ceding to the United States all public edifices, fortifications, barracks, ports and harbors, navy and navy-yards, docks, magazines, arms, armaments, and all other property and means pertaining to the public defence belonging to said republic of Texas, shall retain all the public funds, debts, taxes, and dues of every kind, which may belong to or be due and owing said republic; and shall also retain all the vacant and unappropriated lands lying within its limits, to be applied to the payment of the debts and liabilities of said republic of Texas, and the residue of said lands, after discharging said debts and liabilities, to be disposed of as said State may direct; but in no event are said debts and liabilities to become a charge upon the government of the United States. Third. New States, of convenient size, not exceeding four in number, in addition to said State of Texas, and having sufficient population, may hereafter, by the consent of said State, be formed out of the territory thereof, which shall be entitled to admission under the provisions of the federal constitution. And such States as may be formed out of that portion of said territory lying south of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north latitude, commonly known as the Missouri compromise line, shall be admitted into the Union, with or without slavery, as the people of each State asking admission may desire. And in such State or States as shall be formed out of said territory, north of said Missouri compromise line, slavery or involuntary servitude, (except for crime,) shall be prohibited.

"3. And be it further resolved, That if the president of the United States shall, in his judgment and discretion, deem it most advisable, instead of proceeding to submit the foregoing resolution to the republic of Texas, as an overture on the part of the United States for admission, to negotiate with that republic—then, Be it resolved, That a State, to be formed out of the present republic of Texas, with suitable extent and boundaries, and with two representatives in Congress, until the next apportionment of representation, shall be admitted into the Union, by virtue of this act, on an equal footing with the existing States, as soon as the terms and conditions of such admission, and the cession of the remaining Texan territory to the United States, shall be agreed upon by the governments of Texas and the United States; and that the sum of one hundred thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated to defray the expenses of missions and negotiations, to agree upon the terms of said admission and cession, either by treaty to be

submitted to the senate, or by articles to be submitted to the two houses of Congress, as the president may direct,

Giving the Consent of the existing Government to the Annexation of Texas to the United States.

"Whereas, the government of the United States hath proposed the following terms, guaranties, and conditions on which the people and territory of the republic of Texas may be erected into a new State, to be called the State of Texas, and admitted as one of the States of the American Union, to wit:

[Here follow the two first sections of the joint resolution of the Congress of the United States.]

"And whereas, by said terms, the consent of the existing government of Texas is required; therefore,

"Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of Texas in Congress assembled, That the government of Texas doth consent that the people and territory of the republic of Texas may be erected into a new State, to be called the State of Texas, with a republican form of government, to be adopted by the people of said republic by deputies in convention assembled, in order that the same may be admitted as one of the States of the American Union; and said consent is given on the terms, guaranties, and conditions set forth in the preamble to this joint resolution.

"SECT. 2. Be it further resolved, That the proclamation of the president of the republic of Texas, bearing date May fifth, eighteen hundred and forty-five, and the election of deputies to sit in convention at Austin on the fourth day of July next, for the adoption of a constitution for the State of Texas, had in accordance therewith, hereby receives the consent of the existing government of Texas.

"SECT. 3. Be it further resolved, That the president of Texas is hereby requested immediately to furnish the government of the United States, through their accredited minister near this govern

ment, with a copy of this joint resolution; also to furnish the convention to assemble at Austin on the 4th of July next a copy of the same; and the same shall take effect from and after its passage.

"JOHN M. LEWIS,

"Speaker of the House of Representatives.

"K. L. ANDERSON,

66

Approved, June 23, 1845.

"President of the Senate.

"ANSON JONES."

"DEPARTMENT OF STATE, June 23, 1845.

"The undersigned, secretary of state of the republic of Texas, hereby certifies that the foregoing is a copy of the original joint resolutions on file in the archives of this office.

"[L. S.]

In testimony whereof, the official seal of the department is hereunto affixed.

"EBEN'R ALLEN."

AN ORDINANCE.

"Whereas, the Congress of the United States of America has passed resolutions providing for the annexation of Texas to that Union, which resolutions were approved by the president of the United States on the first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and forty-five; and whereas the president of the United States has submitted to Texas the first and second sections of the said resolution, as the basis upon which Texas may be admitted as one of the States of the said Union; and whereas the existing government of the republic of Texas has assented to the proposals thus made, the terms and conditions of which are as follows:

[The two first sections of the joint resolution of the Congress of the United States are here quoted.]

"Now, in order to manifest the assent of the people of this republic, as required in the above recited portions of the said resolutions, we, the deputies of the people of Texas, in convention assembled, in their name, and by their authority, do ordain and declare, that we assent to and accept the proposals, conditions, and guaranties contained in the first and second sections of the resolution of the Congress of the United States aforesaid.

"THOMAS J. RUSK, President. "Phil. M. Curry, H. G. Runnels, Robert M. Forbes, Sam. Lusk, Jno. Caldwell, Jose Antonio Navarra, Geo. M. Brown, Gustavus A,

Everts, Lemuel Dale Evans, J. B. Miller, R. E. B. Baylor, J. S. Mayfield, R. Bache, James Love, Wm. L. Hunter, John D. Anderson, Isaac Parker, P. O. Lumpkin, Francis Moore, Jr., Isaac W. Brashear, Alexander McGowan, Isaac Van Zandt, S. Holland, Edward Clark, Geo. W. Smyth, James Armstrong, Francis W. White, James Davis, George T. Wood, G. W. Wright, H. R. Latimer, John M. Lewis, James Scott, Archibald McNeill, A. C. Horton, Israel Standifer, Jos. L. Hogg, Chas. S. Taylor, David Gage, Henry S. Jewett, Cavitt Armstrong, James Bower, Albert H. Latimer, Wm. C. Young, J. Pinckney Henderson, Nicholas H. Darnell, Emery Rains, A. W. O. Hicks, James M. Burroughs, H. L. Kinney, William L. Cazenan, A. S. Cunningham, Abner S. Lipscomb, John Hemphill, Van. R. Irion.

"I certify the foregoing is a correct copy of the ordinance as adopted and signed by the members of the convention on yesterday, July 4, 1845.

"SIR: Since my note of yesterday, the enclosed resolution of the convention has been handed to me. It is but a repetition of the application heretofore made by the existing government of Texas, for the occupation of her frontier with our troops.

"I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

"SIR: By order of the convention, I have the honor herewith to

transmit to your excellency the enclosed copy of a resolution adopted by the honorable convention this day.

"Very respectfully, your excellency's most obedient servant,

"His Excellency A. J. DONELSON,

"TH. J. RUSK, President.

"Chargé d'Affaires of the United States, &c. &c."

RESOLUTION

Relative to the Introduction of the United States Forces into Texas.

"Be it resolved by the Deputies of the People in Convention assembled, That the president of the United States of America is hereby authorized and requested to occupy and establish posts, without delay, upon the frontier and exposed positions of this republic; and to introduce for such purpose, and defence of the territory and people of Texas, such forces as may be necessary and advisable for the same.

"Adopted in convention, at the city of Austin, Republic of Texas, July 7, 1845.

"The executive herewith respectfully transmits to your honorable body, for its constitutional advice and action, the 'conditions preliminary to a treaty of peace between Mexico and Texas,' signed on the part of the former at the city of Mexico, on the 19th of May ultimo, together with an additional declaration made by the government of Mexico of the same date, in connection with those conditions.

"The correspondence connected with the above is also transmitted for the information of the senate.