Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-10-21
MEXICAN BOUNDARY CONFESSION.

The National Intelligencer Of Saturday morning.
publishes repor, from Mr. Stuart The Secretary
Of the Interior made to thu President on The sub
ject Of The Mexican Boundary Commission which
shows the evils of.ineonsidsrate and hasty legisla
ton. Ia the act making appropriations for the civ.
il and diplomatic service Of the United States for
the year ending 30ih June, 1853 is cl-use in the
following wHds:
For running and marking the boundary line
between the U&ited States and Mexico, under The
Treaty OF eau iaiupe Hidago- one hundred and
twenty thousand dollars; provided that no part ,of
this appropriation shall be used or expended until
II shall be made satisfactory 10 appear 10 The Presi.
dent Of the United States that The Southern Boun-
dairy OF New NJ xco is not established By the Com
missioner and Survtyor Of the United States fur
Their north ~ the town called Paso than the
is laid down in DistuEnSll's Map, which Is added
10 the Treaty.
This pfoviso MAKES il the duty ofathe President
10 examine The action Of The Boundary Commission,
aud before paying any Of The expenses incurred by
The officers or any pay to themselves, 10 determine
whether they haverun the line in particular way
Now ii turns out, on examination that The town OF
Paso was incorrectly located On Dsiurnelfs Map
and that this proviso canot BE- complied with and
therefore the line cannot and should not be located
By that map. The result is that lhe money appro-
priated 10 pay The Commissioners cannot be paid
ihemi
In his report Secretary Stuart, after stating the
/ case fully says.
In this case the prohibition is in the broadesi and
EfffoT agg aJr5 aatf5f- Sf 81 TSca o. cTpeeJ55
except upun The condition 10 which have ALREADY
referred and although a n satisfied that the pfac
teal operation OF The proviso the appropriation
was.nu fully considered fureseen. do not see
how, By fair construction OF the LAW any mari ~
nI4nX raj ha dr. fr1-.Y,
am therei.as ces1. lied respectfully Is submit 10
you the rrhpriey Of at once enendins the opera
lions Of the Commission, as there are /. cans at
/ your disposal 10 maintain IL ia tn h4id O,ne,
consequences must ineS itabty ensue FROM The re-
strcrioEs imp osed the expenditure 81 Inc appforri
alton, whith are much 10 ber grrltc More than
three months have already ELAPSED since The close OF
the last lscai year, during all of which time the Of
hcers and employees Of the Comm ission have been
diligently engaged in The d charge Of their duties
/ in the full tonhdencc that Congress would MI h.
the necessary appropriations 10 defray their expen-
and compensate them for their services.
Ihis Just expectation must now be disappointed
No part Of he appropriation for The current fiscal
year cantbe applied to their payment The drafts
of the Commissioner and Surveyor upon The De \
pariment must he dshonofed the asl demands Of
all connected with the Commission must remain
unsaiished and they must BE- discharged from The
public service in the midst OF wilderness many Of
them more than two thousand miles from ,b.;r
homes, and witt out the means of returning 10 their
families and friends. II could perceive any
N ans Of ayertng these evils would gladly hritg
them TO your notice. But ! have not been able 10
discover how YOU can. consistently with The terms
Of the proyso othe appropriation afford any relief
The responsibility incident to the adoption of The
restrictions on the appropriation rests with Con-
gfess, and il will devolve on that body 10 remedy
any inconyeniences which may be found 10 result
from Il
In this state Of the there is no alternative for
The President, and he accordingly replied thus 10
the report ot the Secretary Of The Inferior: