Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-10-20
NUMBER 81,

proposition, in his territorial demands, and
that on. this point the only immediataa diff.
ference was upon the cession Of New
Mexico Mr.. Trist, according to the Mex
lean commissioners, being willing to re-
Icede from his demand Of the Calafornias
below The 9th parallel Of latitude, and al
SO expressing willingness 10 refer to his
EGoyernment the difference in relation to
the territory between the Nueces and tho
Rio Grande. The reader will obserye,on
a perusal of one of the communications of
ttke Mexican commissioners, that It .avss q
wish Of their Government to make it .
condition of the treaty, that the British
Government should guarantee its fulfil
ment. This was certainly singular prop
osition, and was Of itself sufficient to ter.
inmate the negotiations, if it was the only
point Of difference, and was insisted OH.
House OF ALrARo, Avenue Chapultepec,
September s, lS47.
To his Ereeilency Don Nicholas Tist,
Commissioner rith tuH Pouers, neur the
Republic of .Nsuico. -,
The undersigned commissioners on the
per: of the Republic of Mexico, to concert
with your Excelsncy treaty Of peace,
in placing in your hands the counter pro-
ject which has been drawn up in copfor-
nifty with The last Instructions OF their
Government, deem it proper to accompa-
ny them with the observations contained
in this note, which will serve to place in
a clear light the dispositions OF Mexico in
this contest, which unfortunately divides
the two countries. The article No. 4, Of
the proposition which y.ur Excellency
submitted TO us on the 9th of August, and
on which all our subsequent conferences !
were based, demands the cession on the
part of Mexico: first, of the State OF Tex
as; secondly, Of the territory beyond the
limits OF said State which runs on the left
bank OF the Rio Grande 10 the southern
boundary of New Mexico; hirdly,ail New
Mexico, and tonMIy The Two Caiaiornias.
The war whicI, now exists has been un-
dcr,sken only on account OF the territory
OF the State OF Texas, 10 which the Repub-r
lie OF North America presents as title,
the act OF that State, by which it annexes
itself to the North American con:eiera-.
ton, after having declared It's independ-
ence of Mexico.
The Mexican Republic having express
Ell lis ses.d:as ss. we haze ,nani!s sted to
your Excellency ioconsent TO the preten-
sions OF the Government at Washington
in regard to the territory OF lexas, provid-
ed due decentralization be made, the
cause OF the war has disappeared, and it
ought therefore TO cease, as there is no
longer any ground Tor its continuation
Aud to the other territory comprised in ar
tlcle No. Of your proposition, no right
Or title has SO far been alleged by the Re
public of North ameeica, nor do we think
it possible tibet any can be made. The
United States could not therefore acquire
those territories, except by the right Of
conquest, or by cession or sale made
now by Mexico. But as We are persuad:
ed that the Republic Of Washington would
not only absolutely repel, bu. would hold
in odlum the first Of these titles, and, as
on the othe, hand it would be new apd
contrary 10 all ideas OF justice 10 carry on
war against notion, only for the reason
that it refused TO sell the territory which
a neIshbor wishes to buy, We hope, from
the Justice IF HE Government and people
o! lie United Sales, tha' the ample modi-
ications which we haye to propose to the
ces>ions OF territory (eHcept the State Of
Texas) winch are claimed in the above
laned article No. 4, will leave no motive
for the continuing OF the war, which the
orlhy general OF the troops OF the United
States has JUS! y termed unnatural.
In our conferences we have represented
TO your ENceIIenry that Mexico cannot
give the land which lies between the Rio
Gfande and the Nueces The reason for
this is not Gully HE certainty that this ter
riory has never formed part OF Texas,
although. Iii itself, it is ofvery little value,
but also that this tract Of land, with the
Rio Granae, form. the natu, al boundary Of
Mexico, both i'll military and commercial
points OF view; AMI II canilOt be expected,
nor could any nation consent to give ITS na-
turcl boundary. But to remov. any causes
OF difficulties for the future, the govern-
lHent Of Mexico agrees not to establish any
new settlements or colonies IN the space
between the Two MYERS; - that cohIifiune
destitute Of pnpnlA,ion. as Ii now is, it viii
offer equal security to IiIe two Republics.
The CONSERVATION Of this terri tory is ac-
cordlug to our Instructions a coalition sine
qua mon OF peace. Sentiments OF honor
and dejlc4cy, which the noble character If
your txce:iency will know h"w TO appre-
ciates. as we'll as motives Of interest, pre-
vent our government from cohseiltins to
the dlsmembtrnent o! New Mexico. Wa
deem It unnecessary 10 say more On this
point than we have said in our discussion.
The cession OF Lower California. of We.
ny little value t" the Republic of North
America, offers great embarrassmenis to
Mexico, considering The position of this
penihsula IN front Of our coast q! Sonora.
from which it is separated by the straits Of
Cortez. Your ExceIlency has attached
due importance to our observations on this
| subject, aud with satisfaction, we have seen
that you yield to them. The fact thu,
Mexico would keep Lower California is
sufficient to render 1t indispensable to keer,