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3d Session.

No. 98.

CONVENTION WITH MEXICO.

MESSAGE

FROM THE

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,

IN RELATION TO

The Convention between the United States and the Mexican Republic. MARCH 1, 1869.-Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I transmit to Congress a copy of a convention between the United States and the Mexican republic, providing for the adjustment of the claims of citizens of either country against the other, signed on the 4th day of July last, and the ratifications of which were exchanged on the 1st instant.

It is recommended that such legislation as may be necessary to carry this convention into effect shall receive early consideration.

WASHINGTON, February 24, 1869.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

By the President of the United States of America.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas a convention between the United States of America and the republic of Mexico, providing for the adjustment of the claims of citizens of either country against the other, was concluded and signed by their respective plenipotentiaries, at the city of Washington, on the fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtyeight, which convention, being in the English and Spanish languages, is word for word as follows:

Whereas it is desirable to maintain and increase the friendly feelings between the United States and the Mexican republic, and so to strengthen the system and principles of republican government on the American continent; and whereas since the signature of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, of the

Considerando que es conveniente mantener y ensanchar los sentimientos amistosos entre la república Mexicana y los Estados Unidos, y afianzar asi el sistema y principios de gobierno republicano en el continente Americano; y considerando que con posterioridad á la celebracion del tratado de Guadalupe Hi

2d of February, 1848, claims and complaints have been made by citizens of the United States, on account of injuries to their persous and their property by authorities of that republic, and similar claims and complaints have been made on account of injuries to the persons and prop erty of Mexican citizens by authorities of the United States, the President of the United States of America and the President of the Mexican republic have resolved to conclude a convention for the adjustment of the said claims and complaints, and have named as their plenipotentiaries-the President of the United States, William H. Seward, Secretary of State; and the President of the Mexican republic, Matias Romero, accredited as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the Mexican republic to the United States; who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed to the following articles:

ARTICLE I.

All claims on the part of corporations, companies, or private individuals, citizens of the United States, upon the government of the Mexican republic arising from injuries to their persons or property by authorities of the Mexican republic, and all claims on the part of corporations, companies, or private individuals, citizens of the Mexican republic, upon the government of the United States, arising from injuries to their persons or property by authorities of the United States, which may have been presented to either government for its interposition with the other since the signature of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo between the United States and the Mexican republic of the 2d of February, 1848, and which yet remain unsettled, as well as any other such

dalgo, de 2 de Febrero de 1848, cindadanos de la republica Mexicana han hecho reclamaciones y presentado quejas, con motivo de perjuicios sufridos en sus personas ó sus propiedades, por autoridades de los Estados Unidos, y reclamaciones y quejas semejantes se han hecho y presentado, con motivo de perjuicios sufridos por ciudadonos de los Estados Unidos, en sus personas sus propiedades, por autoridades de la república Mexicana y el Presidente de los Estados Unidos de América han determinado concluir una convencion para el arreglo de dichas reclamaciones y quejas, y han nombrado sus plenipotenciarios; el Presidente de la republica Mexicana á Matias Romero acredi tado como enviado extraordinario y ministro plenipotenciario de la república Mexicana en los Estados Unidos; y el Presidente de los Estados Unidos, á William H. Seward, Secretario de Estado, quienes despues de haberse mostrado sus respectivos plenos poderes y encontradolos en buena y debida forma, han convenido en los articulos siguientes:

ARTICULO 1.

Todas las reclamaciones hechas por corporaciones, compañias ó individuos particulares, ciudadanos de la república Mexicana, procedentes de perjuicios sufridos en sus personas ó en sus propiedades, por autoridades de los. Estados Unidos, y todas las reclamaciones hechas por corporaciones, compañias ó individuos particulares, ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos, procedentes de perjuicios sufridos en sus personas ó en sus propiedades, por autoridades de la repúb lica Mexicana, que hayan sido presentadas á cualquiera de los dos gobiernos, solicitando la interposicion para con el otro, con posterioridad á la celebracion del tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo entre la república Mexicana y los Estados Unidos, de 2 de Febrero de 1848, y

claims which may be presented within the time hereinafter specified, shall be referred to two commissioners, one to be appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and one by the President of the Mexican republic. In case of the death, absence, or inca pacity of either commissioner, or in the event of either commissioner, omitting or ceasing to act as such, the President of the United States or the President of the Mexican republic, respectively, shall forthwith name another person to act as commissioner in the place or stead of the commissioner originally named.

The commissioners so named shall meet at Washington within six mont's after the exchange of the ratifications of this convention, and shall, before proceeding to business, make and subscribe a solemn declaration that they will impartially and carefully examine and decide, to the best of their judgment, and according to public law, justice, and equity, without fear, favor, or affection to their own country, upon all such claims above specified as shall be laid before them on the part of the governments of the United States and of the Mexican republic, respectively; and such declaration shall be entered on the record of their proceedings.

The commissioners shall then name some third person to act as an umpire in any case or cases on which they may themselves differ in opinion. If they should not be able to agree upon the name of such third person, they shall each name a person, and in each and every case in which the commissioners may differ in opinion as to the decision which they ought to give, it shall be determined by lot which of the two persons so named shall be umpire

que aún permanecen pendientes, de la misma manera que cualesquiera otras reclamaciones que se presentaren dentro del tiempo que mas adelante se especificarà, se referiran á dos comisionados, uno de los cuales será nombrado por el Presidente de la república Mexicana y el otro por el Presidente de los Estados Unidos, con el consejo y approbacion del Senado. En caso de muerte, ausencia ó incapacidad de alguno de los comisionados, ó en caso de que alguno de los comisionados cese de funcionar como tal, ó suspenda el ejercicio de sus funciones, el Presidente de la república Mexicana ó el Presidente de los Estados Unidos respectivamente, nombraran desde luego otra persona que haga de comisionado en lugar del que originalmente fué nombrado.

Los comisionados nombrados de esta manera, se reuniran en Washington dentro de seis meses, despues de cangeadas las ratificaciones de esta convencion, y antes de desempeñar sus funciones, haran y suscribiran una una declaracion solemne de que examinaran y decidiran imparcial y cuidadosamente, segun su mejor saber, y conforme con el derecho público, la justicia y equidad, y sin temor ó afeccion á su respectivo pais, sobre todas las reclamaciones antes especificadas, que se les sometan por los gobiernos de la república Mexicana y de los Estados Unidos respectivamente, y dicha declaracion se asentará en la acta de sus procedimientos.

Los comisionados procederan entonces á nombrar una tercera persona que hará de árbitro en el caso ó casos en que difieran de opinion. Si no pudieren convenir en el nombre de esta tercera persona, cada uno de ellos nombrará una persona, y en todos y cada uno de los casos en que los comisionados difieran de opinion respecto de la decision que deban dar, se determinará por suerte quien de las dos personas asi nombradas hará de

in that particular case. The person or persons so to be chosen to be umpire shall, before proceeding to act as such in any case, make and subscribe a solemn declaration in a form similar to that which shall already have been made and subscribed by the commissioners, which shall be entered on the record of their proceedings. In the event of the death, absence, or incapacity of such person or persons, or of his or their omitting, or declining, or ceasing to act as such umpire, another and different person shall be named, as aforesaid, to act as such umpire, in the place of the person so originally named, as aforesaid, and shall make and subscribe such declaration, as aforesaid.

ARTICLE II.

The commissioners shall then conjointly proceed to the investigation and decision of the claims which shall be presented to their notice, in such order and in such manner as they may conjointly think proper, but upon such evidence or information only as shall be furnished by or on behalf of their respective governments. They shall be bound to receive and peruse all written documents or statements which may be presented to them by or on behalf of their respective governments in support of or in answer to any claim, and to hear, if required, one person on each side on behalf of each government on each and every separate claim. Should they fail to agree in opinion upon any individual claim, they shall call to their assistance the umpire whom they may have agreed to name, or who may be determined by lot, as the case may be; and such umpire, after having examined the evidence adduced for and against the claim, and after having heard, if required, one person on each side as aforesaid, and consulted with the commissioners, shall decide thereupon finally and

árbitro en ese caso particular. La persona ó personas que se eligieren de esa manera, para ser árbitros, haran y suscribarán, ántes de obrar como tales, en cualquier caso, una declaracion solemne en una forma, semejante á la que deberá haber sido ya hecha y suscrita por los comisionados, lo cual se asentará tambien en la acto de los procedimientos. En caso de muerte, ausencia ó incapacidad de la persona ó personas nombrados árbitros, ó en caso de que suspendan el ejercicio de sus funciones, se rehusen á desempeñarlas ó cesen en ellas, otra persona será nombrado árbitro de la manera, que queda dicha, en lugar de la persona origi nalmente nombrada, y hará y susbribirá la declaracion ántes mencionada.

