MOST EXCELLENT SIR: I have received your excellen- Gen. Mora cy's communication of this date, in which you are pleased accepts. to inform me that the time has arrived for us to hear propositions of peace which the commissioner of the United States is desirous to make. Further, that the most excellent Sor. President has thought proper to nominate me as one of the individuals who ought to form the commission that is to meet the commissioner of the United States, for which purpose we must meet to-morrow morning at your office to receive the necessary orders. Grateful for the confidence shown by nominating me to this delicate mission, I do not feel at liberty to decline, and will meet at the office of the minister of relations to-morrow, as you desire, and will spare no efforts on my part to insure good results to the commission. I renew to you the assurance of my distinguished consideration. God and liberty! Mexico, August 26, 1847. IGNACIO DE MORA Y VILLAMIL. To the Most Excellent MINISTER OF RELATIONS. August 27, 1847. This day the licentiates Don Jose Bernado Couto and Members of Don Miguel Atristain were nominated commissioners; the commis the commission is therefore composed of the following part of Moxi persons: Don Jose Joaquin de Herrera, general and representative in Congress. Don Jose Bernado Couto, licentiate and representative in Congress. Don Ignacio Mora y Villamil. Don Miguel Atristain, licentiate. Don Jose Miguel Arroyo, secretary and interpreter. sion co. on the MOST EXCELLENT SIR: Although I do not possess the Senor Conte necessary aptitude to execute in a satisfactory manner accepts. the commission which the supreme government has thought proper to encharge me with, as intimated in your excellency's note of to-day, and notwithstanding that the state of my health has for some time past obliged me to abandon all business, and taking into consideration the unfortunate situation in which the republic finds itself, I feel that no Mexican should withhold his services when required by the public authorities. I accept the aforesaid commission, and will immediately present myself as required, in order to receive the instructions of the government on the subject. In the superior abilities of those worthy persons with whom the most excellent president has been pleased to associate me, I found all my hopes of happy results. God and liberty! Mexico, August 27, 1847. BERNARDO COUTO. To the Most Excellent MINISTER OF RELATIONS. Senor Atris. MOST EXCELLENT SIR: I received your official note of tain accepts. yesterday informing me that the most excellent Sor. President of the republic has thought proper to nominate me, in union with others, a commissioner to hear the propositions which the representative of the United States of America wishes to make to Mexico for the re-establishment of peace; and although I am persuaded that I do nor possess the necessary qualifications to enable me to execute the trust satisfactorily, I nevertheless accept it, because I think under these circumstances every Mexican should lend his services when required by the gov ernment. I reproduce to your excellency my considerations and respects. God and liberty! Mexico, August 28, 1847. To the Most Excellent Sor. Don JosE RAMON PACHECO, retary and interpreter. Senor Arroyo The most excellent Sor. President ad interim, being appointed sec- satisfied of your patriotism and intelligence, has been pleased to appoint you secretary and interpreter to the commission which sets out to day for Atzcapuzalco to hear the propositions which the commissioner of the United States has to make. I communicate this for your satisfaction, and at the same time assure you of my es teem. God and liberty! August 27, 1847. To Don JosE MIGUEL ARROYO. PACHECO. Senor Arroyo accepts. MOST EXCELLENT SIR: Informed by your communication of to-day that the most excellent Sor. President has thought proper to appoint me secretary and interpreter to the commission about to hear the propositions for peace which the commissioner of the United States is desirous to make, and disposed to serve my country as God and liberty! Mexico, August 27, 1847. To the most excellent Sor. MINISTER OF RELATIONS. Instructions for the commissioners appointed by the government of Mexico to hear the propositions which the government of the United States pretends to make. can commis In conformity with the cabinet resolution of this date, Instructions the commissioners of the Mexican government, on pre- to the Mexisenting themselves at the time and place agreed upon, sioners. and exchanging their respective credentials, shall restrict themselves to receive from the American commissioner the memorandum which contains the propositions of the United States. If he should not present them in writ-" ing, they will then limit themselves precisely to hear the propositions, and to nothing else. Be they few or many, they will draw up a memorandum which shall contain every article in a clear, precise, and categorical manner, which shall be signed by the American commissioner. Whether it is necessary to draw them up at the first interview, or whether the American commissioner should produce them in due form, they shall be transmitted to the Mexican government by its commissioners, who shall not at that time suggest any modification, nor shall they announce or evince the slightest desire to make any alteration in the document. MEXICO, August 25, 1847. PACHECO. