No. 404.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, November 30, 1874.
(Received December 19.)
No. 213.]
Sir: On the 24th instant I received a telegram from
Mr. J. Ulrich, consul at Monterey, advising me of the arrival at that place
of Mr. H. M. Atkinson, the commissioner appointed by the Department of the
Interior to secure the removal of the Kickapoo Indians still remaining in
Mexico to their reservations, and asking me to procure the appointment of
commissioners on the part of the Mexican government, and to request the
co-operation of the governor of the State of Coahuila.
Although I was not advised of the coming of Mr. Atkinson, and had no
instructions on the subject, I on the next day called upon Mr. Lafragua,
minister of foreign affairs, and asked the co operation of his government in
accomplishing the object of Mr. Atkinson’s mission, leaving with him a note,
of which I inclose a copy.
Mr. Lafragua stated that the present mission of Mr. Atkinson had not
heretofore been brought to his attention, but he promised that the subject
should be laid before the President immediately.
This morning, in a call which I made at the foreign office, I was informed by
the chief clerk, in the absence of Mr. Lafragua, that the same instructions
would be telegraphed to-day to the governor of Coahuila as
[Page 843]
those under which he acted last year; that
Señor Montero, who formerly acted as Mexican commissioner, would leave this
city within a few days with full instructions upon the subject, and would
probably be again appointed by the governor of Coahuila; and that the war
department had given instructions to the military commandant on the Rio
Grande frontier. A copy of instructions of the war department was
subsequently sent me in a note from Mr. Lafragua, which I inclose, and from
which it will be seen that action is limited to such of the Kickapoos as
have not entered the State of Durango and are still on the frontier.
I am not advised whether this limitation will materially interfere with the
object of Mr. Atkinson’s mission.
I have advised the consul at Monterey by telegraph and mail of the action of
the Mexican government.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 213.]
Mr. Foster to My.
Lafragua.
Legation of the United States,
Mexico, November 25,
1874.
Sir: I beg to inform your excellency that I
have received a telegram from the consul of the United States at
Monterey, in the State of Nuevo Leon, stating that Mr. H. M. Atkinson,
the commissioner appointed by my Government for the purpose of securing,
if possible, the return of the remaining portion of the Kickapoo
Indians, still in Mexico, to their reservation in the United States, has
arrived at Monterey, and that he desires the co-operation of the
national and State authorities of Mexico to facilitate the object of his
mission.
In view of the past cordial co-operation of the authorities of this
republic in this business, I venture to request that your excellency’s
government will send such instructions as it may deem proper to the
governor of the State of Coahuila, and take such other measures as it
may think necessary to promote the success of Mr. Atkinson’s
mission.
I have the honor to renew to your excellency the assurances of my
distinguished consideration.
His Excellency J. M. Lafragua,
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
213.—Translation.]
Mr. Lafragua to Mr.
Foster.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, November 30,
1874.
Sir: I have the satisfaction of replying to the
note of your excellency of the 25th of this month, in which you are
pleased to state that there has arrived at Monterey Mr. Atkinson,
commissioner of the Government of the United States, to effect the
removal to their reservations in that country of the rest of the
Kickapoo Indians still in Mexico, and asking the co-operation of the
Mexican government, to the end that the said gentleman may be aided in
the accomplishment of his mission. I inclose to you a copy of the order
of the department of war, which I have just received, in which it
appears that instructions have been given to General Fuero, military
commandant of the line of the Bravo, that he place no obstacles in the
way of the return of the Indians.
I reiterate to your excellency the assurances of my distinguished
consideration.
His Excellency John W. Foster,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
of the United States of America.
[Page 844]
[Inclosure in 2 in No.
213.—Translation.]
Mr. Mejia to Mr.
Lafragua.
Department of War and Marine,
Mexico, November 26,
1874.
To the Citizen Minister of Foreign
Affairs, present:
In reply to your communication, dated the 25th of the present month, in
which you transcribe to me the communication of the minister of the
United States, stating that a commissioner from his Government has
arrived at Monterey, for the purpose of effecting, if possible, the
return to their reservation in the United States of the rest of the
Kickapoo Indians who are still in Mexico, and that he desires the
co-operation of the national and State authorities in promoting the
success of his mission, I have to state to you that citizen General
Fuero has already been advised that, if it is the will of the Kickapoos
who may not have entered the State of Durango, as he was previously
informed, and are upon the frontier, to return to their reservations in
the United States, he place not obstacle or difficulty in the way of
their doing so.
Independence and liberty.
