US Government Treaties and Reports

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  1847, January 12 - Treaty of Cahuenga

  The treaty set forth the Articles of Capitulation made on January 13, 1847, between the United States and California. The California forces under the Mexican flag were to deliver up their artillery and public arms, return peaceably to their homes, conform to the laws of the United States and not take up arms during the war between the United States and Mexico. No Californian or other Mexican citizen was bound to take the oath of allegiance to the United States until a treaty had been signed between the United States and Republic of Mexico and that they were permitted to leave the country. The Californians were to have equal rights and privileges as those enjoyed by the citizens of the United States. An additional article added on January 16, 1847, provided for the release of all prisoners of both sides.

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  1848, February 2 – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

  February 2, 1848 Treaty signed by the United States and Mexico ended the war between the United States and Mexico. In addition to establishing the Rio Grande as the border between the two countries, the territory acquired by the U.S. included what became the states of Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. Mexico received fifteen million dollars in compensation for the territory with the U.S. agreeing to assume claims from private citizens of these areas against the Mexican government.

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  1849, December 31 - US House of Represenative Resolution for a Report on California and New Mexico

  An excerpt from the Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, pp. 207-208, the First Session of the Thirty-First Congress containing the Resolution passed on December 31, 1849, requesting that the President of the United States communicate as early as he conveniently could information pertaining California and New Mexico. Included in the request was that the President provide all correspondence held by the government with any persons in California or New Mexico, relative to the formation of government for the Territories.

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  1850, January 21 - Message from the President of the United States on California and New Mexico

  A January 21, 1850, message from the President of the United States transmitting information in answer to a resolution of the House of the 31st of December, 1849, on the subject of California and New Mexico, the President's desire that each Territory form a plan of State constitution and submit the same to Congress with a prayer for admission to the Union as a State. The 1001 page document includes reports by heads of governmental departments and related correspondence.

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  1851-1852 - Eighteen Unratified Treaties between California Indians and the United States

  A typed copy of the original treaties made between 1851 and 1852. The eighteen treaties were signed by members of California Indian tribes and any one of three Treaty Commissioners whose appointments had been authorized by President Fillmore and the United States Senate. The treaties were never ratified by the United States Senate.

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  1851, March 3 - California Private Land Act, Ch 40, p 631-634

  The California Private Land Act of March 3, 1851 (Ch. 40, pp. 631-634), enacted to ascertain and settle the private land claims in California. The Act provided for establishment of the California Land Commission and set forth procedures for processing claims including the appeals process.

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  1852, February 3 - Report of the Secretary of the Interior with copy of instructions to California land commissioners

  A February 3, 1852, report prepared by the Secretary of the Interior, Alex H. H. Stuart, to William R. King, Senate of the United States, along with a copy of the September 11, 1851, instructions given to the California land commissioners who were appointed to ascertain and settle the private land claims in California. 32d Congress, 1st Session. Ex. Doc. No. 26.

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  1854, June 30 - Gadsen Purchase-Treaty

  The June 30, 1854, Gadsden Purchase, or Treaty, was an agreement between the United States and Mexico, finalized in 1854, in which the United States agreed to pay Mexico $10 million for a 29,670 square mile portion of Mexico that later became part of Arizona and New Mexico. Gadsden's Purchase provided the land necessary for a southern transcontinental railroad and attempted to resolve conflicts that lingered after the Mexican-American War (1845-1848).

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  1884 - The Public Domain, Its History with Statistics, Public Land Commission, Thomas Donaldson

  A report prepared by Thomas Donaldson, member of the Public Land Commission and the Committee on Codification. It deals with the origin, growth and disposition of the public domain, tracing the several systems from their origin, and giving full statistics of operations under and results of the several acts for sale and disposition of the public lands up through December 31, 1883. The book includes revisions and addenda to the original June 30, 1880, report.