Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-10-06
The Mexican Treaty.
SAN DIEGO, TEXAS, Sept. 90, 1886.

in an attitude inconsistent, by lauding to
the skies, our neighbors over the river IN
one letter and then in another pleading
'snon est factum," yet think that the Cut
ting affair will not be proftless if it serve
TO stimulate inquiry and diffuse accurate
information concerning Mexico and its peo-
pie in the United States. Notwithstanding
the fact that Mexico is our nearest neigh
boz b0s, VIC &c really now less about her than we
do about almost any other nation with
which we have regular intercourse. With
ample opportunities for becoming acquaint-
ed with her history, institutions and meth
DDS of thought and feeling, we have per-
sisted always in misunderstanding her, and
measuring her by fanciful and unauthorized
standards. However, taking her as whole.
Mexico is not to blame for the position the
majority of her citizens take regarding the
boundary between the United States and
Mexico, and which in our view of the sub
ject is all caused by
IGNORANCE OF THE LAST TREATY.
And this is not confined mainly to the
lower class, but men who are supposed to
be highly educated and ought to be well
posted on such matters, seem to know
nothing of this Guadalupe Hidalgo treaty
Mexico, February second, 1848, and claim
that all the country lying between the
Nueces and Rio Grande rivers belongs to
Mexico; in other words that the Nueces
river instead of the Rio Grande is the
Southern boundary of Texas, and that the
| time will soon come when Mexico will as
sert her rights. Of course the heads OF the
government know better, and whether it Is
| their purpose to keep the majority OF the
people in ignorance or whether tits thought
| 10 be of too little importance to be pub
lished, we can not conceive. 1t may be
possible that father imparts to son, and in
| this way it has come down to the present
generation. But, to show that the gov
ernment of Mexico claimed all the territory
between the Nueces and Rio Grande at the
date of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,
between the United States and Mexico,
Feb. End, 1S48, we give part of the instruc-
tions of the Mexican Government of the
| goth of August, 1847. to the Commission
ers appointed to negotiate treaty with
| the U. s. Commissioner, N. P. Trist,
Esq.
EXTRACT FROM COMMISSIONER INsTRUC-
sTt is supposed they know that if greater
advantages cannot be drawn from the ter
ritory of Texas, they must adopt the opin-
ion of the Government who believe that
no further concession shall be made than
the limits of Texas as shown and recog
nized they do not pass the river Nueces,
which is the natural boundary OF Texas,
and in no manner does its limits reach to
the river Bravo" (which means the Rlo
Grande).
In note addressed by said Commission
ers to MIR. Trist, dated September 9TH,
1S47, we find the following more emphatic
language 8
EXTRACT FROM NOTE TO MIR. TR1sr.
your excellency that Mexico cannot cede
the belt which lies between the left bank OF
me Bravo MO ~ Granoe), anu tne sigp' e ol
W.. th1 ,ue o. .to Iii oor.a;,,tv +hat s,,oh
tarr;torv never balanced tn the State of
Taxos nor 10 T. fornded on tho oraat valne
in the a abstract M % wh;ch ;s nlaced mon it
II 10 hooonso tbot holt tpoatber with the
Rravo ] forms the the natural % barrier for Mexico.
10Th ~ q -,;l;torv and commerc;al sense
and the barrier Of no State ouoht to he
sonoht and No State can consent to aban-
Son it's ba ,., rriar, ~ ' O-'-o'''
0Rnt in order TO remove all cause for
tronbla bereafter the Government of
Mexico engages not to found new settle
ments, or establish colonies in the space
between the two rivers, so that, remaining
IN its present unlnhablted condltlon, IL may
serve as safe guard equally to both re-
publlcs. Pursuant to our Instructions, tne
preservation OF this territory is condition:
sine qua non, OF peace. Sentiments OF
honor and dellcacy, (Whlch your excel
lency's noble cnaracter Will know no"
worthlly to estlmate), even more IMAM
calculation OF interest, prevent our Govern
ment from consentlng to the dlsmember-
ment OF New Mexico. Upon this point,
we deem it superhuous to add anything to
that which we had the honor to explain to
you orally IN our conference.
WE ALSO Find
in the fourth division of a counter -proiect
for a treaty nrenared and presented bv the
Mexican Government. dated September
5tb 1SA7 that the Mexican Government
;ns;sted mon Nneces river heino the bonn.
dow Inc Tho terr;torv lv;ng hetween the
N,,sces and Rio Grande rivers was mart of
the state of Tamanl;nas Tn to the date
of the adoption of the Constitution of the
Republic, the people OF Goahuila and
iexas . oio noI assert any clalE u.o 70 any PHa'
VI Ine Ie'ii.o1y VI .no 10" I'a.o VI :"
mauiipas' anu up u 'ne oa'e "nen
GENERAL TAYLOR LANDED
his troops at Corpus Christi, in 1S45,
neither the people of the Republic, or the
State of Texas, or the United States, had
or exercised judicial or political control
over any part of the State of Tamaulipas,
or South or West of the Nueces river and
the territory between the Nueces and Rio
Grande rivers never was within the limits
of the Government of the late Republic of
Texas, and belonged to Mexico and the
State of TamauIipas until the Guadalupe
Hidalyo treaty, Feb. 2nd, 1913, which for
ever settled the boundary, making the
Rio Grande river the Southern boundary of
Texas. In said territory property of every
kind was protected by said treaty, then be-
longing to Mexicans not established then,
and the rights of said persons were invar;a-
bly, respected. The owners, at that time,
up to the present time, who had acquired
OR has acquired property by contract, shall
enjoy, with respect to it, guarantees equally