The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-28
House. OF RErRKsEsrArryEs.



Mr.. Mason's Report on the Boundary Line be-.
tween the United states and Mexico.
The Committee on Foreign Relations to whom was refer
red the message Of the President of the United States
the Is OF JAY last, communicating report from the
Secretary Of interior, in relation fixing the initial
point in the boundary line between the United States and
Mexico in pliance with resolution OF the Senate Of
June q, 1852 have had the under consideration
and now respectfully reports
The committee have given the subject that full consid.
which its importance demands, and only 10
regret they agrees with the Secretary
of the Interior either in the construction he has placed
upon the fifth article Of The treaty with Mexico,
acon OF his department resulting from such
The fifth article Of the treaty concluded Guadalupe
Hidalpo, I'd day OF February, 1885, follows;
The boundary line between The two republics shall
commence in the Gull Of Mexico three leagues from land
opposite the mouth Of the Rio Grande. otherwise called
the Rio Bravo del Nore opposite the mouth OF deep
branch, il should have than branch emp
hat er owng The dsepe. channel phen il has moi
than the point where strikes the southern
whole southern boundary Of New Mexico, (Which runs
north of the called Paso its western
until inersects the first branch OF the river Gla Tor II
should nterseet any branch Of that river then the
point the said line such branch and thence
IN direct line the y thence down the middle of
the said branch and Of the said river until empties into
the Rio Colorado, thence the Rio Colorado follow
nag the division line between Upper and Lower California
to the Pacific ocean.
The southern and limits of New Mexico
mentioned in this article those laid down in the ap
entitled Map OF the United Mexican Staes organized
lie, and constructed according the best auhornes Re
vised ediiias, .hshed New York. 10 isi7 BY J. Dis
bearing the signatures and seals Of the pen-
potenuaries And in order to preclude all difficulty In
tracing upon the ground the limit separating Upper from
Lower California; IL is agreed that the said limit shall
sis, of straight line drawn from the middle OF the Rio
Oiia where II untes with the Colorado, point
coast OF the Pacific distant marine league due
so1th OF the souhemost point Of San Diego according
tue plan OF said port made IN the year Don Juan Pan
oja second sailing OF the Spanish feet and pub.
hed at Madrid in the 1902 in the atlas to The
OF the schooncs Su and Mexlcans OF which plan copy
hereunto added signed and sealed bJ the respective
pleni potentiaries
In order designate the boundary line with due pre-
ciston authoritative and to establish upon
ground land marks which shall show the Limits OF both
pubes described ia the present article, the two
ments shall each appoint commissioner and surveyor
who, before the expiration Of year from the date Of
exchange Of affiliations Of this treaty, shall meet the
OF San Diego, and proceed and mark the said
boundary in its whole the mouth Of the Rio Bravo
del Norte They shall keep journals and make plans
Of their operations; and the result agreed upon by Them
shall be deemed part Of this treaty, and shall have the
same force a II IL were inserted therein The two gov
ernunens win amicaby agree regarding what may be
necessary these persons, and also as to their respective
escorts, should such be necessary.
The boundary line established BY thi, article shall be
egiousy respected by each o. The two IePuole and no
and free OF both nations lawfully given by the
general government OF each in conformity with It's
From plain language Of the treaty reference to the
southefn and western boundaries Of New Mexico, the
committee would suppose there could be for ms
or doubt
New Mexico established as boundaries OF the United
States and to render such boundaries de6ne IL declares
toned in this article those laid down in the map, c
We .of which map copy is added to this treaty" &c
New Mexico the treaty does not undertake TO declare but
does declare by description, not thought susceptible
what the boundaries which pre-.
scribed by the treaty to Its language, that
toned in this article and they are those iad down In the
map"
The committee them safely determins that the officers
charged with the duy of tracing these lines upon the
confined to the boundaries Of treaty map They re
not al liberty to inquire whether the map in
correct whether the boundaries therein laid down were
the boundaries or no IL sufficient that the treaty
The initial, point las Il 1, termed in the report OF the
where the southern boundary Of New Mexico is
that point Of intersection eight miles north OF
the town called "Paso" We nowhere find in the treaty
" description given Of that they to be taken as
laid down. on the map, and that the southern boundary
" runs north Of the called Paso."
The the part Of Mexico who signed the
treaty. TO be presumed knew the site Of these bonnds
to which they directly referred They
ousues also knew Gas Is assumed) that the town Of
altitude, and thus although the entire annexed
the treaty, reference TO u ~ strictly confined to the
boundaries as there laid down. without reference at all to
attitude or longitude
The Secretary Gays In his report that "her proactsd
that the point Of Intersection In latitude deg
~ min and proceeded at once TO mark IL by suitable
be run westward" How they determined the Secretary
does not inform us, butts reference TO the treaty map viii
show that the southern boundary Of New Mexico Is there
laid down the parallel OF 81 deg. ~ min
This would afford the key TO the construction
adopted by They referred the treaty
map, and fading the southern boundary traced this
sgins line adopted The parallel OF lstitude in lieu OF
well dehned limit plainly marked the map, and agreed
on that parallel as the boundary.
In forming and arbitrary boundary between coniig
states 10 not unusus greater certainty TO adopt
parallel o. latitude But ascertain existing bound
afy as laid down" ordinary map, 10 the
parallel OF latitude which be there assigned would,
IN NE opinion Of the committee. furnish most unsafe
guide Parallels OF latitude and degrees OF longitude
mere imaginary lines and neither the latitude longitude
d any point Indicated ordinary maps be safely as
'umed, unless fixed by actual observstion.
Disurners map, which ~ made part Of the treaty,
,eems 70 have accurately depeaeo this northern boundary
~hcn ~ IL referred uDdowbed the ground
md 70 the natural FEATURES OF the county, mar not