missioners as agent on its behalf, and to answer claims made upon it, and to represent it generally in all matters connected with the investigation and decision thereof.

The President of the United States of America and the President of the Mexican Republic hereby solemnly and sincerely engage to consider the decision of the commissioners conjointly, or of the umpire, as the case may be, as absolutely final and conclusive upon each claim decided upon by them or him, respectively, and to give full effect to such decisions without any objection, evasion, or delay whatsoever.

It is agreed that no claim arising out of a transaction of a date prior to the 2d of February, 1848, shall be admissible under this convention.

Art. III. Every claim shall be presented to the commissioners within eight months from the day of their first meeting, unless in any case where reasons for delay shall be established to the satisfaction of the commissioners, or of the umpire in the event of the commissioners differing in opinion thereupon, and then and in any such case the period for presenting the claim may be extended to any time not exceeding three months longer. The commissioners shall be bound to examine and decide upon every claim within two years and six months from the day of their first meeting.

It shall be competent for the commissioners conjointly, or for the umpire if they differ, to decide in each case whether any claim has or has not been duly made, preferred, and laid before them, either wholly or to any and what extent, according to the true intent and meaning of this convention.

Art. IV. When decisions shall have been made by the commissioners and the arbiter in every case which shall have been laid before them, the total amount awarded in all the cases decided in favor of the citizens of the one party shall be deducted from the total amount awarded to the citizens of the other party, and the balance, to the amount of three hundred thousand dollars, shall be paid at the city of Mexico or at the city of Washington, in gold or its equivalent, within twelve months from the close of the commission, to the government in favor of whose citizens the greater amount may have been awarded, without interest or any other deduction than that specified in Art. VI of this convention. The residue of the said balance shall be paid in annual instalments to an amount not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars, in gold or its equivalent, in any one year until the whole shall have been paid.

Art. V. The high contracting parties agree to consider the result of the proceedings of this commission as a full, perfect, and final settlement of every claim upon either government arising out of any transaction of a date prior to the exchange of the ratifications of the present convention; and further engage that every such claim, whether or not the same may have been presented to the notice of, made, preferred, or laid before the said commission, shall, from and after the conclusion of the proceedings of the said commission, be considered and treated as finally settled barred, and thenceforth inadmissible.

Art. VI. The commissioners and the umpire shall keep an accurate

record and correct minutes of their proceedings, with the dates. For that purpose they shall appoint two secretaries versed in the language of both countries to assist them in the transaction of the business of the commission. Each government shall pay to its commissioner an amount of salary not exceeding forty five hundred dollars a year in the currency of the United States, which amount shall be the same for both governments. The amount of compensation to be paid to the umpire shall be determined by mutual consent at the close of the commission, but necessary and reasonable advances may be made by each government upon the joint recommendation of the commission. The salary of the secretaries shall not exceed the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars a year in the currency of the United StaThe whole expenses of the commission, including contingent expenses, shall be defrayed by a ratable deduction on the amount of the sums awarded by the commission, provided always that such deduction shall not exceed five per cent, on the sums so awarded. The deficiency, if any, shall be defrayed in moieties by the two governments.

Art. VII. The present convention shall be ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by the President of the Mexican Republic, with the approbation of the Congress of that Republic; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington within nine months from the date hereof, or sooner if possible.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their arms.

Done at Washington, the fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight.

William H. Seward.

M. Romero.

3.

ÉTATS-UNIS D'AMÉRIQUE, MEXIQUE.

હૈ

Convention additionnelle à la Convention du 4 juillet 1868*) pour le règlement des réclamations réciproques; signée à Mexico, le 19 avril 1871**).

Treaties and Conventions. Rev. Ed. 1873. p. 586.
Texte anglais.

Whereas a convention was concluded on the 4th day of July, 1868, between the United States of America and the United States of Mexico for the settlement of outstanding claims that have originated since the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the 2d of February, 1848***),

*) V. ci-dessus No. 2.

**) En anglais et en espagnol. Les ratifications ont été échangées à Washington, le 8 février 1872.

***) V. la note au bas du No. 1.

by a mixed commission limited to endure for two years and six months from the day of the first meeting of the commissioners; and whereas doubts have arisen as to the practicability of the business of the said commission being concluded within the period assigned:

The President of the United States of America and the President of the United States of Mexico are desirous that the time originally fixed for the duration of the said commission should be extended, and to this end have named Plenipotentiaries to agree upon the best mode of effecting this object that is to say: The President of the United States of America, Thomas H. Nelson, aceredited as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Mexican Republic; and the President of the United States of Mexico, Manuel Aspiroz, Chief Clerk and in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the United States of Mexico; who, after having presented their respective powers, and finding them sufficient and in due form, have agreed upon the following articles:

Art. I. The high contracting parties agree that the term assigned in the conventien of the 4th of July, 1868, above referred to, for the duration of the said commission, shall be extended for a time not exceeding one year from the day when the functions of the said commission would terminate according to the convention referred to, or for a shorter time if it should be deemed sufficient by the commissioners, or the umpire in case of their disagreement.

It is agreed that nothing contained in this article shall in anywise alter or extend the time originally fixed in the said convention for the presentation of claims to the mixed commission.

