Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-08-20
From the New Orleans Picayune, Aug l2,h.

morning the report of the committee on For
eign Relations of the Mexican Congress, to
which had been referred Mr.. Buchanan's late
letter to that Government The document is
full of importance as ex pressive of the feel
ings and views of the Mexican Congress and
nation. In endeavoring to adhere closely to
the original we are apprehensive lest the re-
port should be deemed somewhat obscure to
hasty reader. Thoughtfully pondered, how
ever. it will be found lucid, condensed and
most significant exposition of the views OF a
majority of the Mexican Congress and nation
We translate it from FL Nacional, published
at Atllsco, town at present the capital OF the
State of Puebla. The authors of the report
are Senores Otero and Lafragua The former
has but recently broke off his connection with
FL Republic no as the principal editor being ur-
willing to write under any arbitrary restrictions;
Lafragua has before this, if we are not mista-
ken, filled the Office of Secretary of State. The
report is directed to the Secretary of Congress:
Committee Room of the Sovereign Constituent
Mexican Congress:
Sir-The ma ority of the Committee on
Foreign Relations deem it not improper TO
present their report with the promptitude which
the Chamber has thought fit to allow, as we'll
because the legal question involved appears
to be perfectly clear, as because the same sub
iect has for long time been the object of their
mediations, and also of the debates of the ma
tional representation.
In the Judgment of the Committee our fun
damental code is perfectly clear in this part of
it. The 10th article of the constitution pla-
ces among the powers of the executive author
ity of the Union that of directing diplomatic
negotiations and concluding treaties of peace,
friendship alliance, truce, federation, armed
neutrality, commerce, and every other kind
whatsoever; but it says that to grant or re-ls-
sue the ratification of any one of these the ap-
probation of the General Congress must first be
obtained. The executive power is also ex-
elusive, according to the 18th number of the
same article, to receive ministers and other
agents of foreign powers.
| These articles prove in a manner incontro-
verbally that by our constitutional laws as
among other civilized nations, the direction Of
foreign relations is entrusted exclusively to
the executive: but without comforting on it
, the power TO conclude any thing defnitively,
or to bind the nation to any thing, without the
consent of the legislative body The same
federal constitution places among the powers
of Congress, that of ''approving treaties of
peace, of alliance, of friendship, of federation,
of armed neutrality, and every other kind what
soever which the President of the United
E [Mexicanl States may conclude with foreign
powers"
! From all this we come TO the conclusion
: that Congress does not possess the power tc
/. entertain, and cannot rightfully entertain the
= communication which the Government of the
;, United States has transmitted with view tC
/; entering into negotiations for peace, and offer
!; ing to name minister for this purpose. And
g. if this opinion appeared to US sound according
:. to the federal constitution when promulg gated
as provisional code, and even since Congress
e has acquired an augmentation of powers grant
8 ell to it by the sc Plan of the Citadel" and the
"Convocatoria; now that the nation is def
g nitely constituted; or possesses definite
constitution-esta defnit,ramente const,tulda
# now that one of the articles of the act of a
}, mendments declares expressly that "the pow
S ers of the Union are all derived from the con
S sttution, and are limited to the Simple exercise
+ of the faculties expressly designated in it
j. now that all public powers must be measured
) by it in the most rigorous manner, we can fine
Y no possible objection to our opinion, for any
! other opinion whatever would involve vic
J, lation of the pact to which we have sworn.
>, Nevertheless we are not blind to the fac
u that instead of being political theory, it ha
d been sentiment of the purest, noblest patrio
: tism in its origin, which has interposed SO ma
ny difficulties in order that upon subject Q
IS so vast importance that course should be strict
ly followed which the commands of the con
d stitution so distinctly mark out Congress
IS as the faithful representative of the wishes o
: the people, who have been outraged by tn
m most unjust of all aggressions and are deter
1T mined not to consent that an ignominious trea
lie ty should secure to our neighbors the posses
g sion of the territory usurped by them, an
with it the dominion of this continent-termi
Mt mating at the same time our political existenc
a. in manner which would not even enttle u
le to the compassion of the other people-[Con
h, gressl has uniformly opposed every thin
a. which should seem to open the way for
peace, which would at this day be very igno
minious, and it has exercised the most jealou
care and precauton to prevent even the reno
N test danger of such disaster.
The committee participate in these feelings
and would only observe that this constitution
e' al power conferred upon the executive cannt
- be assailed by us, nor does it afford occasio
~. for we'll founded alarm, nor in fine is it poss
7" BILE that Congress should itself discharge tn
duty. The management of diplomatic negt
. tiations demands such reserve, so much di
. cusson, and activity so we'll timed, syste
OF designs SO well prosecuted, ln2t II WOu
:. be impossible to carry them on with certaint
~ if their management were entrusted to nj
th merous body. The policy of all nations col
~: u: firms this truth, and there is No doubt tn
!" Congress itself renounced the power of neg
!. tiation when in amending our original const
nc tutional pact, it determined that there shou
" be no alteration in the provisions we have {
- ted, and left them to stand as they were.
- On the other hand, in perfect consistent
~ with these provisions, the executive can Co
"'' clude nothing defnitively, it possesses
IA authority to consummate any arrangeme
~, ~ which shall be binding upon the Repubi
for and Congress very we'll knows that the ex
~ cutiye, even in the exercise of it's constitutio
~ al exclusive faculties, under representat
b;o system finds itself constrained to pursue SUI
~ course as may be designated by public OPT
~, ion and the legislative body. In the positi'
NV truly strong and respectable which our cons
ny -, tuition gives to Congress, it possesses abun
bo ant peaceful and legal resources, without e
a, cae6ng it's duties, to insure the interests
~. the nation in whatever manner they may
~ compromised.
Tho For these reasons, therefore, the ma jority
h. the committee cannot propose any other cour
TX than to return to the Government the despatc
re- and if this report appears subscribed by on
two members of the committee, it should
,,r borne in mind that our associate Sr. Ceballt
who worthiIy presides over the committee, b
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