The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-19
MEXICO.-No. 9.
For the Union.

| For the Union
MEXICO.-No. 8.
| The convention between the United States and
Mexico, signed on the 4th April, 1885, the ratifca-
tons Of which were exchanged on the 9Th April,
1910, opens new chapter in the history Of the re-
latons between the two governments. This chapter,
though furnishing new details and presenting new
evidences of wrong and contumey, yet exhibits the
same general characteristics which have marked eve
ry part of the conduct of Mexico.
On the 10th July, ls4l, the President, in compli-
ance with resolution of the Senate transmitted to
that body message, conveying the information in
his possession to the progress and actual condi-
ton of the commission then in session under this
convention. 1t covers report Of the American
members Of the board the Secretary of State, un-
der date of the Goth May, lS41. This report, made
by Gov. Marcy and Judge Rowan, the commission
the part of the United States discloses many
facts which it is important to notice in the discus
sion we have undertaken.
The third article of the convention provided that
the board should meet in the city of Washington
within three months after the exchange of ratifca-
tons, and within eighteen months from the time of
it's meeting, should terminate its duties. The Sec
rotary of State required to give notice of the
time of meeting in two or more newspapers. The
day appointed for the meeting the 9th July,
| 1910. The American members having met, and hav-
ing waited until the 25th of that month without
either they the Department of State receiving any
information as to the Mexican members, or when
they expected to arrive, they adjourned till the
| 18th August. In the mean time the Mexican gen.
tlemen had arrived; the board met and week was
consumed in overcoming the preliminary difficulties
started by these members of the board. Another
obstacle was Immediately after presented from the
same quarter, deeply involving the interests of the
claimants and the fundamental principles of justice
The Mexican commissioners SHIELD that the two
governments were to be regarded the tgant par
ties before the board and denied to the claimants all
access to it, in person by their agents. and even
the right to present. transmit directly to it, any
paper, document, or written proofs; and they con-
sequently objected to and voted against every rule
or regulation that proposed to give to- recognise
n the claimants, the rghto appear before the board,
or to address any communication to it. These
views the undersigned considered to be erroneous,
and they believed that the adoption of them would
be very preudcia If not entirely destructive, to the
interests of the COMPLIMENTS"
| The discussion of the matter continued from the
organization of the board in August, until the sew
cnh of October following, when all prospects Of an
agreement being abandoned, and the question not
being one which the convention permitted to be re-
ferred to the umpire, the American commissioners
yielded, as the only means of preventing the object
Of the board being frustrated. In consequence of
these delays the 23d of December passed without
the parties, whose claims to be investigated and
adjudged, having received any notification of the
manner in which their cases were to be presented,
or the proceedings of the board to be conducted.
More than four months of the eighteen limited for
the existence of the board were thus wasted without
making the smallest progress in the business in
trusted to it.
In consequence of vacancy created by the resig-
nation of Judge Rowan as member of the board,
Judge H. M. Breckenridge was appointed to supply
the vacancy; and on the 23d April, 1842, having
closed their sessions, they transmitted to the State
Department report of their proceedings. This re-
port exhibits, in part, the means employed by the
Mexican functionaries to delay the decision of
causes pervert the ends justice, and the audaci
ty with which they put at defiance even the SEM
blance of impartality and fairness The board ex-
pred by the terms of the convention which created
it, without disposng of the business for the adjust
ment of which it had been organized, on the 25th
February, 1912 Messrs. Marcy and Breckenridge
expressly declare that Ito the long delay in the first
place, in determining upon any mode whatever by
which the business could be conducted, and then to
the indirect and circuitous manner to which the
claimants were eventually obliged to resort for the
purpose Of getting their papers and documents be-
fore the commissioners, is in our opinion to be as
cribed, in some measure the failure Of the commits
sion to examine all the before it, and to pre-
sent them to the umpire in season for his decision
thereon.
Many of the cases presented to the board in suff-
cent time to have been finally acted upon, were sus-
pended some of them at the instance Of our Mexi-
lcan associates for the purpose of getting documents
from Mexico" "ln one important case, the requi-
sitions for documents not forwarded by the
Mexican government, and for want of them, being
such as we believed Mexico was bound, under the
convention, to furnish the case not submitted
to the umpire, and in our opinion could not have
BEEN without eoparding the right of the parties in
terested in the claim"
In consequence of the delays and embarrassments
thus interposed large majority of the claims
not finally passed upon by the board, and the UNI
fortunate claimants whose were thus left unde-
cided have already waited another three Years, with
out any effective steps being taken to bring their
affairs to settlement.
Two circumstances are adverted to by the Ameri-
can commissioners, which peculiarly merit notice,
as illustrative of the principles which Mexico
brought into this investigation and the high-handed
course with which her officers conducted themselves
The first that will be alluded to, though more par
ticularly associated with individual case, yet, in
some of the points most deserving ofreprobation
was by no means an insulated one
An American citizen who had been resident