Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-02-12


, ~ ~ MASON said: Mr.. President, W hat ba~
s SUBJECT OF this right-ofway the % 10 say
!, =; involve butlitfle more than isshnus ~
80 my sepr ehension, and IN the judy y deali put
e ~ ore ign Relations to whom .nen Of the ooln
n,- y ne of very great impor TINS SUBJECT masre
e inst session the Sc 'ance 70 the county
ate tAe President OF O. Tn;,ep ssstes - eommu-
'AtS lsh had nassea re correspondence and doou-
~ ssates and ~ .2etween the Government Of the
r;uhtros-~ ..e Government of Mexico, concerning
u a. lay across the isthmus of Tehuantepec,
respondence was sent in at late day OF the SEES
and referred to the Committee on Foreign heatohs
That committee took the subject under consideration ana
before the close of the session. but too late 10 DC ac'eu
upon, made report accompanied by several resolutions
That report has been before the Senate therefore SINCE
the last session of Congress- and will be found by those
who have looked at the resolutions that the committee
considered the subject of little interest ana mo
ment to the Government. will ask PERMISSION TO read
them The report concludes by recommending to the Sc
nate the adoption Of the following resolutions:
Rcsolced las the judgment the Senate,) That in the
present posture of the question on the grant Of rgh Oh way
through the territory of Mexico the hmus OF Iehuante
pee that Republic to one Of its citizens ana now
by the correspondence and documents accom-
panyng the of the President Of the United States OF
ahs 9th July 1852 it not compatible with the dignity OF
this Government to prosecute the subject further by nego
alton.
Should the Government of Mexico propose renewal of
such negotiations it should be acceded to only distinct
propositions from Mexico inconsistent with the demands
made by this Government in reference to said grant
g. That the Government Of the United stands
nitted to all Of its citizens to protect them their rights
abroad as well as at home within the sphere its jurisd
and should Mexico within reasonable time fall to
reconsider her position concerning said grant va" nen
duty this Government review all existing
relations with that Republic and to adopt such rs
viii the honor of the country and the rights OF w
sitizens.
The Senate will see froms the character and tone Of
these resolutions that the Committee Foreign Rela
lions have considered that this subject by the action
upon it of the two Governments and by its intrinsic i'm
has elevated into of very con-
Mr. he
lying upon the Pacific border and of the intervening ter
rtary, at the close of the with Mexico, placed this
Government in the embarrassing position of having
of its most important dependencies-for California
eken dependeney-at the distance of three thou
sand miles from the Atlantic settlements and inaccessi-
BILE unless deserts and mountains requiring months
TO pass them 1t is known to the Senate that IN the IN
structions which given by President Polk to the
commissioner of the United States by whom the treaty
of peace negotiated President who closed very
successful and indeed brilliant, administration by the
successful issue Of the war with Mexico-he di-
ected in view of the high and great Importance of OBJ
tanning accessible way those Pacific possessions TO
offer Mexico for the right Of way very large sum OF
money, The proposition declined the part of
Mexico, because alleged that right of way
no longer within her conrol-tha she had parted with it.
Since the acquisition of California-since it was erect
ed into q Sateand especially since the discovery
deposites of gold which have attracted the
attention only of the people Of this country but of
che entire world the way to get access to California has
filled the public mind. The enterprise of people,
with their capital was embarked in seeking right of
way some two thousand miles distant from coast,
where the continent rather the isthmus that connects
the two continents contracted TO its smallest extent
the isthmus of Panama and within very short
time, by the investment of very large capital and with
some risk the part of those who did it, communca
tion opened there order give access to our
possessions the Pacific That communication has con-
tinued since in the course of successful
Under the convention made between the Governments
of the United States and Great Britain, another comnu
cation intended to be opened-how far il has yet
been opened am not fully informedthrough Nicaragua
by way Of the river San Juan and lake Nicaragua An
Gov, by private enterprise and private enterprise alone
that communication is successfully carried on. The
Governments of Central America and feeble they
ali unfortunately have nterposed any obstacles
bnt the contrary they have been disposed make lib
eral and just concessions to people to enable them
20 get az their Pacific possessions by granting right of
way their respective territories 1t has been
served for Mexico alone, contiguous republic, the Re-
public from whom these possessions the Pacific
acquired not only to refuse such right OF way her
territory but she has accompanied the refusal with de-
Hberae purpose to annu and repudate void the very
grant the existence of which she originally assigned
the obstacle to any treaty stipulation her part conced
ing it to this Government.
Now, Mr.. President in looking at the map, we shall
end that the continent Of North America the point
ferred in the provinces departments Oaxaca and
Vera Cruz Of the Mexican States is contracted
than at any other point until you reach the sthmus Of
Panama We find that, between the bay Of Vera Cruz,
n the Gulf Of Mexico and the Gulf Of Tehuantepec
the Pacific sde the continent is contracted air line
or distance between the two shown by actual survey
10 DC hunured thirty Before the
with Mexco-ndeed for long series Of years--the
tenton Of the world had been directed eecng
practicable route that part Of the continent
the two oceans and great and extended
prises had been from time time projected but all of
them had failed. There way for the commerce
sf this part of the continent that Of Europe pass
the other side Of the American continent the Indies
sxoept by protracted voyage by the Of the southern
cape Of America that Of Africa But recently on
Of the discoveries Of gold in California and since
that country has become Of the States Of this coned
Grafton the mind OF the people Of the United States has
been concentrated upon the exploration and the
ful execution Of which shall be found most
b!e and least expensive to bring the two into
communication
In l542 the Government Of Mexico Santa Anna being
khen President with supreme power and have learned
from Intercourse with Mexico that President with
supreme power is the only responsible Government that
Mexico has yet had made grant Of liberal character
80 certain Mr.. Garsy, citizen Of Mexico who
20 have been Of wealth, he was certainly one Of
enterprise Garay forthwith took measures to have the
across the sthmu to which his grant applied sur
veyed, and the practcaby Of efecting transit there
ascerained lie employed for that purpose an enlght-
cned Italian engineer, by the Of Moro who made
an actual survey Of the country lying between the two
at the Isthmus Of Tehuanepec will read very
short extract from the report by him IL gives
very succinct but clear view Of that country:
The entire line of country carefully SURVEYED and
mapped the face Of the land its productions capabilities
examined with untiring perseverance.
"From these Is established that the entire Dis.
straight line, and presents wide plain the mouth OF
the Coatzacoalcos the port Of Mesade Ta table ar
elevated plain the line Of the Andes which rises 10 the
height Of six hundred and fifty feet above the level sea-