The process of surveying the US-Mexican Boundary was beset by politics, interdepartmental rivalries and personal conflicts from the beginning. Ultimately, the dispute between the principals (mainly Bartlett and Graham) made its way to the floor of Congress and the claims and counterclaims ended up in numerous government documents. Senate document 119 includes correspondences, reports and documents and is the source of these seven maps:

A. That Part of Disturnell’s Treaty Map in the Vicinity of the Rio Grande and Southern Boundary of New Mexico (11 x 8.8"). This map is centered roughly on Santa Fe and covers the area from the Arkansas River south to the 31st parallel, locating Albuquerque and Tucson. The parallels were being corrected from an incorrect position previously mapped, and this map illustrates both old and new parallels. Ref: Wheat (TMW) #719.

B. Mexican Boundary, Sketch A. Referred to in Colonel Graham’s Report to the Hon: The Secretary of the Interior of August 16th 1851 (18 x 5.0"). Ref: Wheat (TMW) #717.

C. Mexican Boundary B, Extract from the Treaty Map of Disturnell of 1847 (15.3 x 9.0"). Ref: Wheat (TMW) #718.

D. No. 1 Map Exhibiting the Southern Boundary of New Mexico As Respectively Claimed by the United States and the Mexican Commissioners under the 5th Article of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (10.9 x 7.5").

E. No. 2 [from Emory’s Map] Accompanying Commissioner Bartlett’s Letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Dated Santa Rita Del Cobre August 8th 1851 (12 x 7.8"). Ref: Wheat (TMW) #704.

F. No. 1 Accompanying Commissioner Bartlett’s Letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Dated Santa Rita Del Cobre August 8th 1851 (6.6 x 5.8"). Ref: Wheat (TMW) #703.

G. No 2. Disturnel’s Map Exhibiting the Error in the Rio Grande’s Position (10.7 x 8.0"). Ref: Wheat (TMW) #706.

515 pp. Octavo, hardbound in full Congressional calf with maroon label and gilt title on spine.

References:

Condition: B+

The maps are generally very good with some light to moderate toning primarily along the folds and some occasional offsetting. Text is generally clean and tight with some scattered faint foxing. The hinges are starting, the covers are worn with the back cover almost detached, and the spine is cracked and abraded.