Editing Gadsden Purchase (section)

=== Gadsden and Santa Anna ===
[[File:Gadsden Purchase historical mark.jpg|thumb|The Gadsden Purchase historical marker near [[Interstate 10]]]]

A treaty initiated in the Fillmore administration that would provide joint Mexican and United States protection for the Sloo grant was signed in Mexico on March 21, 1853. At the same time that this treaty was received in Washington, Pierce learned that New Mexico Territorial Governor [[William Carr Lane|William C. Lane]] had issued a proclamation claiming the Mesilla Valley as part of New Mexico, leading to protests from Mexico. Pierce was also aware of efforts by France, through its consul in San Francisco, to acquire the Mexican state of [[Sonora]].<ref>{{harvp|Nichols|1969|p=265}}.</ref>

Pierce recalled Lane in May and replaced him with [[David Meriwether (Kentucky politician)|David Meriwether]] of Kentucky. Meriwether was given orders to stay out of the Mesilla Valley until negotiations with Mexico could be completed. With the encouragement of Davis, Pierce also appointed James Gadsden as minister to Mexico, with specific instructions to negotiate with Mexico over the acquisition of additional territory. Secretary of State [[William L. Marcy]] gave Gadsden clear instructions: he was to secure the Mesilla Valley for the purposes of building a railroad through it, convince Mexico that the US had done its best regarding the Indian raids, and elicit Mexican cooperation in efforts by US citizens to build a canal or railroad across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Supporting the Sloo interests was not part of the instructions.<ref>{{harvp|Nichols|1969|p=266}}; {{harvp|Kluger|2007|p=496}}; {{harvp|Roberson|1974|p=183}}.</ref> Gadsden met with Santa Anna in Mexico City on September 25, 1853, to discuss the terms of the treaty.<ref name=Kemp2010 />

The Mexican government was going through political and financial turmoil. In the process, Santa Anna had been returned to power about the same time that Pierce was inaugurated. Santa Anna was willing to deal with the United States because he needed money to rebuild the [[Mexican Army]] for defense against the United States. He initially rejected the extension of the border further south to the [[Sierra Madre Occidental|Sierra Madre Mountains]]. He initially insisted on reparations for the damages caused by American Indian raids, but agreed to let an international tribunal resolve this. Gadsden realized that Santa Anna needed money and passed this information along to Secretary Marcy.<ref name="Kluger3">{{harvp|Kluger|2007|pp=497–498}}.</ref>

Marcy and Pierce responded with new instructions. Gadsden was authorized to purchase any of six parcels of land with a price fixed for each. The price would include the settlement of all Indian damages and relieve the United States from any further obligation to protect Mexicans. $50 million (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|50000000|1853|r=-8}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) would have bought the [[Baja California Peninsula]] and a large portion of the northwestern Mexican states while $15 million (${{Formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|15000000|1853|r=-7}}}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) was to buy the {{convert|38000|sqmi|km2}} of desert necessary for the railroad plans.<ref name="Kluger3" />

"Gadsden's antagonistic manner" alienated Santa Anna. Gadsden had advised Santa Anna that "the spirit of the age" would soon lead the northern Mexican states to secede so he might as well sell them now. Mexico balked at any large-scale sale of territory.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/gadsden-purchase |title=Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 |publisher=U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian |access-date=July 8, 2018}}</ref> The Mexican President felt threatened by [[William Walker (filibuster)|William Walker]]'s attempt to capture [[Baja California]] with 50 troops and annex Sonora. Gadsden disavowed any government backing of Walker, who retreated to the U.S. and was placed on trial as a criminal.<ref name="May39">{{harvp|May|1973|p=84}}.</ref> Santa Anna worried that the US would allow further aggression against Mexican territory. Santa Anna needed to get as much money for as little territory as possible.<ref name="azstar" /> When the United Kingdom rejected Mexican requests to assist in the negotiations, Santa Anna opted for the $15 million package.<ref name="Kluger4">{{harvp|Kluger|2007|pp=498–499}}.</ref>

Santa Anna and Gadsden signed the treaty on December 30, 1853, and the treaty was presented to the U.S. Senate for confirmation.<ref name=Kemp2010>{{cite book |editor-first=Roger L. |editor-last=Kemp |title=Documents of American Democracy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JHawgM-WnlUC&pg=PA195 |year=2010 |page=195|publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0786456741 }}</ref><ref name=Tuckered2013>{{cite book |editor-last1=Tucker |editor-first1=Spencer |editor-last2=Arnold |editor-first2=James R. |editor-last3=Wiener |editor-first3=Roberta |editor-last4=Pierpaoli, Jr |editor-first4=Paul G. |editor-last5=Cutrer |editor-first5=Thomas W. |editor-last6=Santoni |editor-first6=Pedro |display-editors=2 |title=The Encyclopedia of the Mexican-American War: A Political, Social, and Military History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FZVQcZpic-8C&pg=PA255|year=2013|publisher=ABC-CLIO|page=255|isbn=978-1851098538 }}</ref>