The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-08

lions in regard to the Tehuantepec grant.
Mr. MASON SAID
Mr. PRESIDENT: What have TO say on the subject OF
this right OF the IS hmus OF Tehuantepee can
involve but lllIe more than dry detail but yet, IN my
apprehension, and IN the Judgment Of the Committee on
Foreign Relations, TO whom this subject reerTed, Il
is one OF yerygreal importance 10 the country.
During the last session the Senate passed resolution
requesting the President OF the United States to eommu
nieate TO the Senate all The correspondence and docu
menls which had passed between the government OF the
United States and the government OF Mexico concerning
this right OF way across the sthmus OF Tehuantepec.
The correspondence sent In late day OF the
SION, and referred 10 the Committee Foreign Relations
That committee took the subject under consideration and
before the close OF the session, but late TO be acted
upon made report, accompanied By several resolutions
That report has been before the Senate there fore since
the last session OF Congress- ana il will be found BY those
who have looked al the resolutions that the committee
considered the subject as one OF no little Interest and mo-
ment 10 the government will ask permission to read
them The report concludes by recommending to The SEN
ate the adoption OF the following resolutions:
Resoiped Gas the Judgment Of the senate) That in the
way through the territory Of Mexico a, The sthmus 81 Te-
huanePec conceded by that republic OF lis citizens
and now the properly OF citizens Of tho United States,
the same is presented by tho correspondence d5cu
mens accompanying the message Of the President of The
with the dignity OF this government pros the sub
iect further by uegoliaiion
! r. should the government OF Mexico propose re-
newal of such negotiations, should be acceded only
upon distinct propositions rom not inconsistent win
the demands made by this in reference to said
grant
That the government OF the United States stands
med to all OF its citizens to protect them In their ght
abroad rs well as at home within the sphere OF us Jafisdc
uon anu Should Mexico, ~lhin reasonable time, al .
reconsider her position concernlng said gfau viii then
become the duty OF this TO review all existing
relations with that republic and 10 adopt such
citizens.
The Senate will see from the character and tone OF
these resolutions that the Committee Foreign Rea-
lions have considered that this subject, by the action
upon II Of the two governments and by lis intrinsic I'M
porlance, has been elevated into OF very grave con-
sderalon Mr. President, the acquisition OF California
lying upon the Pacific border and OF the intervening ter
ritory al the close OF The with Mexico, placed this
government IN the embarrassing pOslion OF having
oil its most important Experimentation California was
then dependencyat the distance OF three thou
sand miles from The Atlantic settlements, and naccessi
bic unless deserts and mountains requiring months
10 pass them IS known 10 the Senate that the in
strucons which were gwen by President Polk to the
commissioner OF the United States by whom the treaty
OF peace negotiated Pfesden, who closed very
successful and indeed brilliant administration, by the
| successful issue OF the war with Mexco-he was d.
rected IN view OF the high and great importance OF OBJ
tanning an accessible way TO those Pacific possessions, TO
offer Mexico for the right OF way very large OF
money The proposition declined the part OF
Mexico, because, alleged that right OF way was
no longer within her conlrol-hat she had parted with it
Since the acquisition OF Calfornia-since II was erect
ed into Siate--and especially since the discovery
OF the immense deposits OF gold which have attracted the
attention. not only OF the people OF this country but OF
The entire Wod the way TO get access to California has
filled the public mind. The enterprise OF people
with their capital embarked IN seeking right OF
way some TWO lADOsa miles distant from our coast,
where the continent rather the ishmus that
the two continents, contracted to It's smallest extent
across the lshmus of Panama and within very short
tme by the investment oil very large capital, and with
some risk the part OF those Who did il, cummunca
ton opened there, in order 10 give 10 our
possessions on the Pacific That communication has CON
nued since in the course OF successful use.
Under the convention made between the governments
OF The United States and Great Britain, another commun
cation intended to be opened-how far IT has yet
been opened am not fully mfoned-through Nicaras
NICaragud
now by private enterprise and private enterprise alone,
that communication is successfully carried The
governments OF Central America weak and feeble they
all unfortunately are, have not nerposed any obstacles
but the contrary they have been disposed TO make lib
ersl and jus, concessions 10 our people TO enable them
10 get al Their Pacific possessions by granting right oil
way across their respective territories. 1t has been
served for Mexico alone contiguous republic the
public from HON these possessions the Pacific were
acquired, only refuse such right of way her
territory but she has accompanied the refusal with deb
crate purpose TO annu aud repudate void the very
grant the existence OF which she originally assigned
The obstacle 10 any treaty stipulation on her part conced
ing IL TO this government
Now, Mr. President, in looking at the map, we shall
find that The continent of North America, at the point
erred to- in the provinces or departments of Oaxaca and
Vera Cruz OF The Mexican States, Is contracted
than at any other point, until you reach the lsthmus of
Panama We find that, between the bay OF Vera Cruz,
in the Gulf Of Mexico, and the Gulf OF Tehuantepec, on
the Pacific side, the continent is contracted to an air line
OF distance between The two shown BY actual survey
10 be but one hundred and thirty miles Before the war
with Mexico-indeed for long series OF years-the at
enion of the world had been directed to ehecting
practicable roHte that part oil the continent
TO connect the two oceans and great and extended enter
pfIses had been, from time to time projected but all OF
them had failed There way Tor the commerce
OF this part OF the continent that OF Europe TO
TO the other side OF the American continent the Indies
except by poractei voyage By the way OF the southern
cape of America or that of Africa But recently
OF the discoveries OF gold in California aud since
that country has become OF the States OF this coned
eraton the mind OF the people OF the United States has
been concentrated upon the exploration and the successful
execution OF a route which shall he found most access
bic and least expensive TO bring the two into
muncaiion
In Is42 the government of Mexico, Santa Anna being
then President with supreme power (and have learn
ed from our intercourse with Mexico that President
with supreme power is the only responsible government
that Mexico has yet had made grant oil liberal char
aoer 10 a certain Mr. Garay, citizen OF Mexico, who
TO have been oil wealth, he certainly
one OF enterprise Garay forthwith took measures TO
have The way the lsthmus to which his grant ap
piled, surveyed and the practcabty OF etfeong aa-
sit there ascertaned lie employed for that purpose
enlightened Italian engineer, by the name OF Moro, who
made actual survey OF the country lying between the
two oceans at The isthmus OF Tebuantepec. / will read
very short extract from the report made by him. Ii
gives very succnct but clear view OF that country;
"The entire line Of country carefully surveyed and
pped the face Of the land It's productions and capab
titles, were examined with untiring perseverance,.
From there survey II Is established that the entire dis
lance from hundred and thirty miles
Ia straight line, and presents wide plain from the
mouth OF the Coatzacoacos TO the of Mesa lie Tarifa
table elevated plain the line Andes watch
the height 81 SIX hundred and y feet above the