of the Independence of Texas in 1837, that Gov-

ernment has, as I will proceed to show, by

fair deductions from some acts and by the

direct force of others, recognized the claim of

Texas as set up by her laws.

The resolutions of annexation provide,

contingently, for the division of Texas into five

States of convenient size; a provision evidently

made with reference to our asserted boundary,

for it would have involved an absurdity to

have it made with reference to that within

which the attempt is being made to restrict

us, embracing as it does scarcely territory enough

for one instead of five States of convenient

size.

Equally absurd and nugatory is another

consideration of these resolutions, providing that in

the State or States formed out of our territory

North of 36 deg 30 min., slavery or involuntary

servitude shall be prohibited, had it not been

with a like reference to boundary recog-

nized as established above that line. To suppose

otherwise is to adopt the unreasonable presump-

tion, that the parties, contracting through these

resolutions, made a subject of arrangement, territory

in which neither the one, nor the other had any

right, and to convict the Congress of the United

States of doing and the people of Texas of as-

senting to an inept, a vain, and a useless thing.

Againt, the Congress of the United States, with

rare unanimity, and without reference to party, de-

clared, on the 13th day of May, 1846, that war had

been commenced by the act of Mexico. The act

upon which this declaration was founded, and by