No. 420.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, February 27, 1875.
(Received March 15.)
No. 253.]
Sir: Under date of the 14th instant, the consul at
Acapulco reports to me that no action has been taken to arrest and punish
the murderers of the American citizen, Henry Morris, killed in the assault
upon the Protestant Church at that place on the 26th ultimo. He states that
the judicial authorities are powerless to make arrests until a sufficient
force of federal troops are placed at their disposal, the State militia
sympathizing openly with the priest (the alleged instigator of the assault,)
and his party; that a large petition has been presented to the governor
demanding the removal of Protestants from the municipal council and their
banishment from the country; that the district judge and governor, having
confessed their inability to protect the native Protestants in the town of
Acapulco, have been advised to leave as speedily as possible; and, in a
communication of the 17th instant, the consul reports that, with a few
exceptions, the Protestants have all left, a number of them having taken
refuge in San Francisco, Cal., and that the town is now Quiet.
[Page 882]
On the 23d instant, I received a note from Mr. Lafragua, in reply to my note
to him of the 8th instant, (a copy of which I inclosed to you with my
dispatch No. 241,) in which, in connection with some reference to the
religious aspects of the affair at Acapulco, he states that, from the time
the events were brought to the attention of the Mexican government, it has
been issuing the most decisive orders for the arrest and punishment of the
criminals, and refers to the measures which it has dictated as of the most
extraordinary character. He also alludes to the omission of the Protestant
congregation to give the legal notice of its establishment; and also to the
fact that the name of Henry Morris, the murdered American, does not appear
in the register of matriculation of the Mexican foreign office.
In my answer to Mr. Lafragua, under date of the 25th instant, I took occasion
to state explicitly that the object of my intervention in the affair in
question was on account of the murder of the American citizen, which would
relieve me from noticing the religious aspects of his note. In view of the
report of the consul of the situation at Acapulco up to the latest dates
from that place, I could not refrain from expressing regret that Mr.
Lafragua had not furnished me with some information in detail as to the
specific character of the extraordinary measures dictated by his government,
or at least to have been informed that some favorable results had followed
these measures; in which connection I gave him some of the facts reported to
me by the consul in the communication herewith inclosed. In concluding my
note, I took occasion to say that the fact that Henry Morris did not appear
registered in the foreign office could not affect the case, as he was
certified to me by the consul at Acapulco as a native of Boston Mass., and
as an American citizen
I am. &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 253.]
Mr. Sutter to Mr.
Foster.
United-States Consulate,
Acapulco, February 14,
1875.
No. 29.]
Sir: Confirming to you my report, No. 28, of
the 7th instant, I have to acknowledge the receipt of your communication
of the 7th instant. The judicial authorities can do nothing, having no
power whatsoever to make arrests; the entire matter must remain as it is
until a sufficient force of federal troops are placed at his disposal,
the State militia sympathizing overtly with the priest and his party,
which in fact comprises the entire population. A petition signed by 400
or 500 persons, demanding the removal of Protestants from the
(ayuntamiento) municipal council, and their banishment from the country,
and accusing the Protestants of having caused the late disturbances by
their alleged insults offered to the Catholics, has been presented to
the governor. A gentleman who has read it assures me that this document
is ably worded. One of the consequences of these troubles is that the
common people believe that the terms “protestant” and “foreigner of
Anglo-Saxon or German race” are synonymous, and very likely are
confirmed in their belief by the priest. The Protestants, fearing for
their lives, applied to the district judge and governor for protection.
They were told that it was impossible to afford them any protection in
the town, but that the fort, the only place of safety, was open to them.
They were also advised to leave the town as quick as possible, which I
think is the best they can do, and they have already commenced to
scatter and hide from persecution.
Very, respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN A. SUTTER, Jr.,
United States Consul.
Hon. John W. Foster,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United
States of America, Mexico.
[Page 883]
[Inclosure 2 in No.
253.—Translation.]
Mr. Lafragua to Mr.
Foster.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, February 23,
1875.
Sir: I have rendered an account to the
President of the Republic of the note of your excellency, dated the 8th
instant, in which you are pleased to communicate to me the substance of
the report which the consul of the United States in Acapulco has made to
your excellency relative to the events occurring in that city on the
occasion of the assault which was made upon a Protestant Church.
In reply, I have the honor to state to your excellency that, since those
unfortunate events came to, the knowledge of the government, there have
been issued, and there continue to be issued, the most decisive orders
for the arrest and punishment of those who may appear to be guilty; and,
as an evidence of the activity with which this is being done, the fact
appears that the governor of the State of Guerrero has proceeded
personally to the place of these occurrences, in order himself to
dictate the energetic and opportune measures which may be necessary to
prevent the crime from remaining unpunished, and to re-establish
security and order in Acapulco.
