The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-06-08
Another Collision with Mexico in

Another Collision with Mexico in
Prospect.
There appears to be no longer doubt
that the President has determined tC
maintain the claims of the Government
to the Mesilla valley. He seems resolv
cd to do this at whatever hazard. Gen
Garland has been ordered to the com
mand of the u S. troops in New Mexi
co, in place Of Col. Sumner The in.
structons he has received are not made
public, but they correspond, of course
with the intentions we have just indcat
ed
On the other hand, Gov. Trias Of
chihuahua, within whose jurisdiction he
claims the Mesilla valley to be, has ia.
ken the field in person, at the head of q
military expedition to oppose the Amer
lean occupation of this territory, leaving q
provisional governor at the capital in hi.
absence. He is fully sustained in this
movement by Santa Anna, who is now
firmly reinstated in power at Mexico
and whose hostility to our Government
is open and bittor
The claims of each Government be.
ing thus backed by an armed force, col.
lision is almost unavoidable A resort
to arms, in advance of any attempt at
amieable negotiations not in accordance
with the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
which provides for the settlement of
boundary difficulties between the two
countries by running the line over again,
or, in case of final disagreement, by sub
hitting the dispute to the arbitration of
a third party. Whether the course
of Gov Lane or the military move
ment of Gov. Trias ought properly to be
regarded as the initiative step in viola
ton of the treaty, admits of controvcr-
sy. Both were undoubtedly ill-advised
movements, end seem quite as likely to
involve the two countries in war as were
the movements on the Texan frontier
seven years ago.
OF Gen. Garland's mission, recent
Washington letter in the Journal Of Com
merce says: General Garland, who has
been here, en- route for New Mexico has
left for his important command. He ar
rived here in much-lcss time than was
expected after lie had been summoned to
this place He has received instructions.
and | conjecture that they embrace both
diplomatic and military powers. He is
undoubtedly to proceed forthwith to New
Mexico, and to march into the Mesilla
valley with force that will enable
him to encounter Gov. Trias, who
is there before him, and who is prepared
to expel him or any other American in
truder. 1t may be that Governor Trias
will retire before General Garland, and
that Santa Anna will suffer the United
States to take and keep possession of
that disputed territory. But such is not
the apparent intention of The Mexicans "
We understand it to be claimed by our
government that line run westward
from "a point Immediately north of FL
Paso" according to the treaty,would set
the Mesila valley within the limits of
New Mexico On the other hand. we
have the testimony of Mr. Bartlett. the
L. S. Commissioner to run this boundary
to the following points:
He denies that New Mexico ever cx-
ercised jurisdiction over the valley, as
alleged. On the contrary. he asserts
ever since 1925, chihuahua has claimed
and exercised the Jurisdiction of the
territory. There are only 700 inhabi.
tants in the disputed country, who are
so far from desiring to be annexed to
the United States, that when it was
known the boundary determined by the
commissioners included them in Mexico,
they hailed the event with salvos of can
non and every kind of rejoicing
Mr., Bartlett adds that in regard to
the statement that ia large portion of
the inhabitants now claim the protection
of the United States, and solicit the re-
annexation of their territory to New
Mexico" he can assert on authority OBJ.
tanned by him in New Mexico and Chi.
huahua, that the whole population OF the
Mexican valley consists chiefly of people
from New Mexico and Texas, of Spanish
descent, who, after failing to receive pro
lection from our authorities, after
the late war with Mexico, colonized that
place