Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-08-19

tGIDOSttlOIl vi tll0 autuOiHy 'SeNSN 40 '"~
President. The constitution OF the United
States declares that the constitution and
laws of The United States which shall be
made in pursuance thereof, and all the
treaties made or which shall be made un-
dor the authority of the United States,
shall be the supreme law of the land. II,
New Mexico be a territory OF
the United States, and if any treaty stipu'
lation be in force therein, such treaty sllp.
ulalion is the supreme law Of the land, and
is to be maintained and upheld; aid ac-
cordingly in the letter to the Governor OF
Texas my reasons are given for beliving
that New Mexico is now territory OF the
United States, with the same extent anc
the same boundaries which belonged TO her
when in the actual possession OF the Re-
public Of Mexico, and before the late war
In the early part ot that war both Ca!ltor-
MIA and New Mexico were conquered by
the United States, and were in the militia
ry possession of the United States at the
date of the treaty Of pesce. By that trea-
ty the title by conquest was confirmed
these territories. provinces or depart
menls separated from Mexico forever, and
BY the same treaty certain important
rights and securities were solemnly guar
anteed 10 the inhabitants residing therein.
By the With article Of the treay, it is de-
clared that the Boundary line between the
two Republics shall commence in the
Gulf of Mexico, three leagues from land,
opposite the Rio Grande, otherwise called
the Rio Bravo del Norte, or opposite the
mouth of its deepest branch, if ii should
make more than one branchAemptylng d.
reclly into the sea: thence up the middle
of that river, following the deepest chan
mel, where it has more than one, 10 the
point where it strikes the Southern boun-
dary of New Mexico; thence Westward
along the whole Southern boundary oil
New Mexico, which runs North Of the
town called Paso 10 its Western boundary
Termination, thence Nor,hward along the
Western line Of New Mexico until it in
tersec,s the first branch of the river Gila.
or if it should not intersect any branch oi
that river then to the point on the said line
nearest 10 such branch. and thence in
direct line 10 the same, thence down the
middle of sai6 branch of the said river un-
til it empties into TIE Rio Colorado, thence
across the Rio Colorado following the d.
vision line between Upper and Lower Cal
iGornia to the Pacific Ocean.
The With article is in the following
terms-now established in Territories pre-
viously belonging to Mexico, and which
remain for the future within the limits OF
the U. States definitely: "By the present
treaty the inhabitants shall be free 10 con.
tinue where they now reside, or 10 remove
at any time 10 the Mexican Republic, re.
tanning the property which they possess in
the said territory, or disposing thereof and
removing the proceeds wherever they
please without their being subjected on
This account to any contribution, tax or
charge wha'ever; those who shall prefer
TO remain In the said territories may either
retain the title and right Of Mexican clti-
zens. or acquire those OF citizens OF the
United States; but they shall be under
obligation 10 make their election within
one year from the da:e Of the exchange Of
ratifcalions Of this treaty; and those who
shall remain in the said territories after the
expiration OF that year, without having de-
clared their intention TO retain the charac
ter of Mexicans. shall be considered 10 have
elected TO become citizens Of The U. States
in the said territories. Property OF every
kind now belonging to Mexicans not es-
lablished there shall be inviolably respect
ed. The present owners, the heirs Of these,
and all Mexicans who may hereafter ac-
quire said property by contract, shall en-
Joy with respect TO its guarantees equally
ample. as if the same belonged to citizens
Of the U. States"
The lXih article Of the treaty is these
words: THE Mexicans who in the terri
tories aforesaid, shall not preserve the
character Of citizens Of the Mexican Re-
public, conformably with what is stipula-
ted in the preceding article, shall be in
corporated int the Union of the United
States, and be admitted at The proper time,
to be judged Of by the Congress Of the
United States, to the enjoyment of all the
rights Of citizens of the United States. &C.
cording to the principles Of the constitution;
and in the meantime shall be rnaintnined
and protected in the free enjoyment Of their
liberty and property, and secured in the
free exercise Of their religion without re-
striction.''
II is plain, therefore, in the face Of these
treaty stipula,ions, that all Mexicans, es-
tablished in territories North or East OF
the line Of demarcation already mentioned,
come within the protection of the lXlh ar
ticle, and that the treaty. being part Of
the supreme law of the land, does not ex-
tend over all such Mexicans, and assure 10
them perfect security in the free enjoy
ment Of their liberty and properly, and in
the free exercise of their religion. And
this supreme law Of the land, thus in actu-
al force over this territory. is 10 be main
tanned until it shall be displaced or super.
seded by other legal provisions, or is OBJ
structed or resisted by combinations too
powerful 10 be suppressed by the civil au-
thority. This cause is one which comes
within The provisions Of the law, and which
obliges the President to enforce these pro-
visions. Neither The constitution nor the
laws, nor my duty nor my oath of office,
Il. IL, - 49, 6