TEXAS. Previously to the revolution which se cured the independence of Mexico, Texas formed one of the internal provinces (Provincias Interims) of New-Spain, which, with the adjoining province of Coahuila, constituted an important part of the intendancy of San Luis Potosi. This sub-division of New•Spain, then so called, comprehended the provinces of New-Santander, San Luis Potosi, New-Leon, Coahuila, and a large portion of New Mexico. Thus stood the territorial limits of this part of Mexico when the government of that repub lic was organized. In 1822, this vast territory was, by a special act of the Mexican congress, divided into three distinct states, whose governments, re spectively, were modelled in strict conformity to the federal constitution, then recently adopted. The states thus erected, were severally denominated, New-Leon, San Luis Potosi, and the Interior of the East. The two former retained their provin cial names and limits unchanged,—the other em braced the provinces of New-Santander, Coahuila, and Texas. The great extent of the latter state, and the consequent difficulty of administering its internal affairs, soon rendered fresh changes neces sary, and in 1824, the province of New-Santander was detached from this unwieldy member of the confederacy, and formed into an independent state, under the title of " Tamaulipas." The remaining provinces were at the same time united and erected into the state of "Coahuila and Texas." By the law which fixed the limits of these states, a consi derable portion of Coahuila was annexed to the ter ritory of Santa Fe, or New-Mexico.
No important change in the civil divisions of these states has since been made.
Having thus briefly traced the boundaries of this part of Mexico, as they existed at different periods, we shall proceed to define the limits of Texas pro pel-, as they are at present known and recognised, by the Mexican government on the one hand, and that of the United States on the other.
Texas, the easternmost province of the state of Coahuila and Texas, is situated between the 27° and 35° of north latitude, and 16° and 26° of west longitude from Washington city, or 93° and 103° west of Greenwich. Bounded on the north by the
United States territory of Arkansas and district of Ozark, from which it is separated by Red river; east by the state of Louisiana; south by the Gull' of Mexico and state of Tamaulipas, and west by the state of Chihuahua, the province of Coahuila, and territory of Santa Fe, formerly New-Mexico., The general outline of Texas may be thus described— length on the gulf coast, from the mouth of the Sabine to that of the Nueces, the south west limit of the province, 260 miles—up the Nueces to its source, 350—along the ridge which separates the waters of Rio Bravo from those of the Brazos, Co lorado, Sz.e. to its termination on Red river, 430— down Red river to a point due north of the western boundary of Louisiana, due south, and along with that boundary to the Sabine, where it is intersected by the 32° of north latitude, 60—and down the Sabine to the place of beginning, 220 miles, making an entire outline of 1620 miles. The area of Texas, within the above described limits, as deduced from careful computation by re ticulated lines, is 179,200 square miles, and is equal in extent to the states of Louisiana, Missis sippi, Alabama, and South Carolina.
If we regard Texas as extending to the Rio Bravo, as erroneously represented by some of the old maps, its entire area would be increased to about 330,000 square miles, and would present an aggregate superficies, equal to the states of Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, in addition to those above enumerated. Such an extension, however, is not warranted by any act either of the government of Mexico or that of the mother coun try. It would embrace two-thirds of Coahuila, which forms a distinct province of the state; nearly one-half of Tamaulipas; about one-third of the state of Chihuahua, and a large portion of the territory of Santa Fe.