The daily union., 1852-09-09

the senator from Virginia has attempted 10 cast upon
bun. II is not necessary 70 say anything now OF the in
nal point the Rio Bravo, for which The commissioner
Mr. MASON do not know exactly the language
which used. do not remember exactly whether said
the Secretary OF The Interior had iallen INTO gross error
or whether spoke Of il in any other way meant TO
aserbe nothing in the world but an error oil Judgment TO
the Secretary.
Mr. PEARCE So understood.
Mr. MASON. But even that was error OF grave
character, it affects The interests OF the country The
instructions that read by the senator from Maryland,
with reference 10 the commissioner aud surveyor in
ning the boundary line between Texas and the United
States may have been very proper in reference 10 the
thonty bestowed upon these unconariss by the treaty
have not examined that treaty. and do not know
how far has similarity to the authority vested in those
anctonaIies. So far the senator read from the in
sructions by MIR Buchanan TO The predecessor OF
the present boundary commissioner, now member OF
this body they doubtless very proper regards
that officer; but there s nothing n The letter OF Mr.
Buchanan to the commissioner which separated him from
the surveyor. The terms OF the treaty, think,
plain TO be misunderstood gave them, in my position
member OF The Committee on Foreign Relations, not
cursory perusa but close and strict examination
weighing every word in its propeorder in the context
see It's meaning The words of the treaty are these:
In order designate the boundary line with due pre-
ground landmarks which shall show the limits both re-
pubcs. described in the present article the
who, before The ion Of year from the exchange
q notifications OF this shall meet AT The port Of San
Diego, and proceed to and mark the said boundary in
It's whole TO the mouth of the Rio Bravo del Norte
Then, IN very few words the duties of these officers
| are prescribed: They"-who are "they" The COM
missioner and surveyor:
Thy shall keep journals and make out plans of ih,r
operations and the result agreed upon by them shall be
deemed OF this treaty. aud shall have the orce
| as If 1t were inserted therein"
The only construction, according to my apprehension,
that the treaty will admit of s that those unconares
the aud surveyor were associated IN every
thing, and separated IN nothing. Every power that is
delegated to the one is delegated 10 the other.
Mr.. PEARCE. The senator will allow me to real an
extract from the convention with Iexls stated that
had compared that with the treaty Of Guadalupe Hdago,
and found them. in all the essential parts verbatim One
OF the articles of that convention is:
Zach OF The contracting parties shall appoint com
missioner and surveyors who shall meet before the ermna-
twelve months from the exchange OF notifications
OF this convention New Oreans and proceed 10 and
from the mouth Of The Sabine, where that river the
Gulf oil Mexico, the Red river They shall make
suit upon by them shall be considered part OF this
convention and shall have the same force as if It were in
/ believe the only difference is. that treaty says
"a commissioner and surveyor, and the other says "a
commissioner and surveyor"
i Mr.. MASON One seems TO be intended as a tran
script OF the other and yet venture 10 affirm that there
will be found nothing in the instructions given TO
these two functionaries which would require that the
one should be separated from the other, far the
agreement 10 which they were 10 come was concerned
rhs has become most important matter 10 the United
Sales because II has resulted that The commissioner de
ermned THIS boundary line IN absence OF the surveyor,
and when the surveyor joined them he dissented de
protested against the line established by the commits
sioner As the Secretary OF the Interior construes the
treaty. the commissioner alone has power TO commit the
government The construction paeei upon il by the
Committee on Foreign Relations, in the report which
they made 10 The Senate, is that the commissioner alone
had not power 10 commit the country until his act was
assenled TO by the survey that until assenled
Ito. his act null The Secretary OF the Interior has
construed IL other wise.
| understand, however, that the honorable senator
from Maryland says that he does not resist The progiso
that proposed 10 add to the appropriation will not
therefore. deian the Ssuate fulher.
Il Mt WELLER Mr. President, regret very much
that am compelled TO say anything tonight on This sub
ec; bat am. iron convictions OF duty, drlyen TO the
necessity Of moving 10 strike oul this Appropriation from
the bill. There many reasons which could assign,
II II were 'ucent, al all events TO satisfy my
own mind-tha the public interests demand that no iur
tther appropriation should be made tor this
sion On the 22d day oil March last, more than five
months ago, submitted a resolution 10 the Senate, (which
adop ed) calling upon the Secretary OF the Interior
Tor information 10 the IN which the appropra
tons heretofore made had been expended. There have
been appropriations male by the Congress OF the United
States Tor The years $780, 1851 and 1884, Q speak OF the
time which has elapsed leit that commission, }
amounting 10 the OF S365 900. Tnree hundred and
sixty. live thousa dollars the public money have been
appropriated and expended. Early in the month OF
March last was ANXIOUS to ascertain the manner in
which this money had been expended, IN order that,
II call made for further appropriations we
might be enabled TO Judge as 10 the propIley OF ma
king them. More than five months as have said,
have elapsed since that resolution adopted and
sent 10 the Department OF the Interior and up 10 this
hour the Secretary has refused 10 lei this branch OF the
government know how that money has been expended
He 10 have assumed the ground that under his adj
mlnIsiraon the people have right TO know what dis.
position has been made OF their noaey II this be the
policy OF the whg party, trust the people will the
necessity OF eiecing them from power.
4 MIR. PkARCE. Will the senator permit me TO make
an explanation
Mr.. WELLER II he has got any excuse 10 offer, |
will hearit.
Mr.. PEARCE | would explain TO the senator that
q has been communicated to by The Secretary OF the
lneriof-n reply to inquiry which addressed 10 him
recentiy after conversation which had with the
aiorthai those accounts not kept in the Depart
men OF The INTERIOR but that he had sent direction
request, 10 the accounting officer ia whose office the
accounts were kept that copies OF them should be made
out aud sent 10 the Senate.
4 Mr. WELLER. WELL sir, il is matter OF very lue
Importance TO whether be the fault OF the Secretary
or OF the auditing officer OF the department
planning OF this administration aud OF the whIg party,
and they may divide the responsibility il they choose be-
tween them.
When was boundary commissioner was charged
with "squandenng the public money" Such ale
CATION was made by senator now on this door, Mr..
SMTTg, who has not attempted 10 prove IL, although
have challenge him TO do So A resolution Of
Tered calling Tor my accounts and all OF my youchers IN
order that might be cOnyiced-as The accounts were
then lncompeie--of squanderinR the public money How
long do you tbnk took wsg administration then TO
answer that resolution The recoid IN my hand shows
that the resolution offered upon the 10 day OF Feb
ruary 1850, and upon the 2Th day OF the month II
Neted Transmitting the accounts, &c. Ii took