The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-10-26
For the Union.
The Tehuanleprc Grant.


OF the last payment from urgovernmen under the treaty
OF peace, is evidently casting about for expedens to
pensh It's exhausted treasury aud buoy up its sinking
credit Having hitherto found Uncle Sam 80 convenient
for It's purposes, seems to be willing to confess
its error in lis negotiation with Mr. Trs upon the sub
ject OF Tehuan,epec, by selling for plum the right OF
way which il then refused III order. however that il
might not seem awkward in devourng its own words on
that OCCASION its ingenuity has been severely tasked as
the recent communication in the Union the signature
OF "Inpesiigaor," shows 1t is obvious that this writer
has been favored with the sight OF unpublished official
correspondence AS cannot boast OF a similar favor
must endeavor 10 his misrepresentation by refer
ring to such public documents are within reach. |
shall rely chiefly upon that very report Of the Mexican
Senate which investigator praises. seemingly without
having read il. s."r .....
The terms OF the grant Garay are wilfully or care
lessly msstaed by Investigator" He was TO have
survey OF the route within eighteen months, and the
works were TO be begun within ten months Mereafteno
hereafter, Investigator" says Hence Gaay was not
bound to begin the works until the I'd Of July 1874 On
the 2sth OF December previous however, he obtained an
extension OF the time for that for year
that say until the ed OF July 1915. it's well known
that he had not the capital necessary carry his bargaa
into effect the decree making the grant to him wisely says
nits preamble Feeling. besides. that, in order encour-
age the spirit OF speculation it is necessary TO make
cessons by which alone enterprise has ever been foster
ed &c He accordingly went to Europe for the purpose
OF interesting foreign capitalists in the undertaking. his
contract being assgnable The expulsion OF Santa
Anna from power in Mexico, however and the unsettled
condition OF that country. most probably deferred the
moneyed men of Europe from embarking in the scheme
Application accordingly made for another extension
of the time for commencing the work. bill for this
purpose passed the Mexican House of Representatives
favorably reported upon by a committee of the Sen
ate, and pending in the latter body when Paroles
overturned the government OF Herrera. The war with
the United States soon followed European capitalists
not, under such circumstances be expected TO in
vest their money in the enterprise Paroles expelled
from power by Salas in August ls45 On the 9Th of No
vember OF that year, this person. head OF the govern
ment, promulgated decree, copied from the bill which
was pending in the Mexican Senate at the time of the
revolution which brought Paroles into power This de
renewed the grant 10 Garay OF March, 1872 allowed
him two years TO begin the works the Ishmus
and also certain additional privileges in regard TO coon-
zalion II required him to obtain from the government
its appreciation of any of his contracts for the COLOMBIA
ton of the lands on the Ishmus.
On the 7b OF January 1877 he accordingly entered in
10 a contract for this purpose with Schneider Co, of
London, and Manning x Macintosh of Mexico. This
contract approved by the government IN July 1877
Manning & Macintosh sent Moro. the engineer who
had made the first survey for the purpose OF ing
the works; but his reaching the isthmus, he found
the Atlantic side IN the possession OF Commodore Perry
Some OF his papers fell into the hands OF that officer
Finding that he could make progress in the business
he Get out on his return TO the city OF Mexico,
rested Pueba by General SCOTS order, but was re-.
leased upon a representation from Macintosh that he
was in the service of the English Tehuanepec Company
After the battle OF Contreras and Churubusco, MIR.
Tnst, pursuant 10 his Instructions asked OF the Mexican
government right OF way for the United States across
the sthmus OF Tehuantepec The Mexican commits.
sones replied that their government had several years
before granted all its rights in regard to that sthmus to
t,Iy yb,h had
authority OF the government, transferred them to British
subjects. OF whose rights Mexico could not dispose
Macintosh was the British consul at Mexico There
can be no doubt that Mr. Trsls draught OF treaty was
submitted by The Mexican authorities to Mr. Bankhead,
the British Minister; and that Macintosh having thus
become appzed Of the proposition in regard Tehuan.
epec the answer OF the Mexican commissioners was as
il were, dictated by him
Peace with the United States having been concluded,
the Mexican Congress passed declaring that no
contracts the execution of which had been prevented by
the war, should be considered invalid. Manning &
Macintosh accordingly again sent Moro TO the shmus
and the works there recommended the 10th Of
October, lsis, the Mexican government was officially
informed by the local authorities On the 18th of Janu.
airy, Isi9, Manning & Macintosh addressed a commu.
uica,ion that government stating that they had asso.
calel other foreign houses in the enterprise. had com
menced the construction Of provisional road and ask
ing for the appointment OF custom.bouse officers on the
Atlantic and Pacific The fact in regard 10 the assoca
lion OF other foreign houses with them probably alarmed
the jealousy of the Mexican government. They caused
all the papers the subject to be communicated to Don
Manuel Gomez Pedraza for his opinion That gentle.
man advised the government not TO 10 any deter.
mna,,on the matter without authority from the su.
preme court OF justice.
The Mexican government may have had reason TO
suspect that the other foreign houses alluded TO by Man
ming Il Macintosh were composed Of citizens OF the
United States Thi. suspicion must have been confirmed
by the petition which presented TO the Senate by
New York merchant in February, lsio which stated
that the petitioner and his associates with him were
sgnees OF Garsy. and requested Congress not TO commit
itself IN regard TO mail communication with California
by any other route that by way OF Iehuanepee, being
the shortest, would, when opened, be most eligible.
In the spring and summer OF lSi9, voumlnons cor.
respondence was carried at Mexico between Manning
g. Macintosh and the Minister of Foreign Relations
The point in dispute that there an obligation on
their part to communicate the government Tor iis apo.
val copy OF Garay's assignment Of the right OF way TO
them They denied this obligation, as II was not con.
tanned in any Of the acts by which the privileges bad
been conferred on Garay AT last, on the 18Th OF Sep.
TENDER, is49. The Mexican government adopted the
Recommendation of Senior Don Manuel Gomez Pedraza.
and communicated all the papers on The subject TO the
Supreme Court of Justice in order that that tribunal
might decide what The true night IN the matter.
Meanwhile. Manning & Macintosh bad disposed OF
their intee. The grant 10 the gentleman OF New Yotk
above mentioned who ha. since conveyed his interests in