and further engage that every such claim, whether or not the same may have been presented to the notice of, made, preferred, or laid before the said commission, shall, from and after the conclusion of the proceedings of the said commission, be considered and treated as finally settled, barred, and thenceforth inadmissible. ARTICLE VI. The commissioners and the umpire shall keep an accurate record and correct minutes of their proceedings, with the dates. For that purpose they shall appoint two secretaries versed in the language of both countries to assist them in the transaction of the business of the commission. Each government shall pay to its commissioner an amount of salary not exceeding forty-five hundred dollars a year in the currency of the United States, which amount shall be the same for both governments. The amount of compensation to be paid to the umpire shall be determined by mutual consent at the close of the commission, but necessary and reasonable advances may be made by each government upon the joint recommendation of the commission. The salary of the secretaries shall not exceed the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars a year in the currency of the United States. The whole expenses of the commission, including contingent expenses, shall be defrayed by a ratable deduction on the amount of the sums awarded by the commission, provided always that such deduction shall not exceed five per cent. on the sums so awarded. The deficiency, if any, shall be defrayed in moieties by the two governments. ARTICLE VII. The present convention shall be ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by the President of the Mexican Republic, with the approbation of the Congress of that Republic; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington within nine months from the date hereof, or sooner if possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their arms. Done at Washington, the fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight. [SEAL.] [SEAL.] WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Convention for extension of the duration of the joint commission for the settle ment of claims. [Concluded April 19, 1871; ratifications exchanged at Washington February 8, 1872; proclaimed February 8, 1872.] Whereas a convention was concluded on the 4th day of July 1868 between the United States of America and the United States of Mexico, for the settlement of outstanding claims that have originated since the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the 2d of February 1848, by a mixed commission limited to endure for two years and six months from the day of the first meeting of the commissioners; and whereas doubts have arisen as to the practicability of the business of the said commission being concluded within the period assigned: The President of the United States of America and the President of the United States of Mexico are desirous that the time originally fixed for the duration of the said commission should be extended, and to this end have named Plenipotentiaries to agree upon the best mode of effecting this object, that is to say: The President of the United States of America, Thomas H. Nelson, accredited as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Mexican Republic; and the President of the United States of Mexico, Manuel Azpiroz, Chief Clerk and in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the United States of Mexico; who, after having presented their respective powers, and finding them sufficient and in due form, have agreed upon the following articles: ARTICLE I. The high contracting parties agree that the term assigned in the convention of the 4th of July 1868, above referred to, for the duration of the said commission, shall be extended for a time not exceeding one year from the day when the functions of the said commission would terminate according to the convention referred to, or for a shorter time if it should be deemed sufficient by the commissioners, or the umpire in case of their disagreement. It is agreed that nothing contained in this article shall in anywise alter or extend the time originally fixed in the said convention for the presentation of claims to the mixed commission. ARTICLE II. The present convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington, as soon as possible. In witness whereof the above-mentioned Plenipotentiaries have signed the same and affixed their respective seals. Done in the city of Mexico the 19th day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one. [SEAL.] [SEAL.] THOMAS H. NELSON. Convention for the revival and further extension of duration of the joint commission for the settlement of claims. [Concluded November 27, 1872; ratifications exchanged at Washington July 17, 1873; proclaimed July 24, 1873.] Whereas, by the convention concluded between the United States and the Mexican Republic on the fourth day of July 1868, certain claims of citizens of the contracting parties were submitted to a joint commission, whose functions were to terminate within two years and six months, reckoning from the day of the first meeting of the commissioners; and Whereas the functions of the aforesaid joint commission were extended, according to the convention concluded between the same parties on the nineteenth day of April 1871, for a term not exceeding one year from the day on which they were to terminate according to the first convention; and whereas the possibility of said commission's concluding its labors even within the period fixed by the aforesaid convention of April nineteenth 1871 is doubtful; Therefore, the President of the United States of America and the President of the United States of Mexico, desiring that the term of the aforementioned commission should be again extended, in order to attain this end, have appointed, the President of the United States Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, and the President of the United States of Mexico Ignacio Mariscal, accredited to the Government of the United States as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of said United States of Mexico, who, having exchanged their respective powers, which were found sufficient and in due form, have agreed upon the following articles: ARTICLE I. The high contracting parties agree that the said commission be revived and that the time fixed by the convention of April nineteenth 1871 for the duration of the commission aforesaid, shall be extended for a term not exceeding two years from the day on which the functions of the said commission would terminate according to that convention, or for a shorter time if it should be deemed sufficient by the commissioners or the umpire, in case of their disagreement. It is agreed that nothing contained in this article shall in any wise alter or extend the time originally fixed in the said convention for the presentation of claims to the commission. ARTICLE II. The present convention shall be ratified and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible. In witness whereof, the above-named Plenipotentiaries have signed the same and affixed their respective seals. Done in the city of Washington the twenty-seventh day of November, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two. [SEAL.] [SEAL.] HAMILTON FISH. Convention for the further extension of duration of the joint commission for the settlement of claims. [Concluded November 20, 1874; ratifications exchanged at Washington January 28, 1875; proclaimed January 29, 1875.] Whereas pursuant to the convention between the United States and the Mexican Republic of the 19th day of April 1871, the functions of the joint commission under the convention between the same parties of the 4th of July 1868 were extended for a term not exceeding one year from the day on which they were to terminate according to the convention last named: And whereas pursuant to the first article of the convention between the same parties, of the twenty-seventh day of November one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two the joint commission above referred to was revived and again extended for a term not exceeding two years from the day on which the functions of the said commission would terminate pursuant to the said convention of the nineteenth day of April 1871; but whereas the said extensions have not proved sufficient for the disposal of the business before the said commission, the said parties being equally animated by a desire that all that business should be closed as originally contemplated, the President of the United States has for this purpose conferred full powers on Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, and the President of the Mexican Republic has conferred like powers on Don Ignacio Mariscal, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of that republic to the United States. And the said Plenipotentiaries, having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in due form, have agreed upon the following articles. ARTICLE I. The high contracting parties agree that the said commission shall again be extended, and that the time now fixed for its duration shall be prolonged for one year from the time when it would have expired pur suant to the convention of the twenty-seventh of November 1872: that is to say until the thirty-first day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six. It is, however, agreed that nothing contained in this article shall in any wise alter or extend the time originally fixed by the convention of the 4th of July 1868 aforesaid, for the presentation of claims to the commission. ARTICLE II. It is further agreed that, if at the expiration of the time when, pursuant to the first article of this convention, the functions of the commissioners will terminate, the umpire under the convention should not have decided all the cases which may then have been referred to him, he shall be allowed a further period of not more than six months for that purpose. ARTICLE III. All cases which have been decided by the commissioners or by the umpire heretofore, or which shall be decided prior to the exchange of the ratifications of this convention, shall, from the date of such exchange be regarded as definitively disposed of, and shall be considered and treated as finally settled, barred, and thenceforth inadmissible. And, pursuant to the stipulation contained in the fourth article of the convention of the fourth day of July one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, the total amount awarded in cases already decided and which may be decided before the exchange of ratifications of this convention and in all cases which shall be decided within the times in this convention respectively named, for that purpose, either by the commissioners or by the umpire, in favor of citizens of the one party shall be deducted from the total amount awarded to the citizens of the other party, and the balance, to the amount of three hundred thousand dollars shall be paid at the city of Mexico, or at the city of Washington, in gold or its equivalent, within twelve months from the 31st day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six to the government in favor of whose citizens the greater amount may have been awarded, without interest or any other deduction than that specified in Article VI. of that convention. The residue of the said balance shall be paid in annual installments to an amount not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars in gold or its equivalent, in any one year until the whole shall have been paid. ARTICLE IV. The present convention shall be ratified and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington, as soon as possible. In witness whereof the above named Plenipotentiaries have signed the same and affixed thereto their respective seals. Done in Washington the twentieth day of November, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four. [SEAL.] [SEAL.] HAMILTON FISH. Convention extending functions of the umpire of the joint commission for the settlement of claims until November 20, 1876. [Concluded April 29, 1876; ratifications exchanged at Washington June 29, 1876; proclaimed June 29, 1876.] Whereas pursuant to the Convention between the United States and the Mexican Republic of the 19th day of April 1871 the functions of the joint commission under the Convention between the same parties of the 4th of July 1868 were extended for a term not exceeding one year from the day on which they were to terminate according to the convention last named; And whereas pursuant to the first Article of the convention between the same parties, of the twenty-seventh day of November one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, the joint Commission above referred to was revived and again extended for a term not exceeding two years from the day on which the functions of the said commission would terminate pursuant to the said Convention of the nineteenth day of April 1871; And whereas pursuant to the Convention between the same parties, of the twentieth day of November one thousand eight hundred and seventyfour, the said commission was again extended for one year from the time when it would have expired pursuant to the Convention of the twentyseventh of November, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, that is to say, until the thirty-first day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six; and it was provided that if at the expiration of that time, the Umpire under the Convention should not have decided all the cases which may then have been referred to him, he should be allowed a further period of not more than six months for that purpose; And whereas, it is found to be impracticable for the Umpire appointed pursuant to the Convention adverted to, to decide all the cases referred to him, within the said period of six months prescribed by the Convention of the twentieth of November one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four; And the parties being still animated by a desire that all that business should be closed as originally contemplated, the President of the United States has for this purpose conferred full powers on Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, and the President of the Mexican Republic has conferred like powers on Don Ignacio Mariscal, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of that Republic to the United States; and the said Plenipotentiaries having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in due form, have agreed upon the following articles: ARTICLE I. The high contracting parties agree that if the Umpire appointed under the Convention above referred to, shall not, on or before the expiration of the six months allowed for the purpose by the second article of the Convention of the twentieth of November one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, have decided all the cases referred to him, he shall then be allowed a further period until the twentieth day of November one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, for that purpose. ARTICLE II. It is further agreed that so soon after the twentieth day of November one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, as may be practicable, the total amount awarded in all cases already decided, whether by the Commissioners or by the Umpire, and which may be decided before. the said twentieth day of November, in favor of citizens of the one party shall be deducted from the total amount awarded to the citizens of the other party, and the balance, to the amount of three hundred thousand dollars, shall be paid at the city of Mexico, or at the city of Washington, in gold or its equivalent, on or before the thirty-first day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, to the government in favor of whose citizens the greater amount may have been awarded, without interest or any other deduction than that specified in Article VI. of the said Convention of July 1868. The residue of the said balance shall be paid |