The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 192
434 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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192 The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
States by the Texians, of the territory in their actual occupation,
but that she has forfeited all claim to immense Mexican regions
beyond these limits in which the Texians have never yet had a
settler, which have always formed a part of other Mexican States,
and which are occupied by a Mexican population scarcely less
numerous than the population represented in the Texian Legis-
lature. If such decisions prove conclusive against Mexico, their
force will not be the force of justice and reason.
In closing this despatch I venture to say that I was prepared
for the disclosures, in the correspondence between Messr. Donelson
and Buchanan respecting the preliminary treaty acceded to by
Mexico. Speaking of it in a letter to Mr. Buchanan (August 16th
1845) M r Donelson complains that "But for that treaty and the
"proclamation which grew out of it, our position on the question
"of boundary would have been less embarrassed".-. And in an-
other letter to the same quarter (July 16th 1845) he was still more
explicit upon the obstructions thrown in the way of particular
purposes respecting this important point, by the preliminary
treaty and the suspension of hostilities proclaimed by the Presi-
dent of Texas. I had for some time been sensible that the dis-
posal of this coveted Mexican territory was the single considera-
tion left of real moment in these affairs, and that it was highly
desirable that colourable Texian occupation should not be sud-
denly obtruded within it, before this Republic formally signified
it's willingness to join the North American Confederacy. The
Country in the actual occupation of the Texians is of little value
in their condition of a State of the Union, possessing Millions of
unoccupied acres of better land, or at least of equal fitness for the
same products, and incomparably more conveniently situated for
Markets.
Neither can the possession of this territory add to the political
strength of the United States, for it is almost bereft of the re-
sources which would help that object, having neither eligible har-
bours, nor easily navigable rivers, nor any other natural elements
of Military power. At all events it had been lost to Mexico long
since. Your Lordship however is aware that I was informed of
the plots in preparation at that very moment for the seizure of the
territory which was not lost to her, nominally to the Texian Mili-
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918, periodical, 1918; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101073/m1/198/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.