The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-09-02


The Tehuanepec route lies within the ter
ritory ola foreign sountry. 1t is subject to its
sovereignty; from the unqualified exercise of
that sovereignty would result the right to i'm
pose any charges or impediments which tbs
government of Mexico might think proper.
I We have been compelled to obtain by treaty
the free transit Of Panama and Nicaragua. But,
rather than grant the same rights, Mexico has
violated her contracts, and risked foreign war.
She has moreover shown her appreciation Of
the value Of those rights as a revenue measure,
| by asserting her right and intention Of taxation
upon the Is,hmus. She has excluded the trans
portation Of troops and munitions across the
isthmus except with her permission. She has
invited European nations to guaranty her mon
opoly. and imposed tax of 25 per cent. above
her tariff charges upon any nation NOT sub
scribing to the monopoly.
The American people may thus know what
they have to expect. Their gold must pay an
export tax !; their merchandise an import tax !;
| their shipping = tonnage tax; their citizens
must get passport to cross the lsthmus their
mani will be subject to the caprice and exac-
tions of Mexico and they may be stopped or
turned off from the route at her pleasure.
The gold trade is now abot;t one hundred
millions; the merchandise is worth fifty mil
| lions; the number of persons in Transit between
the Atlantic and Pacific States is about sc, 900
annually. The mail pay from New York to
San Francisco is nearly three-quarters Of
million of dollars. This would be rich sub
ject of revenue to any nation, and it is worth
any price short of the violation of public faith
to recover the right to tax it.
Now, the Garay grant contains these inval-
liable stipulations:
" The government [of Me1ico] also engages not
ito impose any contributions farss upon Travellers,
or efcts in fransitu, until the aspiration Of the
! aforesaid term Of fifty years.
! "In no case shall tthe government interfere
in the collection Of transport dues, in the COL
lection of freghts, lightemge. or tonnage; or Of
any other class of dues, for sha be payable by
vessels loading unloading for the transport Of
effects as long the communication shall belong
to the negotiation" .....
These engagements with call nations at
peace with the Mexican republic" are granted
to the American people, in common with others,
by the following solemn declaration:
"Ihat in the name Of the supreme government, and
under the most solemn prof0ts, IHe government de-
clares and promises that all and eony e the con
cessions mentioned in the pre- inserted decree shall be
honorubly fuf filled, notc, and at all times, pedgins
the honor and public faih Of the nation to maintain
the protector, Don Jose de Garay, as scsU a. any
pirate tndiuiduai or company succeeding or repre-
sentns him, either natices foreigners, in the un
disturbed enjoyment Of all the concessions granted,
holding the rational administration responsible for
any acts of its ito agents. ,ohic from ,oant
Of proper talflnent Of the cousnant might injure
the interest Of the proprietors, all Of course subject
to the exact tenor Of the inserted decree"
The matter may therefore be thus con-
densed: If the Government of the United
States sustains the proprietors Of the right of
way across Tehuantepec, the communication
between the Atlantic and Pacific States will be
free from any TAG on person or property, and
our citizens can go through the .Merican do
mimions as they may go through their o,cn.
If those rights be broken down, Mexico will
resume her sovereignty unqualified by any con-
tract, and she will impose tax on the gold Of
California. the merchandise and mails Of the
|
or supplies going to the Pacific may be pro-
hibitsd by Mexico, and her prohibitions enforced
by the armed powers of Europe.
Between such alternatives 1t will require no
hesitation on the part of the American people
to determine.
The consequences to result from the abroga-
ton of treaty relations, contemplated by the re.
port and resolutions, will be very serious; and
we would, as the advocates of international
amity. express the hope that Mexico will dc.
Iiberate before she determines to incur them
The Government Of the United States has en-
forced its treaty obligations to Spain and Mexi-
co with fidelity that has subjected it to the mis-
construction and censure. And there can be,
we suppose, no doubt but that, if its restraining
} arm were withdrawn, the adventurous spirit OF
people fearing no danger, and invited by the
disatfected portion of the citizens of those two
t nations, would render the enforcement Of theil
laws by those nations very difficult.
The obligations imputed to our Government
+ to "restrain or punish" the frontier savages il
considered by many Of our citizens onerous ant
improvident. Many consider that there is n,
obligation to indemnify Mexico for any injuries
: by pecuniary compensation. All would b
glad of an honorable release from the engage
ment, whatever may be its responsibilities
. The abrogation of treaty relations would repea
3 of course the obligations referred to. Again
another section Of that treaty renders necessary
the assent of Mexico to the construction of roat
On the ella understood to be the best route for TIT
proposed system of southwestern railroads to TIT
5 Pacific. The repeal of the treaties would re
leve the american side of the ella from any
, restrictions, and thus remove obstacle likely
l to produce much embarrassment.
The general consequences Of an abrogatol
of treaty protection to the citizens of the tw'
countries would, in social, moral, and pecuni
: airy point Of view, constitute a subject of dec