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, general of division, well deserving from the country, President ad interim of the United Mexican States, to all who shall see these presents: Know ye the Mexican That, exercising the power conceded to me by the con- Powers first stitution, I have resolved to hear the propositions for presented, by peace which the government of the United States desires commiss'ners. o make through its commissioner, Mr. Nicholas Trist, nd having entire confidence in the patriotism, intelli gence, and other commendable qualities which adorn the most excellent Sor. general of division D. Jose Joaquin de Herrera, the Sor. licentiate D. Jose Bernardo Couto, the Sor. general of brigade D. Ignacio de Mora y Villamil, and the Sor. licentiate D. Miguel Atristain, I have commissioned and empowered them to go to the town of Atzcapuzalco to receive and transmit to me the aforesaid propositions, which the aforementioned D. Nicholas Trist has come to make; for which effect I concede to those three the full power necessary, authorizing the Sor. D. Miguel Arroyo to accompany and assist them in the capacity of secretary and interpreter, which confidence he' likewise deserves from me. In faith of which, I have caused these presents to be made, and signed them with my hand, and affixed the national seal thereto, and have caused them to be countersigned by the secretary of state, and foreign as well. as internal relations. Done in the federal palace of Mexico, the twentyseventh day of the month of August, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, and twentyseventh of the independence. [L. S.] ANTONIO LOPEZ DE SANTA ANNA. J. R. PACHECO. Trist. Project of a treaty presented by the American commissioner at Atzcapuzalco, on the 27th day of August, 1847. Projet preThe United States of America and the United Mexican sented by Mr. States, desirous of terminating the war which has unhappily subsisted between the two republics, and of restoring peace, friendship, and good understanding between them, have, for that purpose, appointed their respective plenipotentiaries, that is to say: the President of the United States has appointed Nicholas P. Trist, &c., &c., and -, who, after a reciprocal communication. of their respective full powers, have agreed upon the following resolutions: ARTICLE 1. There shall be a firm and universal peace between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns, and people, without exception of places or persons. All hostilities, both by sea and land, shall definitively cease so soon as the ratifications of this treaty shall have been exchanged by the parties. ARTICLE 2. All prisoners of war, taken on either side, as well by land as by sea, shall be restored as soon as practicable after the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. (Besides, it is agreed that if any Mexican citizens should be prisoners of the Cumanches, or of any tribes of Indians within the limits of the United States, the government of the United States will endeavor to obtain their return to their homes, according to the treaties existing with those Indians.) ARTICLE 3. So soon as the present treaty shall have been duly ratified by the United Mexican States, this fact shall be made known with the least possible delay to the military and naval commanders of both parties, whereupon a suspension of hostilities shall take place both by land and by sea, as well on the part of the military and naval forces of the United States, as on the part of those of the United Mexican States; and the said suspension of hostilities shall be inviolably observed on both sides. Immediately after the exchange of the ratifications of the present treaty, all the forts, territories, places, and possessions whatsoever, taken by the United States from the United Mexican States during the war, except such as are embraced within the limits of the United States as defined by the fourth article of this treaty, shall be restored without delay, and without causing any destruction or carrying away any of the artillery or other public property originally captured in the said forts or places, and which shall remain therein upon the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. And, in like manner, all the forts, territories, places, and possessions whatsoever, taken by the United Mexican States from the United States during the war, and also all such forts, territories, places, and possessions embraced within the limits of the United States under the fourth article of this treaty, shall be restored, evacuated, and delivered over to the United States without delay, and without causing any destruction, or carrying away any of the artillery, or other public property, from said forts or places, and which shall remain therein upon the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. ARTICLE 4. The boundary line between the two republics shall commence in the gulf of Mexico, three leagues from land, opposite the mouth of the Rio Grande; from thence up the middle of that river, to the point where it strikes the southern line of New Mexico; thence westwardly along the southern boundary of New Mexico, to the southwestern corner of the same; thence northward along the western line of New Mexico, until it intersects the first branch of the river Gila, or if it should not intersect any branch of that river, then to the point on the said line nearest to such branch; and thence in a direct line to the same, and down the middle of said branch and of the said river, until it empties into the Rio Colorado; thence down the middle of the Colorado |