Art. II. The present convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington, as soon as possible.

In witness whereof the above-mentioned Plenipotentiaries have signed

the same and affixed their respective seals.

Done in the city of Mexico, the 19th day of April in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.

Thomas H. Nelson.

Manuel Azpiroz.

4.

ÉTATS-UNIS D'AMÉRIQUE, MEXIQUE.

Deuxième Convention additionnelle à la Convention du 4 juillet 1868*) pour le règlement des réclamations réciproques; signée à Washington, le 27 novembre 1872**). Treaties and Conventions. Rev. Ed. 1873. App. p. 916.

Texte anglais.

Whereas, by the convention concluded between the United States and

*) V. ci-dessus No. 2.

**) En anglais et en espagnol. Les ratifications ont été échangées à Washington, le 17 juillet 1873.

the Mexican Republic on the fourth day of July, 1868, certain claims of citizens of the contracting parties were submitted to a joint commission, whose functions were to terminate within two years and six months, reckoning from the day of the first meeting of the commissioners; and whereas the functions of the aforesaid joint commission were extended, according to the convention concluded between the same parties on the nineteenth day of April, 1871*), for a term not exceeding one year from the day on which they were to terminate according to the first convention; and whereas the possibility of said commission's concluding its labors even within the period fixed by the aforesaid convention of April nineteenth, 1871, is doubtful:

Therefore, the President of the United States of America and the President of the United States of Mexico, desiring that the term of the aforementioned commission should be again extended, in order to attain this end, have appointed, the President of the United States Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, and the President of the United States of Mexico Ignacio Mariscal, accredited to the Government of the United States as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of said United States of Mexico, who, having exchanged their respective powers, which were found sufficient and in due form, have agreed upon the following articles:

Art. I. The high contracting parties agree that the said commission be revived, and that the time fixed by the convention of April nineteenth, 1871, for the duration of the commission aforesaid, shall be extended for a terme not exceeding two years from the day on which the functions of the said commission would terminate according to that convention, or for a shorter time if it should be deemed sufficient by the commissioners or the umpire in case of their disagreement.

It is agreed that nothing contained in this article shall in any wise alter or extend the time originally fixed in the said convention for the presentation of claims to the commission.

Art. II. The present convention shall be ratified and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible.

In witness whoreof, the above-named Plenipotentiaries have signed the

same and affixed their respective seals.

Done in the city of Washington the twenty-seventh day of November, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.

Hamilton Fish.
Ignacio Mariscal.

*) V. ci-dessus No. 8.

5.

ÉTATS-UNIS D'AMÉRIQUE, MEXIQUE.

Sentence rendue, le 16 avril 1874, dans l'affaire de Don Rafaël Aguirre contre les États-Unis par le surarbitre nommé en vertu de la Convention du 4 juillet 1868 pour le règlement des réclamations américano-mexicaines*).

Revue de droit international et de législation comparée. 1875. p. 65,

Traduction.

Le surarbitre a parcouru et étudié avec soin tous les documents qui se rapportent à l'affaire de Don Rafael Aguirre contre les États-Unis, n° 131, de même que la demande formulée par l'avocat de ces derniers, avec toutes les preuves qui lui ont été communiquées par la commission mixte Américano-Mexicaine. De l'examen attentif qu'il a fait du cas, résulte pour lui la conviction que les points, sur lesquels repose la question du rejet ou de l'admission de la demande énoncée ci-dessus, sont à rechercher dans les causes qui ont conduit à la conclusion du traité du 30 décembre 1853**) entre les États-Unis et le Mexique, et dans le sens des paroles du traité. Il paraît évident au surarbitre que l'une de ces causes a dû naître des plaintes constamment répétées du gouvernement mexicain à celui des États-Unis, depuis une date voisine de la conclusion du traité de Guadalupe-Hidalgo***), jusque vers la fin de l'année 1853; que les stipulations du onzième article de ce traité n'avaient pas été remplies par le dernier des deux gouvernements; et que conséquemment il devait des dommagesintérêts, tant au gouvernement mexicain qu'aux citoyens du Mexique, pour les dommages résultant de ce défaut d'accomplissement. La correspondance entre les deux gouvernements était d'une nature irritante et paraissait devoir exciter l'amertume de part et d'autre. Il était donc de l'intérêt des deux gouvernements, comme aussi c'était leur désir, de mettre fin à cet état de choses; et le surarbitre n'hésite pas à penser que ce fut là une des causes de désaccord auxquelles se référait le préambule du traité de 1853, désaccord que les deux gouvernements cherchaient à éloigner. On ne pouvait certes pas affirmer que toute cause de désaccord serait écartée jusqu'à ce que cette question fut réglée; et d'autre part, l'absence d'une stipulation dans ce but aurait eu pour effet de produire par cette phrase une fausse impression, car toute cause de désaccord n'aurait pas été écartée. Par le traité non ratifié de 1853, négocié par M. Gadsden, à Mexico, cette république cédait aux États-Unis une certaine portion de territoire, et consentait à ce que l'article onze du traité de Guadalupe fût annulé, et que les États-Unis fussent exonérés de toutes réclamations de la part du

* V. ci-dessus No. 2.

**) V. ci-dessus No. 1.

***) V. la note au bas du No. 1.