The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-10-16

The preservation Of this territory ID secordin
10 our instructions condition sine qas ass Q
peace. Sentiments Of honor and deiicac,
(Which your noble character will cause you 4
estimate property more than calculation o
interest prevent our Government from consent
ing to the diamemberment Of New Mexico. o.
this point we believe II to be superfu0us to adj
anything to what we have already stated to yo'
In our conferences.
The cession of Lower California, little prof
table to North America, offers great smbarrass
ments, considering the position of that PENN
sula, opposite our coasts of Sonora, from which
it is separated by the Gulf Of Cortes.
You have given to our observations on thi
subject their true value, and we have lesrne<
with satisfaction that you have been convinced
by them.
Besides the preservation of Lower Caiiforni,
II would DO necessary for Mexico to retain por
ton of the Upper; otherwise, that peninsul,
would remain without land commun caton with
the remainder Of the Republic, which would al
ways be great embarrassment, especially fol
non maritime power such az il Mexico. ThS
cession Of the part Of Upper California Offered
by our government flor the compensation will
not bring to the United States merely fertile
lands and intact mineral wealth but presents
the advantage Of an uninterrupted communities
ton with its territories of Oregon. The wis.,
dom Of the government of Washington, and the
energy Of the American people, will know how
TO draw abundant fruits from the acquisition
which we now offer them.
In Art Of your project, the concession of a
free passage by the lsthmus Of Tahuantepec to
the southern sea is claimed in favsr of the North
Americans. We have verbally stated to you
that some years have elapsed since the govern
ment gave privilege Of this kind to particu-
lar individual, who afterwards transferred il
with the authority Of the same government to
English subjects, Of whose rights Mexico cannot
dispose. You will not complain, therefore; that
in this point we cannot sccede to the desires of
your government.
We have entered into this ingenious explana-
ton of the motives of the republic for not cedng
all the territory beyond the boundaries Of Texas
which is required Of it, because we desire that
the government ana North American people
should be convinced that our partial negative
does not proceed from sentiments Of aversion
generated by the events of this war, or by what
il has caused Mexico to suffer, but only from
considerations dictated by reason and Justice;
and which would equally influence il at any
time with the most friendly people, and in the
midst Of relations of the strictest amty. The
other alterations which you will find in our
counter project are Of less importance, and we
believe that to them you will find no important
objection. The contents Of Art. IL have been
already spoken of in your country; we hattsr
ourselves that your government will not refuse
to contract an obligation so eonformable to hon.
or, and to the harmony in which two neighbor-
ing people should live.
Peace between the two countries will be most
soemnly established, if a foreign power Eng
land, which has in the present contest so nobly
interposed it's good Offices, would now consent
to guaranty the faithful observance of the treaty
which may be entered into. The government
of Mexico understands that il would be conve-
nient to solicit this guarantee.
Our government has commanded US to recon-
mend 10 you that your decision upon the coun-
ter project which We have the honor TO submit
to you should DO communicated within three
days.
The salutary work Of peace cannot, in our
opinion, come to happy termination, if each
one Of the contending parties should not resolve
TO abandon some of its original pretsnsions.
This has in all cases happened, and all nations
have not hesitatsd i'm such cases to make great
sacrifices to extinguish the desolating flame of
war. Mexico and the United States have espe-
cial reasons for acting in this manner. Not
without sorrow ought We to confess that we are
giving TO humanity the scandalous example OF
two Christian people, of two Republics, in the
view of all the monarchies, who, for a dispute
concerning boundaries, mutually do themselves
all the injury that is possible, when We have
more land than is sufficient to populate and Gull
tivate in the beautiful hemisphere in which Pro-
violence has cast our lot. We venture to recon-
mend these considerations TO your Excellency
before you may take any de6nitive resolution oil
our propositions. We do ourselves the honor tC
offer to you our attention and respect.
[Signedl JOSE JOAQUIN DE HERRERA
| BERNARDO COUTO,
lGNACIO MORA Y V1LLAMIL,
MIGUEL ATRISTAIN.