ARTICULO II.

En seguida procederan juntamente los comisionados á la inves tigacion y decision de las reclamaciones que se les presenten, en el órden y de la manera que de comun acuerdo creyeren conveniente, pero recibiendo solamente las pruebas ó informes que se les ministren por los respectivos gobiernos ó en su nombre. Tendran obligacion de recibir y leer todas las manifestaciones ó documentos escritos que se les presenten por sus gobiernos respectivos, ó en su nombre, en apoyo ó respuesta á cualquiera reclamacion, y de oir, si se les pidiere, á una persona por cada lado, en nombre de cada gobierno, en todas y cada una de las reclamaciones separadamente. Se dejaren de convenir sobre alguna reclamacion particular, llamaran en su ausilio al árbitro que hayan nombrado de comun acuerdo, ó á quien la suerte haya designado segun fuere el caso, y el arbitro, despues de haber examinado las pruebas producidas en favor y en contra de la reclamacion, y despues de haber oido, si se le pidiere, á una persona por cada lodo, como queda dicho, y

without appeal. The decision of the commissioners and of the umpire shall be given upon each claim in writing, shall designate whether any sum which may be allowed shall be payable in gold or in the currency of the United States, and shall be signed by them respectively. It shall be competent for each government to name one person to attend the commissioners as agent on its behalf, to present and support claims on its behalf, and to answer claims made upon it, and to represent it generally in all matters connected with the investigation and decision thereof.

The President of the United States of America and the President of the Mexican republic hereby solemnly and sincerely engage to consider the decision of the commissioners conjointly or of the umpire, as the case may be, as absolutely final and conclusive upon each claim decided upon by them or him respectively, and to give full effect to such decisions without any objection, evasion,. or delay whatsoever.

It is agreed that no claim arising out of a transaction of a date prior to the 2d of February, 1848, shall be admissible under this convention.

ARTICLE III.

Every claim shall be presented to the commissioners within eight months from the day of their first meeting, unless in any case where reasons for delay shall be established to the satisfaction of the commissioners, or of the umpire in the event of the commissioners differing in opinion thereupon, and then and in any such case the period for presenting the claim may be extended to any time not exceeding three months longer.

consultado con los comisionados, decidirá sobre ella finalmente y sin apelacion. La decision de los comisionados y del árbitro se dará en cada reclamacion por escrito, especificará si la suma que se concediere se pagará en oro ó en moneda corriente de los Estados Unidos, y será firmada por ellos respectivamente. Cada gobierno podrá nombrar una persona que concurra á la comision en nombre del gobierno respectivo, como agente; que presente ó defienda las reclamaciones en nombre del mismo gobierno, y que responda á las reclamaciones hechas contra el, y que le represente en general en todos los negocios que tengan relacion con la investigacion y decision de reclamaciones.

El Presidente de la república Mexicana y el Presidente de los Estados Unidos de América se comprometen solemne y sinceramente en esta convencion, á considerar la decision de los comisionados de acuerdo, ó del árbitro, segun fuere el caso, como absolutamente final y definitiva, respecto de cada una de las reclamaciones falladas por los comisionados ó el árbitro respectivamente, y á dar entero cumplimiento á tales decisiones sin objecion, evasion ni dilacion ninguna.

Se conviene que ninguna reclamacion que emane de acontecimientos de fecha anterior al 2 de Febrero de 1848, se admeterá con arreglo á esta convencion.

ARTICULO III.

Todas las reclamaciones se presentaran á los comisionados dentro de ocho meses contados desde el dia de su primera reunion, á no ser en las casos en que se manifieste que haya habido razones para dilatarlas, siendo estas satisfactorias para los comisionados ó para el árbitro, si los comisionados no se convinieren, y en ese y otros casos semejantes, el periodo para la presentacion de las reclamaciones podrá estenderse por un plazo que no exeda de tres meses.

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