The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-07-25
The rchunntonec rrent,r.

We published yesterday this very important doc.
nmeht, but had no time for examination and COM
menf. We have since made a critical examine
ton of It's provisions, and compared them with the
grant made by the Mexican Government TO Mr..
Garay, now held, as is generally understood, by
Mr.. Peter A. Hargous, Of NewYork. We think if
our neghbors of the Delta had not written in TOO
great haste, they would scarcely have made the
mistakes contained in their article on the subject.
The Delta calls the treaty a useless treaty, g a
perfect nullity Of no more value than the calf s
skin upon which il was written or the calf s brains
from which it sprung." Hard words these, neigh-
Dor, and somewhat unjust, we think, to the gentle
man who represents our Government in Mexico.
Robert P. Lelcher is not generally considered OBJ
noxions to the reproach Of exposing singular
want Of knowledge " in public affairs Let US see
The grounds of this sweeping denunciation. They
are stated by the Delta TO be the absence of pro-
vision RENTING tonnage duties, and provision
for establishing port of entry in the neighbor-
hood Of the Coaizacoaco.
Now the Delta is wrong in point Of fact on both
these points. For the better understanding of the
subject, however, we must make short statement
of the history Of the negotiation and the stale of
things when il was commenced The Mexican
Government had granted to Don jose Garay, in
1912, the exclusive right of way across the lshmus
OF Tehuantepec for a railroad or canal, and had
included very valuable privileges in this conces-
sion. Several subsequent grants were made at
different periods, confirmatory of the first, up to
the year 1916. The Mexican War prevented ac-
lion under these grants, and at its close the
grantees were involved in difficulties with thai
Government which seemed disposed 10 call in ques-
ton the validity of the concession, which in the
mean time had become vested in Mr.. Hargous. IL
was in this state of things that Mr.. Letcher COM
menced his negotiation, and one Of his principal
objscts was of course to obtain a recognition Of
this concession, without which, as the Delta OBJ
serves, no sagacious capitalist would take cents
worth Of the stock This has been accomplished
The eleventh article Of the treaty expressly recog
nzes the existence of an outstanding privilege and
declares that the present holder of the privilege
shall give his consent to this treaty in writing"
Now as the treaty recognizes the privilege, it be-
comes necessary 10 recur to the latter in order to
ascertain It's terms. In the fourth article Of the
grant, the Mexican Government invest Garay with
The power to select two ports, and to carry on
communication between them by steam, either by
water-carriage or by railway and by the eighth
article, it is said that the Government shall have
the right of appointing the custom-house officers
which it may see it in the ports, but only for the
purpose of recovering the duties Of importation
and expectation upon articles which do not come
and go merely for the purpose Of transport and for
preventing smuggliug-and in no case shall they
interfere in the collection Of transport dues, nor in
the collection of freighis ighterage or Tonnage, or
Of any other class Of dues for shall be payable
By vessels loading unloading for The transport o.
eIects, as long the communication shall belong
10 The grantees"
is thus perfectly clear that the treaty and grant
together provide for the establishment of two FREE
ports-Ports entirely free from every species of i'm
position from the Government, and where there
will not be even house officer, except to
receive duties goods intended for the interior Of
Mexico But all goods in transit are absolutely
free of any charge. We have more to say on this
interesting subject, but article is getting too
long for this hot weather, and shall, in a subse
quent number, revert to some other details of the
treaty, in connection with the comments OF our
friends Of the Bulletin.