The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1850-08-24

up the mlddle OF that river, following the
deepest channel where it has more than
one, to the point where it strikes the south
ern boundary of New Mexico; thence
westwardIy along the whole southern boun-
dairy of New Mexico, (Which runs north
Of The town called Paso,) to its western
termination thence northward along the
western line of New Mexico, until it inter
sects The first branch of the river ella, Cor
if it should not intersec ct any branch of that
river, then to the point on the said line
nearest TO such branch, and thence in a
direcIli line 10 the same y thence'down the
middle Of the said branch and of the said
river, until it empties into the Rio Cobra
do; thence across the Rio Colorado, fol-
lowing the division line between Upper
and Lower California tothe Pacific Ocean,
The eighth article Of the treaty is in the
following terms:
"Mexicans now established in territories
previously belonging to Mexico, and which
remain for the future within the limits of
the United States, as defined by the pres
cnt treaty, shall be free TO continue where
they now reside, or to remove at any time
TO the Mexican Republic, retaining the
property which they possess in the said
territories, or disposing thereof, and remov-
ing the proceeds wherever they please,
without their being subjected, on this &C
count, to any contribution, tax or charge
whatever.
"Those who shall prefer 10 remain in
the said territories may either retain the
title n drights Of Mexican citizens, or ac-
quire those Of citizens of the United States.
But they shall be under the obligation to
make their election within one year from
the date of the exchange of notifications
Of this treaty and those who shall remain
in the said territories after the expiration
of that year, without having declared their
intention to retain the character of MeXi-
caus, shall be considered to have been
elected to become citizens of the United
| States.
I'm the said territories, property of every
kind, now belonging to Mexicans not es-
tabllshed there, shall be inviolably respec-
The present owners, the heirs OF these,
and all MexiCans who may hereafter ac-
quireSaid property by contract, shall enjoy,
with respect to it, guarantees equally am
pie as if the same belonged to citizens Of
the United States.n
The ninth article of the treaty is in these
words:
"The Mexicans who, in the territories
aforesaid, shall not preserve the character
of citizens Of the Mexican Republic, con-
formally with what is stipulated in the pre-
ceding article, shall be incorporated into
the United States, and be admitted at the
proper time Ito be judged of by the Con
gress of the U, States 10 the enjoyment
of all the rights Of citizens of the United
States, according to the principles OF the
constitution and in the meantime shall
be maintained and protected in the free
enjoyment of their liberty and property,
and secured in the free exercise of their
religion, without restriction"
1t is plain, therefore, on the face of these
treaty stipulations, that all Mexicans es-
tablished in territories north or east of the
line Of demarkation already mentioned,
come within the protection of the ninth
article and that the treaty, being a part
OF the supreme law Of the land, does ex-
tend over all such Mexicans, and assures
to them perfect security in the free ehioy-
ment OF their liberty and property, as well
as in the free exercise of their religion ;
aud this supreme law Of the land beng
in actual force over this territory, is to be
maintained until it shall be displaced or
superseded by other legal provisions; and
ii it be obstructed or resisted by combina-
tions too powerful to be suppressed by the
civil authority, the case is one which comes
within the provisions Of the law, which
obliges the president to enforce those pro-
visions. Neither the constitution, nor the
laws, nor my duty, nor my oath of office,
leave me any alternative, or any choice in
my mode Of action.
The executive government Of the United
States has no power or authority to deter
mine what was the true boundary line be.
tween Mexico and the United States before
, the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, nor has
1t any such power now, since the question
has become a question between TEXAS and