Now, admitting for the present
that the Rio Grande was the boundary of Louisiana, what under heaven had
that to do with the present boundary between us and Mexico? How, Mr.
Chairman, the line that once divided your land from mine can still be the
boundary between us after I have sold my land to you is to me beyond all
comprehension. And how any man, with an honest purpose only of proving
the truth, could ever have thought of introducing such a fact to prove
such an issue is equally incomprehensible. His next piece of evidence is
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.
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