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of Chiapas, to take as a starting-point the project discussed in Guatemala between Messrs. Pavon and Pereda in 1854. That is to say, that Guatemala will recognize the incorporation of that State into the Mexican territory on condition that Mexico will proceed to settle the debt which that province had contracted with what was formerly the "Captaincy-General of Guatemala."
The case is not the same respecting Soconusco. I waive for the present the narration of the acts by virtue of which that former district of Guatemala now forms a part of the United States of Mexico. Force does not constitute a title, and if with respect to Chiapas no one can doubt the justice with which Guatemala might demand its restitution, in regard to Soconusco it is abundantly evident that the violation of the neutrality in which it had been agreed to maintain that province can never be for Mexico a title of domain, but rather strengthens, in the eyes of international law, the titles which Guatemala has ever had for considering it an integral part of her territory. But, as I have already said, it is not my intention to record the history of those unjustifiable acts, and I will only call Your Excellency's attention to the difficulties presented by the tracing of any dividing line segregating Soconusco from the territory of Guatemala.
The clearer the demarkation of frontiers between adjacent countries, the fewer disputes will there be between frontier authorities, and all questions originating in the lack of precision of the dividing lines will be completely obviated. For this reason it has latterly become the custom among civilized nations to adopt, as such boundaries, degrees of longitude or latitude. Since this is not possible in the present case
