine; and if I were to claim it by a deed
which I had made myself, and with which you had had nothing to do, the
claim would be quite the same in substance--or rather, in utter
nothingness. I next consider the President's statement that Santa Anna in
his treaty with Texas recognized the Rio Grande as the western boundary
of Texas. Besides the position so often taken, that Santa Anna while a
prisoner of war, a captive, could not bind Mexico by a treaty, which I
deem conclusive--besides this, I wish to say something in relation to
this treaty, so called by the President, with Santa Anna. If any man
would like to be amused by a sight of that little thing which the
President calls by that big name, he can have it by turning to Niles's
Register, vol. 1, p. 336. And if any one should suppose that Niles's