The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 27, July 1923 - April, 1924 Page: 20
344 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
that European meddling and appeals to Europe for support, as he
had reason to think Mexico had recently made, would serve only
to hasten this consummation; and that it would therefore be wise
for the Mexican government to anticipate the inexorable by the
sale of the region in question. By this simple process it would
secure a "natural Territorial boundary, imposing in its Mountain
and Desert outlines," check further desire for expansion on the part
of citizens of the United States, remove the provocation for border
feuds, lay aside the burden of protecting people who really pre-
ferred to be transferred to another jurisdiction, and, in a word,
usher in the millennium in North America !18
This preamble delivered, Gadsden was ready to settle down to
the negotiations proper. These were brought to a conclusion after
six sessions extending from December 10 to 30, for each of which
brief "protocols" were kept. These protocols, together with a
despatch to Marcy, written while in the midst of his work, furnish
a very satisfactory account of the difficulties Gadsden confronted
and the contest he waged during the last days of his special mis-
sion.
From Gadsden's letter to Marcy, dated December 16, it appears
that after the close of the second formal conference, the American
minister was on the point of giving up in despair. The meddling
of speculators interested in the Indian spoliation claims and the
Tehuantepec concessions, the presence of William Walker and his
filibusters on Mexican soil, the attempt of the Mexican negotiators
to transfer a portion of the issues to Almonte, the Mexican min-
ister at Washington, the extravagant demands of Mexico, "prompted
me," said Gadsden, "to close all negotiations." When the diplo-
mats of the Aztec nation observed his state of mind they asked
for another conference, and Gadsden decided to make one more
effort to accomplish the objects of his mission. Since, however,
Gadsden persistently urged the cession of a large area of territory
"'Gadsden to Bonilla, November 29, 1853. The commissioners appointed
by the Mexican government were Bonilla himself, J. Mariano Monterde,
and Jose Salazar y Larregui.
Gadsden's suspicions regarding European opposition to his negotiations
were well-founded. See Doyle (British minister in Mexico) to British
Secy. of State, No. 120, Dec. 18, 1853, F. 0. 50, Vol. 261. For Santa Anna's
appeal to Europe, see Bolton, Guide to . . . the Principle Archives of
Mexico, p. 230.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 27, July 1923 - April, 1924, periodical, 1924; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101086/m1/26/?rotate=270: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.