The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-21

CIlY I
rancs OF Mexico pro,rac,ing the war, i~ue~es the
u peace ~ah BE- dsssssd proper hereafter TO
espt.
In the Grst instance the Executive says in effect that
he should insist ample indemnity Tor the expenses
Of the but in the last he lowers his one and merely
suggests that the consideration Of and blood
:. must influence the terms Of peace which 4 nigAt b.
deemed proper thereafter to accept" Blu, will be found
examiDaon Of The documents, thai the late admins
a,lon totally abandoned this claim: No! one word is
SAID on the subject in the instructions of Mr. Buchanan
TO Mr. Commissioner Trst, nor in the PROFIT OF treaty
which that gentleman took with him to Mexico. Vide
Executive Docs, House OF Reps st Both Cong vol
8. Doc No 69 pp 4s and 47) L also appears from the
18th article OF the treaty Of Guadalupe Hdago that the
United States undertook to pay the quidated and unliqui
dated claims OF our own citizens, n consdsss,ion Of
the extension acquired by the boundaries OF the United
Staies defined in the 5th article" Of that treaty and
not in consideration OF the expenditure OF treasure and
OF blood in prosecuting the war These elements con-
stitued no part OF the motive consideration inducing
the establishment OF the Rio Gfande up the south line
OF New Mexico the boundary between the two repub
lies, and the ces.on Of that province and OF Upper Cali
lorna to the United States that the only cians
aQpght y be ndsmnksd BY heireay those already
1sasrsssd. snd which amounted 70 The sum Of $o54o.
O24 II.
Now Mr. President il distinctly appears that the late
Executive demanded and received from Mexico much
greater extent Of territory than were entitled TO
the principle of indemnify He made the cession of such
territory an nDaiun for he says in his annual message
first session Of 30th Congress, that
The of the United States was authorized
the establishment OF tho Rio Grande the bound
aTy from its ia. Gulf with
the southern boundary of northern Mexico, in north la
nde abou, 81 deg aud obtain oesson 70 the United
and the privilege of right Of way the sshmus Of Te
huantepec The boundary the Rio Grande and The cesson
to the United States Of New Mexico and Upper California
constituted .ftnsatum which comm ssioner was
under no circumstances to yield.
Thus it appears that demanded OF Mexico the
&c tkot wkt
to their value, and without troubling ourselves 10 inquire
whether they did did not exceed just indemnify BY
the treaty Of Guadalupe Hdago. it s substantially ac
OF Mexco-had assaulted her fortre-ses, captured her
cities, and san her people, TO force herr sell vast
expanse OF territory which we had no right to demand on
The establishment of the Rio Grande as the boundary
to New Mexico and the cesson OF that province and
Upper California, we've made in consideration Of
l. Payment by us of the liquidaed debt
due citizens $2,09S,0A II
g. The unsluid aud debt, which it was
supposed would amount 10 J,20OO0s
8. To Mexico, as the difference between
the claims above mentioned and the
value OF the territory coded lo,00OOoO
Total sN.ss,o2l II
II may be useful to inquire what we paid this money
have had in view the country between the Nueces and
the Rio Grande as there, according TO Mr. Polk,
that American blood was shed on American soi Did
we pay the amount for Upper California and New Mex
CO. or or the former and so much of the latter su
ated the west side OF the Rio Grande Il is now said
that East New Mexico in part belonged to Texas; so,
then acquired by the treaty Upper California; and lit
tie else New Mexico west OF the Rio Grands is but
uncomfortable portion OF the whole province, and is
almost worthless. No doubt Mexico supposed she was
ceding to us the whole OF New Mexico, and the Unted
States that they purchasing the whole The Ian
Euage OF the treaty is conclusive to the views oil Mex
leo. and the instructions to Mr. Trst aready referred
TOY TO the views OF Mr.. Polk and his cabinet. He
(Mr IT, repaired TO insist on ''the Rio Grande as
the boundary rom its entrance into the Cult 10 iis inter
section with the southern boundary OF New Mexico,
in north latitude about 81 deg and to obtain cesson
TO THE UNITED STATES Of the provinces Of Nsw Msr'eo
and the California;"
shall assume then. that our purchase included The
whole of both provAceS and dear purchase II was too
for we paid ior Louisiana aud Florida only 2o0OO 600
From the former have already carved out tour large
States, with territory enough for three or four more II
will be recoectet that nothing known OF the min
era OF California until some time after the
treaty of Guadalupe HidaIgo negotiated. Thus il
appears that we paid $4,000 600 for great escess 81
territory over full indemnity. Why did not Mr. Polk
content himself with the parallel Of 36 deg. 80 min
This would have given US the harbor OF San Francisco
and nearly all the god-producng regions OF Caifona
Probably that ne according 10 tbs estimate put on the
whole country by the treaty, would have Considerably
exceeded the claims OF our citizens. But u we were
obliged. a. Mr. Polk insisted to take territory IN sails
faction OF such claims, had right 10 insist on conve
nient boundaries. The parallel o 80 deg 80 mn would
have been a convenient boundary Tor the United States-
would have avoided agitation on the slavery qlesnon
But Mr. Polk ambitious OF large and splendid acqui-
sons and therefore made lhe cesso oi both provinces
an uItinatum Those views OF policy were unhappily
realized and now harassed by controversy with
Texas on her claim to New Mexico east OF the RIO
Grade which she threatens TO assert by the sword and
by much excsmsnt and imitation, pervading the whole
country the subject Of slavery generally and arcu.
larly The question whether possessons shall
shall not be open to its introduction IL hess eompi
Gated differences and disputes do not result IN serious
com vusions il is certain that they producing and
fear will continue TO produce great disturbance In and
out OF Congress.
/, should be recollecled that the late Executive was
warnectsemphatcay in advance OF what would be the
consequences OF this policy The 'esue was distinctly
made upon the close OF the war with Mexico between
the different States and sections cf the Union desire
to refer the Senate 10 resolutions on thm SUBJECT from
Vermont (Ex ecutive DocuGents, Houss OF Represent
atives, I'D session 28th Congress-, Ath vol, NO 81
New Hamphire, (Sena,e Documents. I'd session 2eth
Congress, ID VOL Nos 1854 and l35 Massachusetts,, tdo,
No. 2l9) New York, tdo No l12 D New Jersey, (do;,
No 1885, Penn ylvania tdo, No. 1879 Rhode Island.
Executive Documents House OF Representatives, "a ees-
sion 29th Congress- 4th vol, No s3 Michigan. tExecu'
tive Documents House of re.entatvs., I'd session
Miscellaneous list session 3oth Congress- No i50 Ohio.
iouse Miscellaneous LIST sess, 30th Congress. NO -
Wisconsin, (do, No 20 y Missouri, (do, No 2 Texas,
do No N D and Alabama, (Senste, miscellaneous, sl
session, 3Oth Congress, NO $50
To illustrate the character OF these resolutions, /
would that Missouri gave notce mat sne should IN
ais, on the application of the Mssour Compromse 10
called to the territory then belonging 10 the United
States or which might thereafter be acquired either by
purrase treaty or conquest and Texas that she should
claim that "any territory which might be permanently
held by the United States belonged equally to AL the
States and that "any attempt by the federal 9overnmsn!