The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-12
F+o~ IT st. Louis Repssbiiesm Of June go
From New Mexico-The BOunda nv Oues-

ttNsrt t1n,r ~ II tIf TI-''-'
We have received our files Of the Santa Ff Ga.
zstte for May. They are occupied to great ex-
tent with discussions Of the Meslla difficulty and
the question of boundary between Mexico and the
United States.
On the 18th ultimo large meeting Of citizens
OF New Mexico assembled in Santa Fe, with a
view to some expression of public opinion on this
question. In the report adopted by this meeting,
drawn up by Judge Joab Houghton, we find the
following statement: ststa f,
Son the 9Th of March, 1897, Joseph Sarmien-
10, Marquis de la Laguna, Viceroy of Mexico UNI
der the government Of Spain, issued a decree de-
claring the boundary between New Mexico and
New Biscay (now Chihuahua) to be at the Rio
Nombre de Dios, or Sacramento, and described
the village of Ell Paso to be within the Jurisdiction
of New Mexico.
ssDon Juan Baptiste Pine, deputy of the pro-
vince of New Mexico to the Cortes Of SPAIN in a
memorial to that body bearing date Cadiz, 1872,
claims for New Mexico jurisdiction to the 2Sth
degree Of north latitude; and thus the southern
boundary of New Mexico seems to have stood un-
til, by an act of the Mexican Congress, passed
July ~, 1924, the northern limits of the jnrisdic-
ton of the town called Paso was made the north
ern boundary of the province Of Chihuahua, and
necessarily the southern boundary of New Mexi-
CO. In this subsequent years 1925, chihuahua
was, by nm act of the Mexican Congress, erected
in the act Of 1894. BY no subsequent act of the
Mexican government has this boundary line been
changed.
"By the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the
southern boundary Of New Mexico, as laid down
in Distumell's map, was made part of the boun-
Diary between the two republics.
'sThe southern boundary Of New Mexico, as
laid down in Disturnell's map, strikes the Rio
Grande at point not exceeding eight miles above
the town called Paso.
Tracing then all the changes in the position
Of this boundary under the Mexican government,
up to the date Of the treaty, it is clear that New
Mexico extended to the northern limits of the
town of Ell Paso, and that the treaty 80 con-
templated the boundary.
''This territory in dispute was under the juris-
diction of New Mexico as department of Mex-
co. The civil authorities of the temporary terri
torial government from 1876 to 1851, and the ter
ritoral government established by the Congress of
the United States, continued to exercise jursdic-
ton over this disputed territory until the fixing of
the initial point on the Rio Grande in 1851, at
800 and 90 north latitude, more than forty eight
miles above the town of Ell Paso, by Commissioner
Bartlett. nn
''The territory was Immediately seized upon by
the Mexican authorities; American citizens To-
Gated there were despoiled Of their property, and
many Mexicans who had commenced the settle
ment of Mesilla, in l847, with the understanding
that they were placing themselves under the pro-
lection Of the Government of the United States,
found themselves, against their will, again under
the Mexican government. Many of these citi-
zens appealed to the then executive officer of this
territory, but in vain.
Commissioner Bartlett, in support of the claims
of Chihuahua to the Meslla valley, refers to a
survey made in 1884 by Staples and Condo, and a
map based upon it which fix the southern boun-
Diary of Chihuahua, and Of course the southern
boundary of New Mexico, at 80 degrees 81 min
utes and 43 seconds. The Santa Fe Gazette,
commenting upon this, says:
ssThe survey made by Messrs. Staples and
Condo in the year 1884 was not adopted by the
government of Mexico, nor was it ever agreed to
by the territory of New Mexico; it was act on
the part of chihuahua for which she had no au-
thority We ourself were in Chihuahua at the
time this survey was made by Mr.. Staples, and
can speak understandingly about it,
The Santa Fe Gazette, of the l4th ultimo, says:
'sSeiior Salezor, the newly-apponted Mexican
Boundary Commissioner, who has arrived in Ell
Paso, states, us are informed by letter from
there, that if the Government of the United States
refuses to confirm the boundary as already run,
Mexico will regard it as declaration of war"