President John Tyler Officially Authorizes a Treaty With Mexico, the Mexican Rejection of Which President Polk Later Used to Help Justify War

This is the earliest official ratification between the two countries we have ever seen on the market; The Mexicans refused to ratify the changes the United States made in this document

 

An important stepping stone on the path to War; This convention predates the first formal treaty between the two countries

Throughout the late 1830s, US Embassy officials in Mexico City were inundated by the complaints and claims regarding the seizure of American vessels, mistreatment of American citizens, and alleged injuries inflicted on American merchants. These claims escalated and became a sore point between the United States and Mexico.

A special agent was sent to Mexico in the summer of 1838 with full authority to make a demand for redress. The demand was made; the Mexican Government promised to repair the wrongs, and after much delay a treaty of indemnity with that view was concluded between the two powers on the 11th of April, 1839, and was duly ratified by both Governments. By this treaty a joint commission was created to adjudicate and decide on the claims of American citizens on the Government of Mexico. The commission was organized at Washington on the 25th day of August, 1840. Their time was limited to eighteen months, at the expiration of which they had adjudicated and decided claims amounting to $2,026,139.68 in favor of citizens of the United States against the Mexican Government, but leaving a large amount of claims undecided.

The claims which were left undecided by the joint commission, amounting to more than $3,000,000, together with other claims for spoliations on the property of our citizens, were subsequently presented to the Mexican Government for payment, and were so far recognized that a treaty providing for their examination and settlement by another joint commission was concluded and signed at Mexico on the 20th day of November, 1843. In January, 1844, this convention was ratified by the Senate of the United States with two amendments. The US sent Waddy Thompson to Mexico to negotiate these but Mexico refused to sign these.

The Mexicans refused to ratify the changes the United States made in this document

President Polk later used this fact as justification for war against Mexico in his State of the Union address: “A third convention was concluded and signed at the city of Mexico on the 20th of November, 1843, by the plenipotentiaries of the two Governments, by which provision was made for ascertaining and paying these claims. In January, 1844, this convention was ratified by the Senate of the United States with two amendments, which were manifestly reasonable in their character. Upon a reference of the amendments proposed to the Government of Mexico, the same evasions, difficulties, and delays were interposed which have so long marked the policy of that Government toward the United States. It has not even yet decided whether it would or would not accede to them, although the subject has been repeatedly pressed upon its consideration. Mexico has thus violated a second time the faith of treaties by failing or refusing to carry into effect the sixth article of the convention of January, 1843. Such is the history of the wrongs which we have suffered and patiently endured from Mexico through a long series of years. So far from affording reasonable satisfaction for the injuries and insults we had borne, a great aggravation of them consists in the fact that while the United States, anxious to preserve a good understanding with Mexico, have been constantly but vainly employed in seeking redress for past wrongs, new outrages were constantly occurring, which have continued to increase our causes of complaint and to swell the amount of our demands. While the citizens of the United States were conducting a lawful commerce with Mexico under the guaranty of a treaty of “amity, commerce, and navigation,” many of them have suffered all the injuries which would have resulted from open war.”

Partly-printed document signed, as President, Washington, February 16, 1844, ordering the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to “a Power authorizing Waddy Thompson or in his absence, B.E. Green, to exchange the ratifications of and to sign additional articles to the Convention with the Mexican Republic of the 20th November [“1843].” This convention predates the first treaty between the United States and Mexico, which was ratified in 1848.

Thompson was U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from February 10, 1842 – March 9, 1844. Thompson learned enough Spanish to make his first speech to Mexican cabinet members in that language. He became friendly with Mexican president Santa Anna and succeeded in having 300 Texan prisoners freed. Two years after his return to the United States, Thompson published “Recollections of Mexico”, and he opposed the Mexican War. B.E. Green was the Secretary of the American Legation in Mexico City.

This is the earliest official ratification between the two countries we have ever seen on the market.