The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-29
CITY OF WASHING TON.
-TrRIpAY MORNING. APRIL 30. 1858.
ea,syaor Lane Movements In New Mexico


cause Of Mexico large portion of the wing press has
already denounced Governor Lanes action as unaathor-
izea annexation while some have gone so far as 10 stg
Matte il a violent and plralea spola'oh on INC 'eii-
tory OF neighboring nation
We would advise the opposition journals to be more
,suous and al least wait for definite information
AT all events they should examine The pubic fecofus pc
fore they commit themselves most important point
We do not undertake to say al the present moment
whether Governor Lane has acted with due caution ana
circumspeciion whether the exigeRcy was SO sud-
den and pressing 10 require prompt action on his paI
without waiting for diplomatic understanding WIN
Mexico through the Stale Department. That point
we leave until further particulars reach us but in the
mean time we deny that Governor Lane has been guilty
OF forcibe annexation, has committed spoliaon on
Mexican territory the wing press in many quarters
has alleged He ia whg and received his appointment
from the late wing administration but that shall mol in
duce us to assal him wrongly, for we will never re-
fuse TO maintain the rights Of country in obedience
10 the command OF party vindicsiveness
There is no doubt but that the disc, OF country which
Governor Lane has seized belongs to the United States.
and is part Of the Territory of New Mexico. The
whg press is mistaken The late administration did not
succeed in sutrenderng the district in question to the
Mexicans In order to sustain MIR. Bartlett the late
missioner, against Mr. Gray, the surveyor and Colonel
Graham, the head OF the scientific corps, the late
administration did all il could do TO. transfer 10 Mex
leo the valley of MesilIa; but Congress interfered,
and prevented the consumnation of the transfer by
stopping The supplies of the boundary commission,
the ground that the commissioner acting improp-
ey, and was running line different from that prescribed
ahv Twin he nj
New Mexico to the Mexican State Of Chihuahua and is
ha,dis,rc of country which Governor Lane has
session of by proclamation By the terms of the treaty. the
Joint commission mark the boundary to consist OF
commissioner and surveyor appointed by each republic
but after Colonel Weel's recall, Mr. Bartlett, who
ceeded him. claimel be the sole representative OF the
United States and instead of running the line prescribed
by the treaty, be negotiated thirtyfour miles further
north, and proceeded to mark it, in defiance of his
cate Mr. Gray, and Of COL Graham, who succeeded Mr.
Gray until the Senate being informed of the facts, took
measures 10 stop his career Before that there had
been any difficulty TO the southern boundary OF
New Mexico, or the northern boundary OF Chihua
hua The Mexican edict fixing that boundary the
recognition OF the public officers OF New Mexico and
Chihuahua and Disiurnels map, referred 10 10 the trea
ty-all agree in fixing the line eight miles north
OF FL Paso; but Mr.. Bartlett agreed to place it thirty
four miles further north, and thereby give to Mexico the
valley of Mesilla which had always been under the ju
rsdicon of New Mexico while it portion of the
Mexican republic II Mr. Bartlett had been empowered
10 make such agreement and Congress had not inter-
fered 10 prevent it's contamination then the valley OF
Mesilla might have been lost to US but his associate
on the commission. whose necessary give
and olato
administration undertook 10 sustain Mr. Barle,rs illegal
course the late Congress, under the lead OF the Sena
Committee on Foreign Relations stopped the supplies, and
forced the recall Of the commission. The late admnisa-
ton should have then proceeded promptly 10 arrive al
some understanding with the Mexican government, and
prevent any disturbance growing out Of disputed urs
diction the line before it definitely marked; but
it acted with It's characteristic imbeciy and carelessness
and after four years of extravagant mismanagemen left
the whole subject undsposed OF and in condition
than al the end of the Mexican When the public
attention was first called this subject. the close Of
the first session OF The last Congress, By the report OF
Mr. Mason, Of Virginia, chairman OF the Senae's Com
miee on Foreign Relations we published the following
article, 10 which would now invite the attention Of
our readers Soon after it was published Congress
acted on The subject in the we have already
mentioned:
From the Washington Union of August %, ls52
Tux MEXICAN BOUNDARY coMMssIos.-We invite a care
al perussl Of the able report, In another column, OF Mr.
Mason, Of Virginia, chairman of the Senstes Com ce
on Foreign Relations, the message Of the President
transmitting letter from the Secretary OF the Interior In
relation to the boundary with Mexico.
We have known for time that the boundary
mission vastly expensive and that II had consumed
great deal OF time in making but little progress. We had
al been told that the initial point If The survey had been
wrongly placed, and that the would il
occasion the loss Of large territory and Of the
important passes toward the Pacific. But we had no
idea that the whch had been commited plain
and palpabe Masons report proves il to be, that the
commissioner had totally Misunderstood the of
his duties. and plainly transcribed his authority he
has done by assuming diplomatic luncons by claiming
the right to act independent Of and against the protest
the surveyor and by departing the requirement.
the treaty, which defines the boundary line.
What astonishes OF all in this business is the
conduct OF the administration here, and the nnspbana
character Of the Arguments which Mr. Stuart urges in
his Justification Mr. Msson's report demonstrates that
commissioner Bartlett, by agreement with the Mexican
commission has liked The initial point thirty miles
Tar morrill, thus giving Mexico Ave housa nd four hun
aed and eight square miles Of territory and the posses
SION OF the passes 10 that direction the Pacific coos,
MT Gray, the surveyor present when this wa,
zone and when II was msds known 10 him he reG,sed IA
consent or 70 sRa he agreement improperly entered into
py Mt Bartlett during his absence When NH, fact ,vn
communicated 10 Mr. Stuart, lie instructed Mr. Cray Der.
hp'o'y 70 sign the agreement aud then removed him
,i MS successor, with the instructions TO
-, ss'eemeni, BY which commission assumed diplo.
d.,e,bs ana agreed TO mark line d,6srent from maj
..,,," og me treaty, although il. whole dutv
"a - showing the line as de.cribed by "a, f,.,
n. So WAY hne on authoritative mans