Mr. Secretary: I have the honor to inform you
that I have received a telegram from the secretary of foreign relations
of the United States of Mexico, informing me that the final boundary
treaty between Mexico and Guatemala, from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
has this day been signed at the city of Mexico, in accordance with the
preliminaries which were signed at New York by me, as the representative
of Mexico, and by General Barrios and others, as the representatives of
Guatemala, on the 12th of August last, to which I referred in the note
which I had the honor to address to you under date of August 14.
In apprising you of the amicable and satisfactory termination of a grave
question which had been pending for many years between two American
republics, and which might have been attended with unfortunate
consequences to both of them, I think it proper for me to send you, for
your information, a copy of the preliminaries signed at New York on the
12th of August last.
[Inclosure.]
On the part of the United States of Mexico, Mr. Mafias Romero, envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of
Mexico at Washington, being duly authorized by his government to
treat with the representatives of Guatemala; and on the part of the
Republic of Guatemala, General J. Rufino Barrios, constitutional
President of the Republic of Guatemala, being fully authorized by
the Guatemalan National Assembly, by a decree bearing date of April
twenty-eight, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-two, to settle
the boundary question pending with Mexico; Mr. Manuel Herrera, jr.,
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Guatemala near
the Mexican Government; and Mr. Fernando Cruz, formerly minister of
foreign relations of the Republic of Guatemala, the associate of
General J. Rufino Barrios in the discharge of the duties of the
aforesaid settlement, having met in the city of New York on the
fourteenth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-two,
declared that the Government of Mexico and that of Guatemala,
desiring to terminate amicably the difficulties which had existed
between the two republics, and with a view to establishing a solid
basis for the fraternal relations which were thenceforth to unite
them, agreed upon the following articles, as preliminary to a final
treaty concerning boundaries on that portion of their frontier which
comprises the State of Chiapas:
Article I.
The Republic of Guatemala abandons the discussion which it has
maintained relative to its right to the territory of the State of
Chiapas and its Department of Soconusco.
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Article II.
The final treaty relative to the boundary between Mexico and
Guatemala shall be concluded on the basis that Chiapas and Soconusco
are to be considered as integral parts of the United States of
Mexico.
Article III.
The Republic of Guatemala, being satisfied with Mexico’s appreciation
of the course pursued by her, and with the recognition that the
lofty purposes which have inspired the arrangements made in the
foregoing articles are worthy and honorable, will require no
pecuniary indemnity or other compensation on account of the
preceding stipulations.
Article IV.
In the event of the two contracting parties not being able to agree
with respect to the fixing of the boundary, either in whole or in
part, between the State of Chiapas and its Department of Soconusco,
on the part of Mexico on the one hand, and on that of the Republic
of Guatemala on the other, or in case the commissioners who shall be
appointed by each government to draw, conjointly, the dividing line,
shall differ on any point or points relative to such drawing, and in
case it shall be necessary to appoint an arbitrator to settle such
differences as may arise on this account, both governments agree to
do so, and to request the President of the United States of America
to act as such arbitrator.
Article V.
Actual possession shall serve as a basis in the drawing of the
dividing line; this, however, shall not prevent both parties from
abandoning this basis by common consent, for the purpose of
following natural lines, or for any other reason, and in such case
the system of mutual compensations shall be adopted.
Until the dividing line shall have been drawn, each contracting party
shall respect the actual possession of the other.
Article VI.
The Government of the United States of Mexico and that of Guatemala
pledge themselves to sign the final boundary treaty, in the city of
Mexico, on the basis contained in this convention, within six months
reckoned from this date, at the latest.
In testimony whereof we sign this convention in duplicate, no
ratification thereof being necessary, inasmuch as it merely
establishes a basis for the final boundary treaty, that treaty being
the one to be submitted to both governments for their approval,
according to the constitutions of the two countries.
- M. ROMERO.
- J. RUFINO BARRIOS.
- MANUEL HERRERA, Jr.
- F. CRUZ.
Washington, September 26th, 1882.
A copy.
CAYETANO ROMERO,
Sec. ad.
interim.
