The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-12-08


following proviso
"PrrUided, That no part of this APP
prorration shall be used or expended UNI
til it shall be made satisfactorily to ap-
pear to the President of the United
States that the southern boundary of
New Mexico is not established by the
commissioner aud surveyor of the Uni.
ted States farther north Of the town call.
ed 'Paso than the same is laid down in
DisturnclPs map which is added to the
treaty.
My attention was drawn to this sub
ject by report from the Department of
the Interior, which reviewed all the facts
of the case, and submitted for my dccis-
ion the question whether, under exist
ing circumstances, any part of the APP
could be lawfully used or ex-
pended for the further prosecution of
the work. After a careful consideration
of the subject, | came to the conclusion
that it could not, and so informed the
head of that Department. Orders were
Immediately issued 10y him to the COM
missioner & surveyor to make no further
acquisitions on the Department, as they
could not be paid and to discontinue
all operation on the southern line of New
Mexico. But as the Department had
no exact Information as to the amount of
provisions and money which remained
unexpended in the hands of the commits
sioner aud surveyor, it was left discre
tionary with them to continue the sur
vey down the Rio Grande as far as the
means at their disposal would enable
them, or at once to disband the Commits
sion a special messenger has since ar
rived from the officer in charge of tho
survey on the river, with information
that the funds subject to his control
were exhausted and that the officers and
others employed in the service were dcs
titutc alike of the means of prosecuting
the work and of returning to their
homes.
The object of the proviso was doubt
less to arrest the survey of the southern
and western lines of New Mexico, in re-
gard to which different opinions have
been expressed for it is hardly to be
supposed that there could be any
objection to that part of the line which
extends along the channel Of the Rio
Grande But the terms of the law are
so broad as to forbid the use Of any part
Of the money for the prosecution Of the
work, or even for the payment, to tho
officers and agents. Of the arrearages Of
pay which are Justly due to them.
| earnestly invite your prompt atten'
ton to this subject, and recommend
modification Of the terms of the proviso
so as to enable the Department to use
as much of the appropriation as will be
necessary to discharge the existing obi
cations of the Government, and to COM
plete the survey of the Rio Grande to
its mouth.
1t will also be proper to make fur
Their provision by law for the fulfilment
of our treaty with Mexico for running
and marking the residue of the bounda-
~ line between the two countries.
Permit me to invite your particular
attention to the interests Of the District
of Columbia, which are confdcd by the
Constitution TO your peculiar care.
Among the measures which seem to
me of the greatest Importance to its
prosperity are the introduction of a CO.
pious supply of water into the city of
Washington. aud the construction of sui
table bridges across the Potomac to re
place those which were d stroyed by high
water in the early part of the present
year.
At the last session Of Congress an APP
preparation was made to detray the cost
of the surveys necessary for detcrmin-
ing the best means Of aifurding an UNI
failing supply of good and wholesome
water Some progress has been made
in the survey, and soon as it is compile
ted the result will be laid before you.
Further appropriations will also be
necessary for grading and paving the
streets and avenues, and enclosing and
cmbcllishing the public grounds within
the city of Washington.
| commend all these objects, together
with the charitable institutions of tho
District. to your favorable regard
Every effort has been made to protect
our frontier. and that of the adjoining
Mexican States, from the incursions Of
the Indian tribes OF about 900 men
of which .he army is composed, nearly
5000 are employed in the defence of tho
ncwly-acquired territory, (including Tex
as and of migrants proceeding thereto
am gratiticd to say that these efforts
have been unusually successful. With
the exception of some partial outbreaks
IN California and Oregon, and occasion
al deprcdations on u portion of the Rio
Grande, owing, it is believed, to the dis
turbed state of that border region, tho
inroads of the Indians haze heen effcctu-
ally restrained
Experience has shown, however, that
whenever the two races are brought into
contact. collisions will inevitably occur.
To prevent these collisions the United
States have generally set apart portions
of their territory for the exclusive occu-
patton of the Indian tribes. A difficult
ty occurs, however, in the application of
this policy to Texas. By the terms Of
the compact BY which that State was
admitted into the Union, she retained
the ownership of all the vacant lands
within her limits The government of
that State, it is understood. has assigned
no portion of her territory to the In
dams; but as fast as her settlements ad-
vance lays it off into counties, and pro
ceeds to survey and sell it This policy
manifestly tends, not only to alarm and