The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-03-02
TIE GADsDEN TREATY.

TIE GADsDEN TREATY.
This Treaty is before the Senate, with GER
tain amendments recommended by the Presi.
dent Of the United States. Of the substance of
its provisions our readers have been advised.
1t strikes new boundary, securing to US
enough additional territory on our Southwest
ern border for two or three States, which, we
are informed by the Richmond (Va.) Enquirer,
are to be slaveholding.
The eighth article stipulates for the faithful
cooperation of the two Governments in endeav.
ors to prevent unlawful invasions of the terri
tory of one by the citizens of the other; and
imposes on each Government the duty of pur-
suing, seizing, and furnishing persons guilty of
such invasion, it being understood that in all
cases of successful pursuit and capture the de-
linquents 30 captured shall be judged and pun
ished by the Government of that nation to
which the vessel capturing them may belong,
conformably to the laws of each nation. The
President recommends the striking out of the
clause imposing this duty, so as to leave no
other obligation on either Government than
that of preventing unlawful invasion. That is
to say, he is willing that the Government of
this country should be bound by treaty to pre-
vent, if possible, filibustering expeditions from
being fitted out in the United States, but he is
not willing, should they elude the vigilance of
the Government as did Captain Walkers buc-
caneering movement, to make their pursuit,
capture, and punishment, matter of treaty
regulation.
One of the amendments recommended de-
serves special attention, inasmuch as il is an
insidious attempt to involve Mexico in an en-
gagement to surrender fugitive slaves. Article
second provides as follows:
aWith the like desire to maintain the most
perfect peace and friendly relations between
both countries, it has been agreed that, to re-
move all occasion Of dispute on account of rec
lamations to the present date, founded On al
legged Indian incursions, and to avoid all con-
test upon the true spirit and intention of the
obligations stipulated in the eleventh article of
the treaty of Guadalupe, the same is hereby
abolished and annulled. The Government of
the United States agrees, notwithstanding this
abrogation and annulment, to provide such adj
ditional regulations as the subject may in good
faith require, making it highly renal offence
on the part of any inhabitant of the United
States, or the Territories thereof, to purchase
or receive horses mules, cattle or property of
any kind knowing the same to have been sto-
len aDithin the limits Of Msrican territory by
the indians, or by any other person, and fur
thermOre agrees to return on demand to their
legitimate owners what may have been thus
stolen, 30 soon as the same shall have been re-
covered by the authorities Of the United States.
And in the event of any person or persons cap
tured upon Mexican ground being carried Nth
in the boundaries of the United States, the Gov
eminent of the latter engages to use every fair
and honorable means that the nature and cir
cumstance of the case will admit to secure
and return such captives to their own country,
or deliver them to the agent or representative
of the Mexican Government, requiring simply
the repayment TO the officer or agent of the
United States who may 80 deliver or return
them the expenses incurred in the maintenance
and Transmission of the rescued captives. FL
nally, the Government of the United States
promises that, on any occasion she may have
to remove the Indians from any point of her
territory, and settle thereupOn her own citizsns,
especial care shall be taken not to place said
Indians under the necessity of seeking new
homes in the Mexican territory"
In order, says the President, to make the du-
ties and obligations stipulated in the second
article reciprocal it is proposed to add to it the
following:
the stpulations contained in this article TO be
cal, and Ms1ico shall be under like obligations
tn fha TLn,fod lyofo, and The r;fjopos fLoreof nc
those herein above imposed upon the latter an fa-
DOR of the Republic Of Merico and Mexican CHI
Gems"
Look at the portions Of the article and of the
proposed amendment which We have placed in
italics and it will be seen that they will be
construed by our Government to cover the
case of slaves who may escape or be carried
into Mexican territory. 1t is but fair to stpu-
late for reciprocity, but the amendment goes
beyond this. Mexico does not recognise hu-
man beings as property, and contains no slaves.
Should the amendment become part of the
Treaty, and the Treaty be ratified, the Mexi-
can Government, in any demand made upon it
in relation to slaves, might urge that the term
property" used in the article was intended
to define that only which is regarded property
by the laws of nations; but it is easy to FORE
see what would be the response and course of
procedure of a Slaveholding Administration on
such reasoning. Or, it is quite possible that,
were slaves conveyed into Mexican territory,
they might be demanded as persons carried off
in violation of the Treaty.
We have no doubt that the amendment sug-
gested was carefully considered by the Admin
istration, and that one of its principal objects
is, to secure claim upon the Mexican Govern
ment for the surrender of slaves from this coun-
try found within her borders.
BALTIMORE February %, 1854.
To the Editor of the National Era:
SIR: Can you send us some printed forms of
petition against the Nebraska Bill? A num-
Der of persons in this city are anxious to sign
such a paper Perhaps, if you were to publish
form in the Era, it would answer our purpose,
and might induce others to 90 and do likewise.
Perhaps the following form will answer the
purpose
To the Senate and House of Representatives. of
the United States:
We, the undersigned, citizens of Baltimore,
devoted to the Union Of these States, anxious
for the prevalence of fraternal feelings between
different sections of the Union, and apprecia-
ting the obligations of good faith imposed by
what is commonly called the Missouri Com
promise, would respectfully and earnestly re-
monstrate against the passage of any bill for
the organization of Nebraska, providing, di-
e.. Al IT sc Il