therefore submit that this article should not be ratified as a part of the treaty.

There may be reason to apprehend that the ratification of the "additional and secret article" might unreasonably delay and embarrass the final action on the treaty by Mexico. I therefore submit whether that article should not be rejected by the Senate.

If the treaty shall be ratified as proposed to be amended, the cessions of territory made by it to the United States, as indemnity, the provision for the satisfaction of the claims of our injured citizens, and the permanent establishment of the boundary of one of the States of the Union, are objects gained of great national importance; while the magnanimous forbearance exhibited towards Mexico, it is hoped may insure a lasting peace and good neighborhood between the two countries.

I communicate herewith a copy of the instructions given to Mr. Slidell in November, 1845, as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Mexico; a copy of the instructions given to Mr. Trist in April last, and such of the correspondence of the latter with the Department of State, not heretofore communicated to Congress, as will enable the Senate to understand the action which has been had with a view to the adjustment of our difficulties with Mexico.

WASHINGTON, February 22, 1848.

The message was read.

JAMES K. POLK.

The treaty of peace, friendship, limits, and settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican republic, concluded at Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the 2d day of February, in the year 1848, was read the first time.

On motion by Mr. Sevier,

Ordered, That the treaty, message, and accompanying documents be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and printed in confidence for the use of the Senate.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1848.

Mr. Sevier, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, to whom was referrred, the 23d instant, the treaty of peace, friendship, limits, and settlement between the United States of America and the Mexiran republic, concluded at Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the 2d day of February, in the year 1848, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Webster submitted the following resolution for consideration :

Resolved, That the further consideration of the message of the President of the United States of the 22d of February, 1848, be postponed; and that it be recommended to the President of the United States immediately to nominate commissioners plenipotentiary, not fewer than three, to proceed to Mexico, for the purpose of negotiating with the republic of Mexico a treaty of peace, boundaries, and indemnities due to American citizens.

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Mr. Houston submitted the following resolution for consideration:

Whereas, the President of the United States did, on the 23d instant, submit to the Senate an instrument purporting to be a treaty between the government of the United States and the republic of Mexico, signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the second day of the present month, by Nicholas P. Trist, falsely assuming to act under the authority of the President of the United States and Lu's G. Cuevas, Bernardo Conto, and Mig. Atristain, pretending to act by the authority of Mexico:

And whereas, the said Nicholas P. Trist was, at the time of signing said instrument, acting contumaciously and in direct violation of the orders of his government recalling him, which orders he had communicated to the Mexican authorities:

And whereas, the said instrument having been signed by a person falsely representing himself as a minister of this government while acting in violation of his instructions, the laws of the land, and the constitution of this Union, and to the great scandal of our national character, renders the said instrument utterly void and ineffectual; it would therefore be dangerous, if not ruinous, for the Senate, by their decision, to sanction such a flagrant disregard of the institutions of the country, as it would be holding out inducements to similar acts by vicious men, who may be actuated by the most corrupt and treasonable intentions against the liberties of the country:

And whereas, the very peculiar circumstances under which the said instrument was concluded, do not leave it free from wellgrounded suspicion of the interference of agents of other powers, not parties to the instrument, and whose interests are adverse to those of the United States; and, further, it is manifest from the correspondence before the Senate, that information affecting the character of the country as well as the instrument itself, is not be, fore this body, and as the individual who sent the same has promised much matter with the duplicate, which is to arrive soon:

And whereas, it has been declared to be the object of the present war to obtain "indemnity for the past and security for the future," and as it is most probable that the domain proposed to be ceded by Mr. Trist's agreement is all granted by Mexico, or will be covered by fraudulent grants, if the agreement should become a treaty, leaving to the United States mere civil and political jurisdiction of the same, while it would be incumbered by conditions relative to the Indians which would be worth more, in a pecuniary point of view, than all the vacant land acquired, and which would leave the government of the United States no indemnity in honor for the lives of its gallant sons who have fallen, no indemnity for the millions expended, nor for the blur which must dim the lustre of our national escutcheon:

And whereas, the conduct of the authorities of Mexico have been such as to justify this government to treat her as a conquered people, and to claim a full indemnity for all the injuries which we, as a nation, have sustained from her since she has claimed to be a republic;

at great expense of life and treasure, for an indefinite period; and considering that the terms, with the exceptions mentioned in my message of the 22d instant, conformed substantially, so far as relates to the main question of boundary, to those authorized by me in April last, I considered it to be my solemn duty to the country, uninfluenced by the exceptionable conduct of Mr. Trist, to submit the treaty to the Senate, with a recommendation that it be ratified with the modifications suggested.

