FILLMORE, Millard (1800-1874), President. Autograph letter signed ("Millard Fillmore") as President, TO SECRETARY OF STATE [DANIEL WEBSTER], n.p., 4 May 1851. 21/3 pages, 8vo, small tear at one fold, otherwise fine. RAILROAD-BUILDING IN MEXICO: "I REGRET EXTREMELY THAT THE WORK HAS BEEN COMMENCED BEFORE THE TREATY WAS RATIFIED". A letter of the President to his Secretary of State regarding a railroad in Mexico. The cessation of hostilities with Mexico in 1848 (by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo) added extensive new territories to the nation. Even as it raised divisions over slavery, the new acquisition promised to open new opportunities for trade and capitalism. Fillmore expresses concern over a new railroad across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec: "I have your note of last evening; and approve of your arrangement to communicate at once with Mexico. The more I think of it the more I fear we may lose by not having a minister there this summer. Public opinion will be likely to settle the treaty long before Congress meets; and the operations now going on, in surveying the Tehuantepec route, will be likely to incite jealousy and possibly lead to contentions, that may require a competent diplomatic agent on the spot to settle. I regret extremely that the work has been commenced before the treaty was ratified...But we will talk of this when we meet, and I shall see you at any time tomorrow you may indicate..." Although the issue was significant at the time of the U.S. Mexican War, the 1848 treaty did not accord passage rights across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec since these had already been granted to British speculators.
FILLMORE, Millard (1800-1874), President. Autograph letter signed ("Millard Fillmore") as President, TO SECRETARY OF STATE [DANIEL WEBSTER], n.p., 4 May 1851. 21/3 pages, 8vo, small tear at one fold, otherwise fine. RAILROAD-BUILDING IN MEXICO: "I REGRET EXTREMELY THAT THE WORK HAS BEEN COMMENCED BEFORE THE TREATY WAS RATIFIED". A letter of the President to his Secretary of State regarding a railroad in Mexico. The cessation of hostilities with Mexico in 1848 (by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo) added extensive new territories to the nation. Even as it raised divisions over slavery, the new acquisition promised to open new opportunities for trade and capitalism. Fillmore expresses concern over a new railroad across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec: "I have your note of last evening; and approve of your arrangement to communicate at once with Mexico. The more I think of it the more I fear we may lose by not having a minister there this summer. Public opinion will be likely to settle the treaty long before Congress meets; and the operations now going on, in surveying the Tehuantepec route, will be likely to incite jealousy and possibly lead to contentions, that may require a competent diplomatic agent on the spot to settle. I regret extremely that the work has been commenced before the treaty was ratified...But we will talk of this when we meet, and I shall see you at any time tomorrow you may indicate..." Although the issue was significant at the time of the U.S. Mexican War, the 1848 treaty did not accord passage rights across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec since these had already been granted to British speculators.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
