The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-02
VOL. VIII,
THE SURPLUS IN THE TREASURY, PRovrDv,
FOR

I n.
Some time since, the Public Mind Was o...
uneasy respecting the vast surplus in the IT,
ury. The Press, anxious lest it might te,o,t ;,
extravagant expenditures, and prove pyore.
source Of corruption, proposed numerous no.I
DDS of getting rid of it, Meantime, q the Pow.
behind the Throne was also exercised 49,
corning it and determined to relieve the Voo,
People from all tribulation on the subject /,
cordingly, Mr.. Gsdsdcn was authorized % -,
vide for the disposition of this dangerous sunni.
in the Treasury, by investing it in an c,o.
sive tract of land, for the special benefit or.,.
mysterious invisible bat ever-aeting Pow.
How nicely the operation was accomplish
is narrated by Col. Gadsden to the editor or,t.
Charleston Courier, who in his turn favor. T..
Public with the statement:
"When Gen. Gadsden reached Mexico s..
to Anna claimed an indemnity Of $50 Onn nTa
under the 1 tn article of the treaty of Guol,
lupe, relative to Indian incursious and DOR
cations on Mexican territory, and insisted m
the Bartlett boundary line, which excluded ~,
from the Meslla Valley. Gen. Gad,dcn a,
once boldly and firmly rejected the IDEA Of m,
demnity altogether. He insisted on the a.,
ham line, which gives w the MeSlla Val,rv
covering ali area Of some 100000 acres =.
tho true boundary, and intimated that Gen
Garland was on the march to assert our claim
TO the Graham line taking possession OF tLo
disputed territory; and proposed settlemcrt
OF all difficulties on an entirely new bass Of
negotiation. Finding the thing feasible, in.
mediately dispatched an express to prevent ,bs
further advance of Gen. Garland and the III.
lowing was the ultimate results OF his able and
admirable policy:
He accomplished a treaty in which Mex
leo surrendered all claim for indemnity under
the It'll article Of the treaty of Guadalura
and yields us the Mesila Valioy, and in ada
ton thereto, codes to us, for the sum of twenty
millions of dollars, an immense region. embr,c.
ing part of Chihuahua and about one h;rI
Of Sonora, including the gold region. believed
to TO one OF tae richest in tho world GOVERN,
IN all about thirty-nine millions of acres grJ
giving us new boundlry strong in naturaI
detenccs aud running to or near the head If
the Gulf of California
This cessiOn embraces, too. the Garsv
route OF the Pacific railway, through the vale,
OF ella, lthe very route designated by General
Gadsdeu himself ut tho Memphis Convention
OF which he was member of which Charlie.
ton is the Atlantic and San Diego the Pacif,
tcrmini, with Memphis az the intermediate
station. Of tho $20,00000O to be paid by Il,
Tor this vast and valuable acquisition Of terri
tory, we are to reserve $4,000 600, with which
VIC are to extinguish all claims of our citizens
on Mexico, including those under the Garay
grant. Tho peninsula Of California is not in.
clndod in tho cession, but even that would
probably have been obtained, by further nego.
tlatlon, had not the insane expedition Of Walk.
or caused Santa Anna to set his face reSOlutey
against it. Tho new domain acquired it i
suggested to form into new Territory, land
hereafter into one or moro States by the name
of Arresonia; the first Governor Of which
ought to be South Carolnian, as a tribute
due to South Carolinian diplomacy
Gunpowder and Gold are potent instrument
aliiies Instead of 800, 900 acres, which be-
longed to us by the Graham line, and which
we were prepared to fight for, Col. Gadslen
contrives, by the help of the surplus in the
Treasury to got part of Chihuahua, one third
of Sonora in all 80 0OO, 600 acres, rich in gold
and embracing tho very route for railroad to
the Pacific which that gentleman had recon.
mended to tho Memphis Convention. Mate
rial for two or three more slave States and
Southern route for tho great Atlantic and Pa.
ci6c Railway! What nice speculation and
what q fortunate dciycrance Of the Treasury
from its dangerous surplus Unfortunately
five millions yet remain undispOscd Of which
would have been invested in the purchase of
Lower California, but for the premature fiji
clustering Of Capt. Walker, who in this ease
to run before he was sent
If the Power behind the Presidents Chair do
not keep him thera for a second term, it will
be rather blind TO its own interests