The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-12-24
TILE BOUNDARY QUESTION.

pondence for some time with Secretary
Bayard, in reference to the commission
appointed to settle the boundary line be-
tween the Indian territory of the United
States and Texas, which involves in its
final settlement the entire county of Greer,
on the northeastern border of Texas.
The United States commissioners are
directed to find where the hundredth mer
idian crosses Red river.
The commission, on the part of the
United States, are army officers and will
obey the letter of their instructions.
Governor Ireland contends that these in
structions impose an unfair limitation of
their duties. The finding of the place
where the hundredth meridian crosses Red
river, the governor claims is but half of
the case of the state of Texas.
The question of course, first to be de-
cided by the commission, is which fork of
Red river, under fair investigation, is
the Red river referred to in the three trea-
ties by the United States with Spain and
Mexico, and although all the circumstances
connected with all surveys and the Indian
traditions point to the north branch of
Red river being the only known and map
ped Red river, still if the commission
should find that the south branch of Red
river is the branch on which the commits
sion is to find where the hundredth meri-
dian crosses it, the case would be settled
at once in favor of the United States and
Greer county would be public lands of the
United States.
If, however, on the other hand, the north
fork of Red river is to be considered the
river over which the meridian is to be set
tied, then there would be no further issue
between the United States and Texas, for
all territory west of Red river belongs to
Texas, without any reference to where the
meridian crosses that stream.
This is just where Governor Ireland
claims that the instructions to the COM
missioners limits them to the considera-
ton of only half of the case on the part
of Texas.
There have been three treaties between
the United States and Spain and Mexico
touching the boundary question. The
first was the treaty with Spain in 1919,
settling the boundary line between Mexico
and the United States. The second, be-
tween Mexico and the United States, in
1928, and the third, between Mexico and
the United States, in 1913, the latter just
subsequent to the Mexican war, when that
country coded a large territory, embrac-
ing California, to the United States. All
of these treaties were governed in their
terms and in their fixed points by two
maps, the first being what is known
as Meliche's map of the improved edi-
Try 1918, and the second as, Distro-
Peils map of Mcz-e- u 1877
= These treaties between the United
States and Spain and Mexico, in defining
the boundary, declared that the line
hould begin at the mouth of the Sabine,
in the sea; thence northwest along the
Red river to the hundredth meridian, ac-
cording to Meliche's map, or, as the gov
ernor contends, to a point laid down as
the hundredth meridian by Meliche' S
map.
AS the boundary between the
United States and Texas is now to
be settled on the same principle
that former boundaries between the Unit
ed States and Spain and the United States
and Mexico were settled, the governor
contends that the commissioners ought
to be instructed not merely to find which
is Red river proper, but which is the Red
river contemplated by Meliche's map and
where Meliches map fixed the place where
- Kpdredth meridian crossed it.
Sore observed, if the commissioners
Aporth fork of Red river is
n Red river, it makes ne
they find the hundredtt
4, for Greer county is
d of consequence be
Texas, but if thu
ke south fork as thu
the hundredth mer
nt that would Civ,
ed States.
or declares tina
claim merel,
,ridian crosse
Snent OF thi:
then con
and tina
eell's MAJ
havin!