Nothing contained in the letters received from Mr. Trist since it was submitted to the Senate has changed my opinion on the subject. The resolution also calls for "all the correspondence between General Scott and the government since the arrival of Mr. Trist in Mexico." A portion of that correspondence, relating to Mr. Trist and his mission, accompanies this communication. The remainder of the "correspondence between Generai Scott and the government" relates mainly if not exclusively to military operations. A part of it was communicated to Congress with my annual message, and the whole of it will be sent to the Senate if it shall be desired by that body.

As coming within the purview of the resolution, I also communicate copies of the letters of the Secretary of War to Major General Butler, in reference to Mr. Trist's remaining at the head-quarters of the army in the assumed exercise of his powers of commissioner. JAMES K. POLK.

WASHINGTON, February 29, 1848.

The message was read.

On motion by Mr. Houston,

Ordered, That the message and documents communicated therewith be printed in confidence for the use of the Senate.

The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution submitted by Mr. Webster, the 28th instant; and after debate,

On motion by Mr. Johnson, of Maryland,

The Senate adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1848.

The treaty of peace, friendship, limits, and settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican republic, concluded at Guadalupe Hidalgo on the 2d day of February, in the year 1818, was read the second time.

On motion by Mr. Sevier,

Ordered, That the Secretary withdraw from the printer the message and documents which were on the 29th February ordered to be printed in confidence for the use of the Senate.

On motion by Mr. Badger,

The Senate proceeded to reconsider the order for the printing of the message and documents received on the 29th February; and,

On motion by Mr. Sevier,

Ordered, That the message with the accompanying documents,. except those received from Nathaniel P. Trist, be printed in confi

dence for the use of the Senate; and that the latter be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Mr. Houston submitted the following resolution for consideration: Resolved, That the reporter of the Senate be sworn to preserve inviolable secrecy regarding the proceedings and debates of the Senate, while the subject of the treaty with Mexico shall be under consideration in executive session; and that he be admitted into the Senate chamber during the discussion of that subject with a view to report the debates under the injunction of secrecy, and subject to the future order of the Senate.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the resolution submitted by Mr. Webster, the 28th instant; and, after debate,

On motion by Mr. Johnson, of Maryland,

The Senate adjourned.

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1848.

Mr. Mangum, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, to whom was referred, on the 1st instant, the correspondence from Nathaniel P. Trist, received with the message of the 29th February, reported that the letter from N. P. Trist, of the 25th January, 1848, alone, be printed; but that the committee had examined all the letters and marked such parts as, in their opinion, should be omitted in any order to print those letters.

On motion by Mr. Webster,

Ordered, That the correspondence of Nathaniel P. Trist, with the exception of such parts as have been marked for omission by the Committee on Foreign Relations, be printed in confidence for the use of the Senate.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the resolution submitted by Mr. Webster, the 28th instant; and,

On motion by Mr. Mangum,

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

On motion by Mr. Houston,

The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution, submitted the 1st instant, to admit the reporter of debates in executive session; and,

On the question to agree thereto,

It was determined in the negative.

On motion by Mr. Sevier,

The Senate, as in Committee of the Whole, proceeded to consider the treaty of peace, friendship, limits, and seitle ment between the United States of America and the Mexican republic.

On motion by Mr. Sevier,

To strike out the tenth article of the treaty, a debate ensued.

On motion by Mr. Miller,

That the Senate adjourn.

It was determined in the negative, Nays................

On motion by Mr. Sevier,

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30.

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present,