The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-17


that IT. bad deposited three scaled documents
and that the commission had but one in is
possession, protested sgainst the opening OF It's
proposition thus incomplete. 1t left moreover, the
commission free to open the propositions OF the other
companies; these companies even solicited the open
ing Of them, but the committee not deeming Itself
invested with power sufficient, preferred deferring
the operation to some other day, to take counsel Of
| the government
II seems, in effect, that eaoh company has made
two kinds Of propositions the one public the other
secret The government thought proper to submit to
the members Of the commission the public PROPOSE
tions, retaining the secret in its possession
/ hence the protest Of tho mixed company, to which
protest the other three companies added theirs.
The question whether the secret PROPOSE must or
be resolved by the cabinet in council. Meanwhile,
day before yesterday, Monday, the members of tho
commission finally proceeded to tho opening of the
/ One Of these propositions that Of the Guanajuata
/ Company, at the head Of which stands Mr. Munez
| Ledo, and of which tho States Of Guanajuata form
Part, has been given to the public in the columns of
! this different papers; the order announces that it
will present, this very day, the propositions Of snoth
or company, probably that of Mr.. Garcia, and this
example will doubtless be followed by the two
other rival companies. Public opinion wil
thereby be enabled to compare the different propo-
sitone, and decide on their respective merits, under
reserve however, of the secret propositions. These
secret clauses may we'll be of the nature of post
/ scripttm, and contain the most in portant and
most essential part of the propositions indeed, We
must suppose that such is actually the case, that
the publicity which is given us or promised Us is
evidently incomplete, ard cannot serve as . strict
standard on which to base our judgments. Let us
take it, however, such as it is and throw . rapid
glance over the propositions Of the Guansjusta
| company.
The Guapsjaata company, then, demands the CO.
operation Of the supreme government, rs associate
in the enterprise. 1t undertakes to cons ruct .
wagon road In three years, and to commence oper-
atioDs within tho same delay. In the course OF the
following The CCmulotiOn of the Haid r0ad IL
wnkcommence the construction of 3 railroad, to be
completed within period of four years The COM
pspy will receive all the duties Of transit storage,
and Others authorized by its tariff, sttef previous
appreciation on the part Of the government but only
during the time absolutely necessary for the rem-
bursement of the capital invested in the enterprise;
at all events this time is z0t to exceed eighty years
The transit over the Isthmus will be free to au the
nations of the world. 'The company does net view
this matter nearly in the light Of lucrative specu-
lation but the interest of the country its indspen
from stipulsting any profit for ITSELF leaving to the
national Congress the faculty of granting to it, q.
the time OF the appreciation Of the contract the re-
compense to which the said Congress will deem the
said company entitled, and which tbs latter agrees
to accept with satsfac lion. be the value and dur alton
OF such recompense what it may" The company,
although STIMULATING for no profit, nevertheless CON
sents to furnish security Of two hundred thousand
dollars, required by article IA of the conopcatoro
Such are, in substance, the principal provisions
OF this proposition, signed by all the celebrated
-.
these conditions certainly are, but do they not pre-
sent vague character which must preclude their
acceptance! proposition made in such terms is
not FERROUS Its first and most glazing fault is to
render the government in q manner the Obiigee Of
the COMPANY, and thereby deprive it Of that influence
and supervision necessary to the completion of the
work. The Guansjuata company has undoubtedly
sought to obtain the preference by profsring tho
fairest terms in its power This it undeniably had
right to do to render its conditions still fairer it
has stipulated no COL ditions for ITSELF this too is
another undeniable right; but although requiring
nothing, 1t solicits qualification from Congress.
Here we fall into the uncertain and arbitrary view
affecting the very foundation Of any enterprise
with which they are allowed to enter.
The members of the Guansjuata COMPANY form,
among themselves, powerful association Of capt.
tai We are happy to point out their patriotism
very rare quality in Mexico, where assuredly
such miracle has never before been seen until in
mendable, as it is, doub sess reasoned and probably
considered in practical light in the secret PROPOSE
tions OF the company. Thus the co npAny has
taken all the responsibility and all the chances
likely to induce the government to adjudcate in its
favor. Should the United States insist the poll.
tinAl question il will cause this to should
the cabinet ut w ashington claim indie muity for
the American possessors of the Garay grant, it will
pay their indemnity. Should i. be compelled so to
do, this indemnity, we may by the way state,
would amount to five million three hundred and
eighty three thousand dollars. amount of the claim
OF Mr. Hargous; and lastly, ehould war como out
of all this the government will have nothing to do
with 1.-THE company will sustain it.
Such must be, reasonably and logically speaking,
the sense Of the secret propositions Of the GUIANA
juata company; in making them We repeat it, it
has given tho most striking marks Of tho purest
and most disinterested patriotism that has ever
been shown since the declaration Of independence,
and We would therefore advise the government to
accept, and that without the least hesitation. Bat
If the secret propositions be otker than what
have first imagined it is indeed q sad present that
Mr.. Munoz Ledo and company would make their
country, and their patriotism might very well be
followed by disastrous consequences.
For indeed matters in the United States are far
from being on the footing on which Mr.. Ramirez
proclaimed them to have been on his leaving the
ministry. The COMMITTEES Of Foreign Affairs has
alreaoy given in its report to the Senate Of Wash
ington on the Tehuantepec question we have thus
far given only the conclusions of this report, which
we borrow from the National InteAigenccr, Of Au-
gust 81. The conclusion of the report il as fol-
lows:-
"3djy. Resolved, That the government of the
United States owes to all its citizens protection in
the maintenance Of their rights abroad as we'll as
at home. within the sphere Of its jurisdiction, and
that if Mexico, within reasonable delay, does not
recall its steps in regard to the said concession, it
will then be the duty of the government of the
United States to review all the relations existing
with the republic, and to adopt such measures
may be suitable to maintain the honor of tho coun-
try and the rights Of Its citizens"
The report sets forth, that since it Was drawn up,
and the preceding conclusions were adopted, new
correspondence has passed between the Mexican
minister at Washington and the Secretary Of Safe,
but that tho correspondence was not Of . nature
calculated to modify tho opinions Of the con-
mittee.
The conclusions Of the report are indeed alarm
ing. This is not all, however. An incident Of
most serious character, and which has to this day.
been almost wholly unnoticed in Mexico, we know
not why, redoubles our fears
Thus, after the reading Of the conclusions Of the
report by Mr.. Mason, Chairman Of the Committee
Of Foreign Affairs, Mr.. Brooke, Senator, rose and
proposed the following resolution -
Resolved, That the executive shall be required to in
form the Of Mexico that until the American
grantees Of the right Of passage tho Isthus be
fully vested with the possession and franchises which
they entitled from the frat day Of May next the
Of the United States will them
In the occupston and enjoyment Of the said possession
ard fran hises and that should their determination o
caSion rupture OF the relations between the re-
publics the United States will depend for their jusaca
ton In the eyes Of the world the obligation imposed