Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-10-16
OFFICIAL PAPERS.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.


WASHINGTON, OCTOBER IL, 1852.
SIR: The act making appropriations for the Civil
and Diplomatic service of the United States for the
year ending Both June, 1858, contains clause in
the following words
For running and marking the boundary line between
the United States and Mexico under the Treaty of Guada
upe Hidalgo hundred and twenty thousand dollars
provided that no part this appropriation shall be used
or expended until 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 and Surveyor of the United States
further north Of the town called Paso than the is
laid down in Disturnes Map, which is added to the
Treaty"
The proviso to the above section imposes upon
you the duty of examining the action of the Boun-
Diary Commission, and of determining whether the
boundary line between the United States and Mexi-
co has been established further north of the town
of FL Paso than the same is laid down Disturnels
map" before any portion of the appropriation can
be expended in the further prosecution Of the work
To enable you to fulfil this duty respectfully
submit the following report of the facts of the case
accompanied by copy of Disturnells map, and
other documents bearing on the question.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provides that
q 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 the Rio del Norte opposite the mouth Of its
deepest branch il should have than branch
emptying directly into the sea; from thence up the
middle ofhat river following the deepest channel where
it has than one the point where it strikes the
southern boundary of New Mexico thence westwardly
along the whole southern boundary Of New Mexico,
(which north Of the town called Paso,) to its
western termination; thence northward along the
H. Il. Al.
branch of the river ella if it should inersect
any branch Of that river then to the point said line
nearest said branch and thence in direct line to
the same thence down the middle of the said branch
and OF said river until it emptes into the Rio Colorado
thence the Rio Colorado, following the division
line between Upper and Lower California the Pacific
ocean"
subsequent clause Of the treaty declares that
the southern and western limits Of New Mexico
mentioned in this article are those laid down in the
map entitled " Map of the United Mexican States,
as organized and defined by various acts Of the
Congress of the said Republic, and constructed ac-
cordng to the best authorities. Revised edition.
Published at New York, in 1S47, by j. Disturnell.
The Joint Commission organized under the pro-
visions Of this treaty has proceeded to and
mark the line from the initial point the Pacific
coast the peninsula of California the juno
ton Of the Colorado and ella rivers The Depart
ment has been informed that survey has also been
made Of 50 much Of the ella river as was supposed
to form part Of the boundary between the two
countries as described in the treaty.
Major EMORY is now actively engaged in the
survey Of the Rio del Norte, and has it is presumed
completed it more than half way from the point
agreed on as the eastern terminus of the southern
boundary of New Mexico, to the mouth of that river
In regard TO these portions Of the boundary there
L. hcultv =
defined with precision by the treaty. but it is mark
ed by natural objects on the face Of the earth II
was different, however, with regard to the two sec
tions which constitute the southern and western
lines Of New Mexico Those arc neither defined
with certainty by the treaty nor are they marked
by natural objects They are mere imaginary lines
which had never, so far as this Department is ad
vised, been surveyed and marked on the earths sur
face prior to the negotiation of the treaty. Nue.
controversy, therefore, arose in relation " to tn
point where it (the Rio Grande) strikes the south
ern boundary Of New Mexico" which is declares
to be the beginning of the westward line There i
no reference in the treaty to any natural object 0
to any parallel Of latitude to indicate this point
and the only terms used in it tending to show tn
proper locality of the southern line of New Mexic
are those which declare that it runs nortl
. Of the town called Paso, and that the southern
and western limits Of New Mexico mentioned il
this article those laid down in the map Of Dis
tnrnail"
The Commissioners, therefore, felt themselves
much embarrassed in ascertaining the point on thu
Rio Grande whence they should run the lin,
westwardly.
BY reference to the map Of Disturnell it will b,
found, bv the most accurate measurement that
have been able to make, that the southern line O
New Mexico, as laid down thereon, is about latitude
~ 800 22R The town Of III Paso, or " Paso" Il
ascertained by similar measurement to be laid dowr
on the map at altitude N. 800 15Y, longitude 27'