The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904 Page: 186
xvi, 340 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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186 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
Texas. "This garment of compromise, thus quilted of various
fabrics with artistic skill," was pieced out with two other bills
concerning slavery in the District of Columbia and the recovery
of fugitive slaves.
The first subject to command the attention of the committee had
been the resolutions of Senator Bell providing for additional states
within the limits of Texas. It decided that in the execution of the
compact with Texas, the initiative in constituting a new state
should not originate in congress, but should be taken by the peo-
ple themselves within the territorial limits of the proposed new
state with the consent of Texas, and the majority declined to
recommend any new state or states to be carved out of Texan ter-
ritory. The boundary proposed for Texas in the bill recognized
the Rio Grande to a point twenty miles in a straight line above
El Paso and thence eastwardly to a point where the 100th degree
of west longitude crosses Red River, excluding from the present
limits of Texas all the territory north of a line running from near
El Paso to a point on the western line of Childress county. Mr.
Clay stated that the beginning of the line that distance above,
instead of at El Paso, on the true line of New Mexico, was due to
the desire of Texas to bring within her limits some settlements
above El Paso, and also a desire on their part to be attached to
the State.' He thought the true boundary of New Mexico east of
the river would be a line beginning at El Paso, thence running to
the head of Red River, and from there northward to the 42d paral-
\% lel of north latitude.2 In Clay's opinion, the divisional line of the
compromise bill would detach a small triangle from the limits of
New Mexico, but the loss would be compensated by the area added
to the territory north of the line.
The boundary of New Mexico, as well as the boundaries of other
territory taken from Mexico, seemed to be an uncertain quantity,
with such values as political considerations assigned. Senator Ben-
ton contended that the proposed line would "cut New Mexico in
two just below the hips," and alienate 70,000 square miles of her
territory. To avoid dismembering New Mexico, he proposed to
commence the line at a point on the Rio Grande, where it is crossed
by the 102d meridian west from Greenwich, thence running north
'Cong. Globe, 31st Cong.. 1st Sess., App., 1262.
I1bid., 1262.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904, periodical, 1904; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101030/m1/190/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.