The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-02-16

OF Power aud Violation Of the
Constitution by James X. Polk.
The secret history Of the Mexican
War and of the events leading to it has
not yet been written in full. Each day that
passes brings to light some new subject
to tax the public credulity, to excite pub
lie curiosity and to FIRE public Indignation.
Just now, at the instance of Mr.. STE
PHENs, noticed by us last week the House
Of Representatives have exiorted from
the President another confession of an
assumption of power which MOnarchs a.
lone can exercise. Dangerous, indeed,
will it be for Constitutional Liberty,
should the high handed usurpations Of
the present Executive be taken as pre-
cedents; for which all the acquisition OF
Territory, all the Gold Of California, will
prove but poor equivalent-the Mexr
can War, commenced by an Executive
usurpation ofpower and marked through
out by repeated violations Of the written
Constitution of the country, though it has
added lustre to our arms, territory to our
widely extended Domains and gold to
our Golfers, will inevitably lead to the
downfall of The Republic, unless the sa.
gacity, the prudence and the simplicity of
the President elect will be able, through
the assistance of wise counselors, to mark
an era in our history and permanently
re. establish the old landmarks Of Exc
cItive, Legislative and Judicial powers.
To him the people look with confidence
for a restoration of our Government To its
original purity. and in his past life and
services, we have guarantee that this
confidence has not been misplaced. Let
those who love their country rally to the
support of the incoming Administration
and cheerfully lend it their assistance.
But to return. The resolutions of in.
quiry offered by Mr. SrEPHENs were as
follows:
Resolved. That the President of the
United States be requested to furnish
this House with correct copy of the o.
riginal treaty ofGuadalupe H;dalgo, en-
tered into on the Cd day of February,
1S4S, by Nicholas P. Trist on the part OF
United States, and Luis G. Cuevas, Ber.
nardo Couto, and Miguel Atristain, on
the part of the Republic of Mexico; and
particularly those articles in said original
treaty, which were stricken out or amen
ded blythe Senate of the United Stutes.
Resolvcd, further, That the President
be requested to inform this House whelh-
er there is any evidence in the Depart
ment of State of an agreement and assu
rance made by our commissioners with
the Mexican Government, before the
ratification by said government of said a
mendments. substantially in the following
words. TO wit:
PROTOCOL
Ofthe conference previous TO the ratiGca
lion and exchange of the treaty of peace
} between Ambrose II. Sewer and Nathan
Clifford, commissioned as ministers pleni
potcnliary on the part of the United
States Of America, and Don Luis de Ii
Rosa, Minister of Foreign and Interna
, Affairs of the Mexican Republic.
"Tn The city ofQuere,aro, on the 26tl
+ ofthe Month of May, lS4S, at a confer
, ence between their excellencies Nathal
) Clifford and Ambrose II. Sewer, Com
missioners ofthe United States of Ameri
ca, with full powers from their govern
ment to make to the Mexican Republic
suitable explanations in regard to the a
! mendmen,s which the Senate and govern
. ment of the said United States have mad,
in the treaty ofpeace. friendship, limits
and defnitive settlement between tn
two republics. signed IN the city o
Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the I'd day q
February of the present year, and hi
excellency Don Luis do Ia Rosa, Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs Of the Republic u
Mexico, it was agreed. after adequat,
conversation respecting the changes allu
ded to, to record in the present pro;oco
the following explanations which their a
foresaid excellencies the commissioner
gave in the name Of their government
and in fulfllment of the commission con
=, ferred upon them near the Mexican re
y public;
list. The American government b
suppressing the ninth article ofthe tres
iy Of Guadalupe, and substituting th
third article of the treaty of Louisiana
y did not intend to diminish in any wa
: what was agreed upon by the aforesai
article (ninth) in favor of the inhabitanr
of the territories ceded by Mexico. Il
understanding is. that all of that agre,
= ment is contained in the third article ,
/. the treaiy of Louisiana. In consequence
all the privileges and guarantees, civi
political, aud religious, which would hav
y been possessed by the inhabitants Ofth
y ceded territories, if the ninth article ,
Il the treaty had been retained, will be eI
! joyed by them, without any difference, VI
der the article which has been substituted
"2d. The American government, b
suppressing the lenth,article of the treJ
y ty Of Guadalupe, did not, in any way, il
tend to annul tho grants Of land made b
: Mexico in the ceded territories. Thes
u grants, notwithstanding tho suppressio