The New York herald., 1845-12-03

tions which had been suspended in March last and
for that purpose were willing 10 accredit minister
! from the United States. With sincere desire to
preserve peace, and restore relations of good un-
derstanding between the two republics, waived all
! ceremony as TO the manner OF renewing diplomatic
intercourse between them and assuming the ini-
tiative on the tenth OF November distinguished
citizen OF Louisiana was appointed Envoy Extra
| ordinary and Minister Penipotentary 10 Mexico,
clothed with full powers to adjust, and dstnltlvely
settle, all pending differences between the two
countries, including those of boundary between
Mexico and the State OF Texas. The minister ap-
pointed has set out on his mission, and ls probably
BY this time near the Mexican capital. He has
been instructed to bring the negotiation with which
he Is charged TO conclusion at the earliest prac
ticable period; which, 1t is expected, will be in
| time TO enable me to conmun,cat the result TO
Congress during the present session. Until that re-
suit is known, forbear TO recommend to Congress
such ulterior measures of redress for the wrongs
and injuries we have SO long borne, as 1t would
have been proper to make had no such negotiation
been instituted
Congress appropriated, at the last session, the
sum ftwo hundred and seventy-ive thousand dol
lars for the payment Of the April and July install
ments of the Mexican lndemnlties for the year
1874 provided It shall be ascertaned to the satls
faction Of the American government that said in
stalments have been paid by The Mexican govern
ment TO the agent appointed by the United States to
receive the same, in such manner as to discharge
| all claim on the Mexican government, and said
agent to be delinquent in remtng the money TO the
United States"
The unsettled state of our relations with Mexico
has involved this subject in muck mystery. The first
information, in al authentic torn, from the agent
OF the United States, appointed under the admins
tratlon OF my predecessor, was received at the State
Department n the ninth of November last This is
contained in letter. dated the seventeenth Of Oc-
tober addressed by HIM to one OF our citizens then
in Mexico, with the view of having il communi-
Gated to that department From tins it appears that
the agent, the twentieth of September, 1914, gave
a receipt to the Treasury of Mexico for the amount
of the April and July instalments OF the indemnity
n q 10
that he had not received single dollar in cash. but
that he holds such securities as warranted him at
the time IN giving the receipt and eniertans
no doubt bat that he will eventually OBJ
tain the money. As these lnstalments ap-
pear never to have been actually paid by the
government OF Mexico to the agent, and as that
discharge the claim, do not feel myself warranted
in directing payment to be made to the claimants
out of the treasury, without further legislation.
Their case is undoubtedly one of much hardship
and 1t remains for Congress to decide whether any,
and what, relief, ought to be granted to them Our
Minister to Mexico has been instructed to ascertain
the facts OF the case from the Mexican government
in an authentic and official form, and report the
suit with as little delay as possible.
My attention was early directed to the negotia-
ton, which, on the fourth of March last, I found
pending at Washington between the United States
aud Great Britain on the subject OF the Oregon ter
ritory. Three several attempts had been previously
made to settle the questions in dispute between the
two countries, by negotiation, upon the principle OF
compromise but each had proved unsuccessful
These negotiations took place at London, in the
years 1918, 1921 and 1926 the two first under the
administration of Mr.: Monroe, and the last under
that OF Mr.. Adams. The negotiation of 1918 having
failed to accomplish its object, resulted in the
vention Of the twentieth of October Of that year BY
the third article OF that convention, It was agreed
that any country that may be claimed by either
party on the northwest coast of America, westward
OF the Stony mountains, shall, together with its har-
bors, bays and creeks, and the navigation of all
rivers within the same, be free and open for the
. Of from the date ut the nj
the present convention to the vessels, citizens and
subjects of the two Powers; it being well under
stood. that this agreement is not to be construed to
the prejudice OF any claim which either Ot the two
high contracting pal ties may have to any part OF The
SAID country nor stall it be taken to affect the
claims OF any other Power or State to any part of the
said country; the only Object of the high contract
ing parties in that respect being, To prevent disputes
! and differences among themselves"
The negotiation of 1924 was productive of no
suit and the convention of 1918 was left unchanged
{ The negotiation OF 1926. having also failed to
effect adjustment by compromise, resulted in the
convention of August the sixth, 1921 by which it
was agreed TO continue In force tor lnde hnlte
period, the provisions OF the third article OF the con
vention Of the twentieth OF October, 1878; and Ii
was further provided, that it shall be competent,
however, to either OF the contracting partles in
case either should think fit, at any time after the
twentieth day Of October, 1923, giving due notice
of twelve months to the ether contracting party 10
annu and abrogae thus convention and It shall. in
such case, be accordingly entirely annued and ab
rogated after the expiration OF the said term OF
notice" In these attempts tu adjust the controver
sy the parallel OF the 49th degree Of north latitude
had been offered by the United States 10 Great Br
tain, and in those of 1918 and 1926 with further
concession of the free gation OF the Columbia
river south OF that Latitude The parallel OF the forty
ninth degree, from the Rocky Mountains 10 its in
tersectlon with the northeasernmost branch OF the
Columba, and thence down the channel OF that river
TO the sea, had been offered by Great Britain, with
an addition OF a small detached territory north Of
the Columbia Each OF these propositions had been
rejected bv the rites respeCtIvey,
In Oct.lsi3, the Envov Extraordinary and Minister
Pieulpotentlary of The United States IN London
authorized to make similar offer to those made in
1918 and 1926 Thus stood the question, when the
negotiation was shortly afterwards transferred to
washington; and, on the twenty-third OF August,
lsi4, was formally opened, under the direction OF
my immediate predecessor. Like all the previous
gotations, it was based upon principles oi " COM
promise = and the avowed purpose OF the parties
was, " to treat Of the respective claims of the two
countries to the Oregon territory, with the view to
establish permanent boundary between them west
ward Of the Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean" ,"
Accordingly, on the twenty-slxh OF August, 1874,
the British Plenlpotentlary offered to DIVIDE me
Oregon territory by the forty ninth parallel of north
latitude, from the Rocky mountains To the point OF
its intersection with the north easternmost branch
OF the Columbia river, and thence down that river
to the sea leaving the free navigation OF the river to
be enjoyed IN common by both partIes-the country
south OF this line to belong the United Sates and
that north OF 1t II Great Britain. AT the time.
he proposed, IN addition, to yield TO the United
States detached territory, north of the Columbia,
extending along the Pacific and the Straits OF Fuca
from Bulfnch's harbor inclusive, to Hoods canal,
and to make tree ts the u States any port or ports
south o'.latitude forty-nine degrees, which they
might desire, either on the main land, or on Quad
ra and Vancouver's island With the exception OF
the tree ports this was the same offer which had
been made by the British and rejected by the Anne
rlcan government in the negotiation Of 1926. This
proposition was properly rejected by the American
plenlGotentlary on the day 1t was submitted. This
was the only proposition Of compromise offered by
the British PARLIAMENTARY. The proposition the
part OF Great Britain having been rejected, the Bfi-
ush plenpotentary requested that proposal should
be made by the United States for A" on equitable ad-
jusment OF the question"
When | came into office. found this to be the
state Ui the negotiation. Thouph entertaining the