Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-10-23

denly arrested, yet We readily and with pleasure
yield him the use of our columns for his commu-
nication:
WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 10, 1852.
TO the Editors of the National Mtelligeacer
Passing through this city my return from the
southern part of Virginia. your paper of this date has
fallen under my eye. find in it, report dated on the
18th instant addressed by the Secretary of the Interior
to the President of the United States advising him that
under the operation of the procso attached the ap-
preparation by Congress the last session for continuing
the survey the Mexican boundary that work must be
SUSPENDED and the commission recalled to which is APP
pended note by the President in which he says "After
careful perusa of the foregoing report and anxious
consideration Of the question involved in it, am reuc
family compelled to concur in its result sc. And he
then directs the Secretary of the Interior to notify the
Secretary of State of this decision in order that the
latter might inform the Mexican Government " of the
causes which compel this Government to suspend the fur
Their prosecution Of this work, &c.
publishing this report the Editors of the Integencer
are pleased to remark
The member who offered the prociso had, dare
say little idea that he imposing the Executive the
cruel necessity of breaking up suspendng the Commits
son and turning adrft in the wilderness two thousand
miles from home, without subsistence transportation
had been enormously laid down. But innocent the
member might have been of any such purpose in moving
it Congress in adopting the provso, it appears, from
the very able and lucid view Of the presented by the
Secretary of the Interior that the President could
with due respect for the law decide otherwise than he
has done"
And in his report the Secretary declares:
" In this the prohibition is in the broadest and
comprehensive 1t provides that part Of
this appropriation shall be used expended except upon
xrbic Nv rpfarr 1a1-
though satisfied that the practical operation of the
provso to the appropriation not fully considered
foreseen do how by fair construction of the
law any part of the money be drawn from the Trea
sury and am therefore compelled respectfully, to sub
nit you the proprety Of at suspendng the opera
tons Of the Commission, there means your
disposal to maintain it in the field"
The writer Of this note offered that in the Senate
to the appropriation as il from the House And
your paper will furnish materials for future history, he
asks through your columns show that he offered it with
full knowledge that It would impose the Executive
the cruel necessity" las you term it) of breaking up
suspendng the Commission with aliss consequences
He DESIRES also, TO show that the practical operation
Of the proyso fully considered and oreseen both by
the Senator who proposed il and by the Senate that
passed il.
On the 9th of August, 1852 the appropriation bin
being under consideration in the Senate the prorso in
question offered amendment and for its history
the remarks then made it by the mover taken
from the Congressional Globe of the Goth Of that
month, the official Reporter Of the Senate:
mr.. Mason. Mr.. President l offer further amend
ment 10 the BILL not however by instruction of the com
mittee, but of my own motion. There is provision in
the bill for running and marking the boundary line be-
tween the United States and Mexico under the treaty Of
Guadalupe Hdago, $780, ooo.n propose amend this
clause by adding 10 il:
Preceded That part Of this appropriation shall he used
expended until it shall be made satisfactorily appear
the President of the United States that the southern boundary
Of New Mexico is established by the Commissioner and
Surveyor Of the United States further town called
Paso than the is laid down Distune map which
is attached to the treaty"
"Mr. President, this is intended TO affect the appro-
praton for continuing the survey Of the Mexican boun-
dairy The object is prohibit the expenditure Of any
portion Of the money until the line which has been adopt
ed by the American Commissioner shall be reformed
cording TO the terms Of The treaty will not consume
the of the Senate because take il for granted that
they informed Of the actual condition Of things
that boundary. II is in substance and briefly this By
the terms Of the treaty each and
the United States-was required to appoint Commits
sioner and Surveyor represent their respective Gov
ements in ascertaning the boundaries prescribed by the
treaty. To enable them to ascertain those boundaries
Disturnes map made part Of the treaty and they
were required to conform to the boundaries laid down
upon that map The treaty describes the southern boun
Diary OF New Mexico which north Of the called
Paso' BY examination Of the map, and measurement
about eight miles north of the but the Com
missioner the part of the United States has assumed in
place Of that boundary the parallel Of latitude Of 32o 2
NORTH and the effect Of has been transfer the actual
boundary thiryour miles north Of the boundary
prescribed by the treaty The Surveyor who
cated with the Commissioner under the treaty and who,
under the treaty construed by the Committee For
n Relations in their report made few days since
associated in equal right and without whose the
Commissioner had power 10 determine this boundary,
dssented He placed his veto he had authority TO do
under the treaty upon the act Of the Commissioner The
Secretary Of the Interior upon this fact being reported to
him. instructed the Surveyor sign the agreement thus
liking the southern boundary Whether the Surveyor
obeyed this instruction not informed II the Sur
veyor does obey that instruction then question viii be
presented which am prepared to meet that the act Of
both officers does not commit this Government; beca
is departure from the treaty But to that question
We have not yet As at present informed il is the
act Of the Commissioner alone who has committed this
gross and extraordinary departure from the terms Of the
treaty in consequence Of which, should become the law
the United States viii sustain loss Of more than FIVE
thousand square miles Of territory, and will be thrown
far north upon that southern boundary to render
ceedingly doubtful whether southern right Of way will
be obtained to possessions on the Pacific
The object Of this amendment is to break down that
Commission where il stands unless this line reformed
and for am fully prepared to take such responsible
lily Under the instructions which have been given
the Surveyor by the Secretary Of the Interior they
obeyed the Government will sustain loss to the exten
that have mentioned, unless the present Commission
broken down and the object Of the amendment is in tn
alternative TO attain that end
In the concluding paragraph you will find the ohec
yavowed to be, "to break dopn that Commission Uhre
stand, ]" and the Senator offering it declared hmse
'fully prepared 70 take such responsibility"
In the debate that followed you will find that no Sens
tor on either SIDE Notwithstanding the object thus avov