The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-03-13
LOWER CALIFORNIA.
The Mexican Government Will
Not Entertain
A PROPOSITION FOR ITS CESsION
To the United States-Senor Mariscal's Men,
Orandum on the Same-Romero and
BIaine's Conversation.

w ASHlNCION, NldICu l1.-S0DdUOT oueF-
man today in asking the Senate to dis
charge the committee on foreign relations
from further consideration of and to lay on
the table amemorial of the. fifteenth legisla-
ture of Arizona praying the President to
enter into negotiations with the republic
of Mexico for the cession of sufficient ter
retory joining Arizona on the southern
boundary to secure a deep water port upon
the Gulf of California, which would
afford an outlet for the products
of the territory, laid before the
Senate interesting documents Senator
Sherman, as chairman of the committee,
referred the memorial to Secretary Blaine,
and the secretary in reply said, in part: II
beg leave to say | can discern no hopeful
prospect of any negotiations being success
fully conducted with Mexico at the pres
ent time, even towards this limited object.
The views of statesmen and people have
been only recently manifested with regard
to the alienation of any part of the ma
tional territory by the prominence given in
certain circles on the Pacific coast to the
movement for the acquisition of all or part
of Lower California by purchase
eF'or the information of your committee
| transmit herewith copy of memoran-
dun prepared by the Mexican minister of
d
this subject on the 9th of Juue last, to-
gether Senior Mariscal's memorandum of
May 30, 1889, of which Senior Romero gave
me copy.
81 hold unhestatingly that the govern
ment of the United States is precluded by
the obligations of traditional good faith
from approaching the government of
Mexico with a view to acquiring any part
of the Mexican territory, and equally be-
mir ictr IF
could face the manifestation of
national sentiment than would certainly
attend any indication of disposition to in
fringe on the provision of the Mexican con-
stitution which withholds from the gov
eminent to power to cede Mexican soil.
Moreover, even did the subject promise
favorable negotiation, the petition fails
to set forth the proposition in sufficient
detail. The northern and eastern shore of
the Gulf of California does not appear to
offer deep water port until Liberated or
LOboS is reached, some two hundred miles
from the delta of the Colorado and the
country between the coast and the present
southern limit of Arizona is broken, and
appears i'll adapted to be a highway of
commerce. The Guaymas 81 Sonora rail
road running thence to Nogales constitutes
the present camel of outlet from Arizona
to the Gulf of California
The following is translation of the
memorandum from Senior Mariscal, Mexi-
can minister of foreign affairs:
'gTo Senior Romero, Mexican Minister to the
United States:
1.-The department approves the article
which, IL compliance with its instructions
you wrote and afterwards published in the
North American ReuielU, entitled The An
nexation of Mexico because it is con-
WINGED that the total or partial acquisition
| Of
I by means OF lntrigueS, does not enter into
the combinations of American statesmen,
to whatever political party they may be-
| long. AS to the gentlemen who at present
form the United States government and
direct its foreign policy, we are sufficiently
acquainted with their high character and
political antecedents not to entertain the
least doubt about their sense of Justice
and fairness, not only on this point, but
complete confidence that any absurd plans
of flibusterism, which are fortunately
looked upon by the enlightened majority of
the American people as disreputaolh, will
not be approved by them, nor that they
will lend any support whatever to the
Vaccinations of badly informed persons
with view Of changing the decided oppo-
sltlon OF our people to any alienation of
Mexican territory. We do not attach much
Importance to revelations more or less
vague and afterwards contradicted, which
have lately appeared in the American news
paper concerning organizations whose aim
is to procure at all hazards the annexation
of some part of Mexico, and especially
Lower California.
but though we regard with contempt
the boasts OF idle and evil-disposed people
who dream of wars Of conquest or of revo-
lutlonary movements plotted on our Dor
ders with the view of annexation of part
Of our country. it is not so with others, the
manifest actions of a respectable source,
though they have their origin in opinions
equally destitute of foundation. I refer to
the proposition originated in the chamber
of commerce of Los Angeles, Cal, and pre-
sented to the House of Representatives at
Washington authorizing the executive tc
negotiate with Mexico for the purchase Ct
Lower California | refer also to the
opinion which, without any reservation,
the governor Of the state of California ex-
pressed about the great convenience OF
such acquisition, and above all the purchase
of Sonora and Sinaloa, about which nc
mention before has been made. No mat
ter how much the Mexican government
might be inclined to overlook this doubtful
expression OF erroneous judgment as to our
patriotic sentiments and our entire con.
formity with the opinion of the
country in this regard, it cannot
do so considering the expression
of views by the present officials of the state
of California, which is conterminous terri
tory and interested in some of those annex.
ations. We cannot look with indifference
upon anything coming from respectable
authorities, and if any one should tell us
no serious and well concerted plan on the
subject is entertained by them, but that il
is rather the influence of combinations
and the exigencies of interior politics
which constrained them to express such
ideas, we should be forced, even though
sharing in this belief, to deeply lament
that there were persons in California with
such misguided judgment respecting us
who had influence enough to induce Gov
ernor Waterman to make public utterances
without thinking of the effect which they
might afterward produce in the relations
|, with neighboring nation"
The memorandum then speaks CT the
unanimous opposition of the Mexican PEG
pie to any plan looking to the annexation
, of national territory and the impossibility
: of such alienation under the constitution
and continues: est is well known thai
the administration of General Diaz has done
all In its power to strengthen our friendly
relations by the attraction of capital
, industry and commerce of our neighbors
! by erasing the last vestige of prejudice.
: which might divide them 1t will continue
: to do so, convinced that such is the only
rational policy, but if in the midst of thes,
efforts to secure a good and cordial under
standing for the common benefit. obstacles
should arise and interpose, perhaps incon
siderately, not by the government of tn,
United States, but by state officials of tn,
same nation. In such case, however dis
agreeable it might be to US and to Ger
tain extent contrary to our internationa
policy, we should be constrained to AFFORD
J satisfaction to the Mexican people, so sen
sitive in this matter, having shed its bloc,