Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-04
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
MEXICAN BOUNDARY COMMISSION.

+ The Washington Union Of Saturday last contains
an elaborate editorial attack upon the present Ad
ministrstion in regard to the proceedings Of the
Commissioner to run and mark the boundary line
between the United States and Mexico, in the form
of review Of Report Of the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate, which is also published in
the same paper.
As this is a subject Of general interest to the
country, we have taken some pains to inform our
selves as to the facts bearing upon the matters in
issue, and are advised that the following narrative
presents them as they actually exist.
The Treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo provides that
'The boundary line between the two Republics shall
commence in the Gulf Of Mexico three leagues from land
opposite the mouth Of the Rio Grande, otherwise called
Rio Bravo del Norte opposite the mouth of its deepest
branch if it should have than branch emptyng
directly into the from thence up the middle of that
river following the deepest channel where it has
than one to the point where it strikes the southern boun
Diary of New Mexico; thence, westwardly, along the
whole southern boundary Of New Mexico (Which runs
north Of the town called Paso to its western termi-
nation; thence, nothward, along the western line Of
New Mexico until it ntersects the first branch of the
river Ga Tor if it should ntersect any branch Of
that river then to the point the said line nearest
such branch and thence in direct line to the same
thence down the middle of the said branch and of the
said river, until it empties into the Rio Colorado; thence
the Rio Colorado, following the division line be-
tween Upper and Lower California to the Pacific
The southern and western limits of New Mexico men
toned in this article those laid down in the map
titled Nap Of The United Mcrcan States organized and
defined By various Of the Congress Of said Republic and
constructed according 10 the best authorities Revised edition
Published at NeO York 1847, By j. DsrneR of which
map copy added to this treaty bearing the signatures
and seals Of the undersigned plenpotenaries And in
order to preclude all difficulty in tracing upon the ground
the limit separating Upper from Lower California it is
agreed that the said limit shall consist of straight line
drawn from the middle of the Rio Ga, where it unites
with the Colorado to point the coast of the Pacific
distant marine league due south Of the south
ernmost point Of the port Of San Diego according the
plan Of said port made in the year 1882 by DON Juan
Pantoa, second saiingmaster Of the Spanish feet and
published at Madrid in the year 1902 in the Atlas to the
voyage Of the schooners uR and Nricaa Of which plan
copy Is nervuntu added signed ana sealed - IL
spective plenpotentiaries.
In order to designate the boundary line with due
cison, upon authoritative maps and to establish upon
the ground landmarks which shall shov the limits of both
republics, described in the present article, the two
Governments shall each appoint commissioner and
veyor who before the expiration Of year from the
date Of the exchange Of ratifcaons Of this treaty. shall
at the port Of San Diego and proceed and
mark the said boundary in its whole the mouth
of the Rio Bravo del Norte They shall keep journals
and make out plans Of their operations and the result
agreed upon them shall be deemed part of this treaty.
and shall have the force if it inserted there
in The two Governments will amicaby agree regarding
what may be necessary these persons and also
their respective escorts should such be necessary.
The boundary line established by this article shall be
regousy respected by each of the two republics and
change shall ever be made therein the express
and free consent Of both nations lawfully given by the
General Government of each, in conformity with its
Constitution"
Pursuant to these treaty stipulations, the Joint
Commission to mark the boundary re-assembled at
Ell Paso in December, 1850.
The point where the southern boundary of New
Mexico strikes the Rio Grande not being marked
upon the surface Of the earth it had to be deter
mined by asccrtaning its relative position to other
places, and the question at once gave rise to pro
longed discussions, which created serious apprehen
sions on the part Of the Commissioners of failure
to arrive at any satisfactory adjustment whatever.
Finally, however, they agreed and determined that
said point was in north latitude $50 90 and ac-
cordingly, the Oath of April, 1851, the members
of the Joint Commission and other persons assembled
on the ground, and it was then publicly and for
maly proclaimed to be the initial point of boundary
on the Rio Grande, and monuments were erected to
mark the spot.
A careful examination Of the above recited pro-
visions Of the treaty shows conclusivey that neither
the Department Of the Interior, the Executive,
nor Congress, have any power under the treaty to
regulate or control the action Of the officers desig-
mated by the treaty to perform the duty Of ascer-
tanning and marking, on the surface Of the earth,
the line between the two countries. The acts OF
those officers are in the nature Of an award, and un-
der the terms Of the treaty, che result agreed upon
by them shall be deemed a part Of his treaty, and
shall haze he same force as II 'cere inserted
therein"
In view Of this clear and distinct stipulation, for
the observance of which the national faith has been
pledged, neither the President nor the Secretary OF
the Interior have claimed any right to interfere with
the action of the officers appointed to perform this
responsible task. They have expressed no official
opinion to the correctness or ncorrcctness OF what
has been done by them, because they were under no
obligation to do so and if they had differed in opn
ion with the Commissioners, they had no authority
10 alter or modify in any particular what had been
done by them.
JJpon this point there has been much misappre-
bension Of the action Of the Department OF the In
terror Il has been supposed and charged that the
Secretary Of that Department has undertaken to In
tsrferc with the proceedings Of the Joint Commission
and 10 induce them to establish the line on the pa
rallel Of 800 90. Such is not the fact He has mol