The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 62, July 1958 - April, 1959 Page: 171
617 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The United States-Mexican Boundary Survey
pointed out that Trist had offered an amount of coastline on the
Pacific for a small portion of land along the left bank of the
Colorado River below its junction with the Gila, and that in
order to carry out the spirit of the treaty the two governments
ought to leave the question for further negotiation. This implied
that, as far as Mexico was concerned, the trade should be made.20
When it was made known to Weller that the Colorado River
flowed northwest after leaving the Gila, and that by the present
terms of the treaty the United States already possessed more than
two leagues on the right and left banks, the commissioner refused
to view Trist's offer as still binding and insisted upon the con-
fluence of the Gila and the Colorado as the terminal point on the
eastern end of the California line.21 Compared with the later
questions involving geographic diplomacy, these were minor
skirmishes. The Weller experience was important, however, be-
cause it was indicative of the type of complicated geographic
problem that could arise in carrying out the treaty provisions.
It also seemed to demonstrate a certain willingness on the part of
General Conde to capitalize upon any advantage he might gain
through his understanding of the local geography.
From the time of Weller's appointment, the Whigs had been
intent upon securing his removal, and on June 20, 1849, even
before he had met with the Mexican commissioner, the first
move was made to oust him. On that date, Secretary of State
John M. Clayton offered the appointment to John C. Fremont,
and instructed him, in the event that he accepted the position,
to inform Weller of his removal.22 Fremont, however, eventually
declined the offer and failed to deliver to Weller the notice of
his removal.23 Thus the commissioner and the commission re-
mained in an indeterminate position with regard to their official
status, which had the result of cutting off all further appropria-
20"Report of the Secretary of the Interior . in Relation to the Commission
Appointed to Run and Mark the Boundary between the United States and Mexi-
co," Senate Executive Documents, and Cong., Ist Sess. (Serial No. 626), Docu-
ment No. 119, p. 61.
21lbid.
22Clayton to Fr6mont, Washington, June 28, 1849, in Thomas Ewing, "Report
on the .. Boundary Commission," Senate Executive Documents, 31st Cong., 1st
Sess. (Serial No. 558), Document No. 34, p. io.
2aCongressional Globe, 31st Cong., 2nd Sess., XXIII, December 18, 1850, pp. 79-80.171
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 62, July 1958 - April, 1959, periodical, 1959; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101173/m1/214/?rotate=90: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.