The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-05-11
The New Mexico Difficulty.

The New Mexico Diihculty.
The news in relation to the threatened
boundary war with Mexico, published in
our last paper, is confirmed.
We now have Governor Lanes procla-
nation, as published in the New Orleans
papers.
PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, a portion of territory On the
west side of the Rio Grande del Norte,
thirty four miles wide by one hundred and
seventy eight miles long, be the same more
or less, is now claimed by the United
States of America, and by the Mexican
Republic, respectively, under the provis-
ions of the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
2. From the year 1924. and anterior
thereto, until the year 1851, this portion
of territory was acknowledged TO be with
in the limits of New Mexico but in the
year 1851. the State OF Chihuahua assum-
ed Jurisdiction over the same, without pro-
ducing any authority for this act from the
Republic of Mexico, and without having
obtained the consent OF the United States
or the Territory of New Mexico; and in
defiance of the remonstrances of a large
portion of the inhabitants OF the disputed
territory, who then numbered two thousand
souls.
8. During the discussion Of the bound
airy question under the treaty of peace. the
Commissions Of Mexico proposed to a.
bandon a part Of this disputed territory,
by dividing it between the two Republics.
And during the year 1852, the U. States
virtually asserted a right OF sovereignty
over all the territory in dispute.
a. The claim of Chihuahua to this dis
pnted territory is believed to be based up
on the understandable assumption that the
Board Of Commissioners had agreed upon
a boundary line between Chihuahua and
New Mexico, and that their agreement in
the premises was binding both upon the
United States and the Mexican Republic.
and therefore final whereas a valid agree
ment had not been made by said Board /;
and, moreover, the action Of the Board has
been virtually repudiated and nulli6ed by
the United States.
5. Each Of the high contracting parties
to the treaty Of Guadalupe, er re necessi.
tate. tacitly reserved the right to accept or
reject the decisions of the Board of Bound
airy Commissioners and il the Board had
assigned the city Of Chihuahua and the
country north of it to the United States. or
the city of Santa Fe and the country south
of it to the Mexican Republic, the action
Of the Board would certainly not have
been regarded as final.
6. Ever since the territory in question
was thus forcibly and illegally annexed to
the State Of chihuahua, that State has sig
nally failed to protect the inhabitants Of
the territory in their rights of person, o.
property, and Of conscience, and more
over has not made a reasonable defence
against border Indian depredations, and
Thereby prevented reclamation against the
United States for the property taken by the
Indians.
7. The present revolutionary condition
OF the Mexican Republic precludes the
hope of adequate protection being afford
ed by that Republic to the inhabitants in
this disputed territory for the time being
and a large portion of the inhabitants now
claim protection Of the United States. and
solicit the remuneration Of their territory
to New Mexico, from which it was illegal.
ly wrested by the State of Chihuahua.
Now, therefore, as the United States has
been wrongiully deprived Of the portion o.
the territory in question. even should the
Mexican republic have a righ,ful claim to
ii, which is denied and so by the law o.
nations the. United States is Justly entitled
to exercise jurisdiction over the same. and
protect the inhabitants thereof in all theil
rights until the claim Of the Mexican Re.
public shall be formally recognized by the
United States ; and as the probable time oil
the settlement Of the boundary question is
indefinitely postponed; and the interests
Of the United States, and the rights Of the
inhabitants ofihe territory. are inadequate
ly protected. /, William Carr Lane, Gov.
ernor of the Territory of New Mexico (up,
on my official responsibility, and withou
orders from the Cabinet at Washington.
do hereby. in behalf Of the United States
retake possession of the disputed territory
to be held Professionally by the United
States, until the question of boundary shall
be determined between the United States
and the Mexican Republic. And do here
by require dN civil anu mIiftdTy OIliCeTS o
the United States, and of the Territory o
New Mexico, whom it may concern, to ex
ecute the laws Of the United States, ant
Of the Territory Of New Mexico, in ant
over the Territory aforesaid, which is pro
visionally attached to, and made a part o
the county of Donna Anna, in the Terri
tory of New Mexico.
And to the end that there may be nj
misunderstanding, on the part of the citi
zens Of New Mexico, as to the boundary
line between the Territory Of New Mexi
co and the State Of chihuahua, the true
and well known boundary between thi'
State and Territory, as established by
decree Of the Mexican Congress, of Jul,
ct. 1924, and as delineated upon Distur
nell's Treaty Map. is hereby professionally
established which boundary line has it
initial point in the main channel ofthe Ri
Grande, above the dam Of the Acequi'
Madro, (~across the Rio Grande and be
low Frontera, eight miles, more or less
north OF the Town Ell Paso. The said lin
to run from the Rio Grande westwardly
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