The daily union., 1852-07-09


paid Tor labor, as have remarked before scarcely
fourth much paid by other persons And yei
sr senator has he audaciiy 70 charge with "sqnan
denng" the public money s.He has oyerdrawn The ap
FIoaton by several thousand dollarsp have already
shown that tins charge is eorely destitute OF truth But
repea. again hatno draft exceeding the ever
was drawn by al any time. On the contrary. the
drafts dawn fell little short OF the appropriation In
lhe absence OF any explanation apology, am com.
PEELED 10 place hun 10 that class OF politicians who
very unscrupulous 10 the means they use in assalng
opponent Having said thus much, Mr. President, IN
my own defence may be permitted bmore conclude. 10
allude 10 some matters connected with The commission
on ihe - day CT March (nearly four months ago)
resolution adopted by The Senate, my motion,
calling upon the Secretary OF the Interior 10 send in
copies OF all correspondence and papers connected with
the boundary commission which had not previously been
published 10 This resolution response has been made
This delay is certainly extraordinary My relations with
the present Secretary have always been OF friendly
character and have disposition whatever 10 do him
the slightest injustice. The delay may have been
workable, but am inclined TO the opinion that influences
have been al work somewhere in his office which have
prevented an earlier RESPONSE and which could have been
resisted il the Secretary had given little of his personal
attention 10 this matter Others less charitable might
suppose that the intention send in this document,
which is necessarily voumnous, al SO late day thai, in
the present deranged state OF our public prnng j could
not be gotten from the press during this session OF Con-
gress The want OF these papers will prevent from
investigating the conduct OF the present commissioner
but there some facts connected with this subject
which must invoke the attention OF The Senate now
They facts which should be known TO the public.
IL seems that Mr. Gray, the surveyor, was stricken
down BY disease for several months and this together
with the pursued by the department towards him.
prevented his reaching FL Paso the LIST of November
1850, the time fixed for assembling the joint commission
To guard against accidents OF this character, agree
ment made by the Mexican commissioner and myself
entered upon the Journal He reached the field oil
labor on the 10th of July, 1851, and found that Commis
sioner Bartlett had already agreed to fix the initial point
on the Rio Grande at latitude 80 deg. % min. north
This, after examination, did not meet the appreciation OF
The Surveyor but on the contrayh he presented an agu
ment which, think, will be found unanswerabe against
it, A copy OF this was transmitted TO the department
under date OF the Sd OF August On the 31st OF October
following the Secretary of the Interior addressed letter
tothe surveyor, in which he says:
2. As the commissioners coincide in opinion respecting
the correctness Of their operations and their results and
satisfied thatthc initial point has been accurately ascertain
ens necessary the settlement OF this important point
should be at perfected You requested therefore,
10 tho only obstacle which exists the
pleon Of this branch of the work, by ahxng sigma
tnre 10 the requisite papers"
This was an unwarrantable assumption of power. The
Secretary had authority whatever to issue such
der The treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo in The fifth a
Gle provides that t4
''The two governments shall each appoint commits
sione and surveyor who. before The expiration OF one
year from the date OF this treaty, shall a, the
San Diego and proceed to and mark the said boundary
IN its whole course 70 the mouth OF The h9 Bravo del Nore
They shall keep journals and make out plans OF their ope
a'ons and The result agreed upon by them sh DC deemed
part Of s treaty, and shaa haze the same force ii
inserted Masin."
The surveyor was an officer under the treaty. compo
nent part Of the joint commission, 10 whom alone the
power was given 10 determine this question. How far
either government supervise control the acts Of
that commission may al some future day discuss. But
surely the Secretary had power whatever to direct the
surveyor TO agree to line which in his judgment was
manifestIy wrong. This must make him tool in
his hands The Secretary, however, tour Digs after
wards, finds more legal and certainly much more ef
fectiye plan 10 carry out his object This letter, dated
9Th November, very politely informs him that "hiS
viees surveyor longer required" The mail
which carried the order 10 sign The papers conveyed
the letter OF Dismissal -Four days sober reflection
10 have satisfied them that the surveyor would disregard
this extraordinary order!
understand that Colonel Graham, gentleman rank
ing amongst the very highest in bis proiesson who bad
been detailed from the typographical corps the chief
astronomer OF the commission, also refused TO recognise
the line as fixed by the commissioner.
Now, Mr President, what will be the effect OF this
agreement, II signed by the surveyor, sanctioned
by the government Ii will give TO the Mexican repub-
lie twenty-five minutes OF latitude and three de-
gress OF Longitude, which IN right and justice belongs
The United States; the map now before exhibiting
this territory with the line agreed upon by Mr. Bartlett
and the one marked by the surveyor presenting
OF nine thousand five hundred square miles. That the
southern line here marked is the correct one have
scarcely doubt; but the treaty contemplate
that the branch of the Gla which is intended 10 pur
sue would be found by running norhward," it is ques
tonable whether this northwest line is correct AT all
events. at least five thousand square miles OF American
territory has been given away This is represented by
all The very first quality OF land and amongst the most
beautiful country IN the world. Upon this territory is
situated the hourshng Of Messia, (Messey,) set
tied by Americans and Mexicans. The Mexican CON.
missioner, very shrewd and intelligent man, who, from
residence OF years in that section OF country,
intimately acquainted with all the localities, unques
ably obtained decided advantage in this settlement
The great object OF the Mexican representatives who
negotiated The treaty OF peace retain the town OF
III Paso. This is clearly shown by the correspondence
Both governments intended that the line should pass
Immediately north OF tha; Town instead OF thirty miles
But as deprived by the department OF the nforma-
lion necessary 10 full and far discussion Of this point
must pass II over Tor the present Al some future day
il at large think will be able to show thatbe con-
duct OF ibe active and energetic surveyor in refusing
agree 10 the point selected lar from being censuable
was suca entiile him 10 the thanks of every one
"wbo loves The right and hates the wrong"
In the month OF March, 1851, Colonel j. Mcclellan
OF The typographical corps OF the army, who had been
detailed as chief astronomer TO The commission caused
chief, J. X Bartlett copy has been transmitted upon
my motion, to the Senate, and now lays before me
These charges, senators will observe are oil The most
serious character II true, the commissioner ought
be recalled once II false, the officer who has used
his position 10 prefer them ought 10 be dismissed from
the army. Al all events, would very naturally have
supposed that the department would have considered
these charges Of sufficient importance to have ordered
full investigation. They preferred by gentleman
OF high rank and character in the army, more than
year ago, and the only investigation had is disclosed in
the letter which now bold in my hand. The Secretary
after remarking that formal aragnment had been d.
lected, says
I" did, however. make such investigation Of them
to satisfy myself that they preferred under suoh
oustances and sustained by SUCH testimony de-
mand more formal examination.
. The explanations OF the these
charges aud the other documents relating thereto. will be
found among the papers already the Sem
a "A the solution of the I'd oi lastu