The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-03-10

matters of so much importance at these times, that
We copy it entire:
WASHINGTON Feb. %, 1915
The Presidents message to the Senate, commune
eating the treaty and the accompanying documents,
is brief and pertinent. For once he eschews elab-
Grafton and comes to the point because the subject
Is tender one. He tells his constitutional advisers
that he did not anticipate negotiation on the part
OF MI Irlst, whose authority revoked, but " he
has done so. and, therefore. he adopts it, This
preface and a recommendation that the Senate do
not raliy the tenth article of the treaty, with his
reasons ior the same, make up the total of the
message.
The tenth article was principally the subject of
my last letter, but recur to it again. for sufficient
reasons 1t provides that all empresario coonizng
grants made by Mexico in Texas prior to the Sd of
March, 1886, shall be guaranteed and confirmed by
the United States and that where the qualification
OF occupation exists, which was prevented by the
difficulties between Texas and Mexico, that the
period asst gned for the exchange of notifications
shall be allowed the gHlnters for initiating set
Element.
This provision extends also to grants made in the
ceded territory anterior to 18th o9 May, 1916.
The President draws what appears, to my view,
to be a Just distinction between the two cases. In
that of Texas, he contends that she became annexed
to the United States an independent Governments
and, therefore, that, State of the confederacy
her public lands are subject to her own disposal
The General Government has no right to interfere
Ii these litigaed claims existed, involving the in
terests Of third parties, they should have been ad
Justed with Texas, naton-they cannot be
through the agency of the United States
In the other case, the territory to he acquired Is
eeded under certain limitations, and it is our pro-
vince to accept or to decline them. The guaranty
is 4 useless appendage, because in the other two
cases OF The acquisition of territory, the Supreme
Court and the public authorities hayS always recog-
nized valid grants of land and confirmed them. If
any one principle of public policy is settled firmly,
it is, that the General Government has no power to
interpose between the sovereignty of State and
its domain
From the objections OF the President as well as
from the embarrassment Of ple}ging the Govern
ment to contract which it cannot execute, am
inclined to believe, this exceptionable article will
be expunged, and the treaty returned to Mexico
thus amended. Orperfaps a more polite course
may be pursued and the treaty be ratified, with a
resolution of reservation, that unless Mexico, after
full understanding of the difficulties, shall volun-
tarily recede from this embarrassing feature, the
ratification shall be null and void. The President
declares in his message that Mr.. Trist had no an
thority in any of his Instructions for the insertion OF
such an article, and my understanding Of them fully
warrants this declaration.
In his letter to Mr.. Buchanan, communicating
the treaty, Mr.. Trist does not seem to apprehend
such contingency the of any of its pro-
visions. He merely expresses the belief that when
the members are elected from Puebla and Vera
Cruz, the treaty, it stands will be ratified by
decided majority of the Mexican Congress.
The message and accompanying papers make up
very respectable public document in dimensions.
1t contains the instructions to MIR. SEdell, and the
different instructions to Mr.. Tfist, the crcum-
stances altered Or the battles progressed. From Mr.
Trst himself there is but lean account. One letter
to confidential friend" in Queretaro, whose
name is suppressed, upon which this last negotias
ton was predicated-one to Mr.. Buchanan In an
to his second recall, and the last note accom-
panying the treaty, in which he promises an extern
ded account of the correspondence connected with
each article and which he had 60 not time to copy
or to have copied before the starting of the courier,
but which is to be transmitted by the next train or
opportunity. His audation of Mr.. Freaner, Mus
tangD however well deserved, is the most extrava-
CANT production ever saw. So too with all his
pondence-there is an effort at high sounding
phrases, and parade of formidable sentences that
must have been vastly amusing to the diplomatic
ears and eyes at Queretaro. Our Ambassador is
truly an extraordinary one and is most certainly
little damaged in the upper story. as the public will
ere long
The original instructions to Mr.. Slidell and in
cllded in those to Mr.. Trist, which, | have re-
marked, were varied from time to time, authorized
him to negotiate for the acquisition of Upper and
Lower California and New Mexico, with the prv-
ege of the ght of way across the lsthmus of Ie-
huantepec, for thirty millions of dollars for Upper
California, New Mexico, and this vast right twenty
five millions; for Upper California and New Mex
leo, WITHOUT lLe flgnL, twenty uuiullS DuuHu-
airy of the Rio Grande being included In each OF
these acquisitions. There was also Instruction. Ii
better could not be done, to negotiate for the Rio
Grande to its head waters, for consideration of
five millions.
In those days, the Administration had great anx-
iety for peace-much more so than their policy OF
late has Indicated for Mr.. I'rlst was authorized to
contract with any sort of q Government that he
could find. The frequency of revolution is as
signed as the cause for this course MIR. Buchanan
instructed HIM, III SO many words, IT the Conslltu-
ton of 1924 is subverted and the Government
seized by military Dictator, that he is authorized
to receive and recognize his signature to the treaty
as the act of the proper authority
1t appears from the papers that after every battle
there was some new attempt made at negotiation.
Shortly subsequent to the nstalment OF the army III
the capital Mr. Trist on the Goth of September
resumed a correspondence, previously interrupted,
with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, for the ap-
pointment of Commission On the 3lst of Octo-
Der, NJ. De La Rosa writes to Mr. Irst that, with
every desire for peace, he doubts II any good results
can be accomplished. On the 22d Of November,
NJ. Pena y Pena, then Secretary of Foreign Affairs,
reviews the past proceedings and correspondence
with WI. De La Hosa, in reference to the appoint
ment of Commissioners, and states that NJ Herrera
and another, who hao previously been engaged in
frutess efforts at negotiation could not act-one on
account of sickness, and the other for some equally
urgent reason. He, however, names their substi-
tntes, and apprses Mr.. Trist that as they live at
considerable distances it will require some time to
assemble them. On the 25th of November Mr.
l'rlst notifies NJ Pepa Pena Of the revocation of
hls authority as Commissioner, and of his purpose
to return to the United States He regrets that his
efforts have been in vain, but indicates that any
communication containing oyertures for peace may
be addressed to him or 10 Gen Scott and that they
will be submitted to the Government at Washington
On the 9th of November. Mr.. Trist writes to
Mr. Buchanan, in to his last letter of recall,
for there We're two, one on the 9th of October af
ter the publication OF the proceedings at Tacubaya
in the Vera Cruz papers, and the other on the 2lst
of the same month"; in which he broadly informs
the Secretary that at some future time he may find
leisure to review the Presidents opinion as to his
conduct, in agreeing to refer the Mexican PROPOSE
ton of the boundary of the Nueces to his Govern
ment, and that he had yet to learn that the mere
reference eas in any way criminal proceeding
He disclams all personal sensibility upon the SUBJ
jeet but still argues his point Justify, man who
felt more than be expressed, free as is his language
This note is feature in the history OF diplomacy,
and for its arcical consequence and dlsdain Of Ex
ecrtiye interference is unsurpassed in cool compa-