Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/561

Rh specifies two modes of payment, one or the other of which the Mexican government is to designate at the time of ratifying the treaty. Article 13 binds the United States government to assume and pay to its claimants against Mexico all amounts due them, and those to become due them by reason of claims liquidated and decided against Mexico under the conventions of April il, 1839, and January 30, 1843. Article 14 exempts Mexico from all claims not decided against her which have arisen previous to the signing of the treaty, the United States assuming their payment, the full amount not exceeding three and a quarter million dollars. Article 23 provides that the treaty shall be ratified agreeably to the constitutions of the two countries, and the ratifications exchanged at Washington in four months from the date of signing, or sooner if practicable. The additional secret treaty allows that the time of exchange of ratifications may be extended to eight months, should the political condition of the Mexican republic so demand it. Arts 1 to 4 relate to a firm peace in the future, and stipulate the suspension of hostilities, cessation of blockades, evacuation of Mexican territory, surrender of castles, plans, and public property by U. S. forces. Art. 7 gives the right of navigating the river Gila, and the part of the Rio Bravo del Norte below the southern boundary of New Mexico, to the vessels and citizens of both countries. Art. 8 gives to Mexicans established in territories formerly belonging to Mexico, and wishing to remain in them in future, the rights of U. S. citizenship, unless they should signify within one year their preference for Mexican citizenship, with which character they might also remain, and hold property, which would be respected. Art. 9 secures ample guarantees to all ecclesiastic and religious corporations or communities in the territories acquired by the U. S. under this treaty. Art. 17. The treaty of Apr. 5, 1831, between the two countries is revived for eight years in every particular not incompatible with the stipulations of this treaty. Arts 21 and 22 prescribe the manner of avoiding hostilities in the future, the privileges of merchants, mode of alleviating the fate of prisoners, etc. Full texts of the treaty may be found in Méx., Derecho Intern., 1st pt, 193-226; ''Mansfield's Mex. War, 332-45; Méx., Col. Ley. y Dec., 1848, 30-95; Méx., Legisl. Mej., 1848, 28-93; Niles' Reg''., lxxiv. 43-5; ''Young's Hist. Mex., 559-67; Dublan and Lozano, Leg. Mex., v. 367-80; Ripley's War with Mex''., ii. 581-5. Pursuant to the terms of the treaty, Mexico and the U. S. appointed commissioners to run the boundaries. The former also made provision to bring into her territory Mexican families residing in the ceded territory and desirous of coming to Mexico. Dublin and ''Lozano, Leg. Mex., v. 438-41, 491; Méx., Derecho Intern., 1st pt, 235-8; Méx., Col. Ley. y Dec., 1848, 307-14; Méx., Legisl. Mej''., 1848, 305-12.