204 
EL PASO 
sion, to be adopted as the boundary point, at 32° 22' 
north latitude. 
The Joint Commission therefore met at the place 
referred to, to “ establish the point where (according 
to the fifth Article of the Treaty), in the Boundary 
between the two Republics, the Rio Bravo or Grande, 
strikes the Southern Boundary of New Mexico.” At 
this time the Surveyor, Mr. A. B. Gray, had not arrived, 
although fourteen months since the time of the 
adjournment in California, and five months after the 
time agreed upon for the meeting at El Paso. I then 
proposed to General Conde the Mexican Commissioner, 
that Lieutenant Whipple should officiate as Principal 
Surveyor until the arrival of Mr. Gray. To this ar- 
rangement General Conde signified his assent ; where- 
upon I addressed the following note to Lieutenant 
Whipple, whose camp was then near mine. 
“ In Camp, near the Initial Point, 
April 23, 1851. 
“ Dear Sir : The fifth Article of the Treaty of Gua- 
dalupe Hidalgo, requires that the two Governments 
shall each appoint a Commissioner and a Surveyor, to 
run and mark the boundary line between the two Re- 
publics. 
“ The Surveyor in behalf of the United States has 
not arrived ; and having received no advice from him, 
it is impossible to conjecture when he will be here. 
The present is the most propitious period of the year 
for field duty ; every thing is in readiness for continu- 
ing the operations connected with the survey, and the 
Mexican Commissioner is urgent to have the business 
proceeded with. 
