Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848
In the name of
Almighty God:
The United States of
America and the United Mexican States, animated by a sincere desire to put an
end to the calamities of the war which unhappily exists between the two Republics,
and to establish upon a solid basis relations of peace and friendship, which
shall confer reciprocal benefits upon the citizens of both, and assure the
concord, harmony, and mutual confidence wherein the two peoples should live, as
good neighbours, have for that purpose appointed their respective
plenipotentiaries…who, after a reciprocal communication of their respective
full powers, have, under the protection of Almighty God, the author of peace,
arranged, agreed upon, and signed the following Treaty of Peace, Friendship,
Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican
Republic.
A R T I C L E I
There shall be firm
and universal peace between the United States of America and the Mexican
Republic, and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns,
and people, without exception of places or persons.…
A R T I C L E V
The boundary line
between the two Republics shall commence in the Gulf of Mexico, three leagues
from land, opposite the mouth of the Rio Grande, otherwise called Rio Bravo del
Norte, or opposite the mouth of its deepest branch if it should have more than
one branch emptying directly into the sea; from thence up the middle of that
river, following the deepest channel, where it has more than one, to the point
where it strikes the southern boundary of New Mexico; thence, westwardly, along
the whole southern boundary of New Mexico (which runs north of the town called
Paso) to its western termination; thence, northward, along the western line of
New Mexico, until it intersects the first branch of the river Gila; (or if it
should not intersect any branch of that river, then to the point on the sand
line nearest to such branch. and thence in a direct line to the same;) thence
down the middle of the said branch and of the said river, until it empties into
the Rio Colorado; thence across the Rio Colorado, following the division line
between Upper and Lower California, to the Pacific Ocean.… And, in order to
preclude all difficulty in tracing upon the ground the limit separating Upper
from Lower California, it is agreed that the said limit shall consist of a
straight line drawn from the middle of the Rio Gila, where it unites with the
Colorado, to a point on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, distant one marine
league due south of the southernmost point of the port of San Diego.… In order
to designate the boundary line with due precision…the two Governments shall
each appoint a commissioner and a surveyor, who…shall meet at the port of San
Diego, and proceed to run and mark the said boundary in its whole course to the
mouth of the Rio Bravo del Norte. They shall keep journals and make out plans
of their operations; and the result agreed upon by them shall be deemed a part
of this treaty, and shall have the same force as if it were inserted therein.
The two Governments will amicably agree regarding what may be necessary to
these persons, and also as to their respective escorts, should such be
necessary.…
A R T I C L E VIII
Mexicans now
established in territories previously belonging to Mexico, and which remain for
the future within the limits of the United States, as defined by the present
treaty, shall be free to continue where they now reside, or to remove at any
time to the Mexican Republic, retaining the property which they possess.… Those
who shall prefer to remain in the said territories may either retain the title
and rights of Mexican citizens, or acquire those of citizens of the United
States. But they shall be under the obligation to make their election within
one year from the date of the exchange of ratifications of this treaty; and
those who shall remain in the said territories after the expiration of that
year, without having declared their intention to retain the character of
Mexicans, shall be considered to have elected to become citizens of the United
States.…
A R T I C L E IX
The Mexicans who, in
the territories aforesaid, shall not preserve the character of citizens of the
Mexican Republic, conformably with what is stipulated in the preceding article,
shall be incorporated into the Union of the United States, and be admitted at
the proper time (to be judged of by the Congress of the United States) to the
enjoyment of all the rights of citizens of the United States, according to the
principles of the Constitution; and in the mean time, shall be maintained and
protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property, and secured in
the free exercise of their religion without
restriction....