Whatever may be the views and judgment of the consul of the United States
in that port, they can be can be considered as nothing more than
personal opinions, inspired, perhaps, by the fears of the moment, since
the escape and concealment of the criminals does not signify inability
nor lack of will in the authorities to arrest and punish them. It is
possible that there be delays, excusable and even necessary, when, under
circumstances so unexpected as the present, there does not exist a
sufficient force at immediate disposal to repress an outbreak; but this
does not signify that there is a disposition to leave it unpunished.
Moreover, it appears just, in order to comprehend the difficulties and
delays that are liable to be encountered, to take into consideration the
peculiar circumstances of the countries in which certain events take
place.
The consul in Acapulco cannot be ignorant of the fact that Protestant
worship was a new propaganda among a people who, unfortunately, have not
been able to attain to that degree of civilization to enable them to
accept without aversion religious tenets which they disown; and it is
well known that the religious sentiment is one of the most sensitive,
and that when attacked it is all the more irritable. Therefore it will
not be strange that the great majority of that people conceal and
protect the aggressors. The difficulty which the authority encounters
from this source will not be insurmountable, but is indeed very
grave.
The general government, on its part jealous of its authority, firmly
resolved that the laws shall be complied with, and interested as much as
any other that liberty and individual protection may be secured to
native citizens and foreigners, has dictated extraordinary measures in
the present case, in the hope that the ends of justice may be fulfilled,
and that, in conformity with it, the criminals may suffer a sufficiently
exemplary punishment to prevent similar deeds from being repealed, and
to satisfy the ends of public retribution.
It is not amiss to make note of the fact at this time that, according to
the report received, the Protestant Church, where the events occurred,
was not registered in the office of the prefect, which, for that reason,
perhaps, was not able to know the condition of the location, nor the
hours of assembling, so that it might exercise its vigilance and place
the church under the protection of the police.
Neither is Henry Morris registered with American citizenship in the
register of matriculation in this Department.
It pleases me to renew to your excellency the assurances of my high and
distinguished consideration.
His Excellency John W. Foster,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
of the United States of America.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 253.]
Mr. Foster to Mr.
Lafragua.
Legation of the United States,
Mexico, February 25,
1875.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your excellency’s note of the 23d instant, in which, having
referred to my note of the 8th instant to the President of the Republic,
you make reply thereto. The tenor of this reply leads me to fear that
your excellency has misconceived the object of my said note. It was not
my purpose to enter upon a defense of the Protestant worship in Mexico.
I have not in [Page 884] my note of the
8th instant, nor in any other which this painful occurrence at Acapulco
has made it necessary for me to address to your excellency, allowed
myself to criticise the conduct of the government or make any demand in
regard to this worship in so far as it relates to the Mexican people.
While it is very natural that I, as the representative of a Government
which has officially congratulated that of Mexico on the constitutional
triumph and recognition of the principles of religious liberty, should
watch with deep interest the practical enforcement of these principles,
I have made the outbreaks of fanatical mobs the subject of diplomatic
intervention only when American citizens have been assassinated.
The object of informing your excellency of the substance of the consul’s
report was to bring to the attention of the Mexican government the name
of the American citizen assassinated, and the circumstances attending
and following his murder, in the hope that the facts stated might
furnish your government with additional motives for enforcing strict and
decisive measures against his murderers; as also to notify said
government of the responsibility, under treaty-stipulations, to the
dependent family of the deceased, on account of the failure of the local
authorities to furnish him the protection guaranteed to American
citizens.
I may, therefore, be excused at this time from further referring to the
general religious aspects of the occurrence as noticed by your
excellency. I however deem it proper to state that the reports of the
consul at Acapulco have been made in compliance with specific
instructions from this legation; that, being for many years a resident
of that port, he is doubtless an intelligent observer of the events; and
that his statements are made upon his official responsibility as an
officer of the United States. They are, moreover, substantially
confirmed by the reports made by the local authorities of the
government, as your excellency was pleased to assure me in one of our
recent interviews.
I am glad to be assured in your excellency’s note that the government has
dictated extraordinary measures in the case in question, that the ends
of justice may be fulfilled, and that the criminals may suffer a
sufficiently exemplary punishment to prevent the repetition of similar
deeds, and to satisfy the ends of public retribution. It would, however,
have doubtless been gratifying to my Government to have been informed
somewhat in detail as to the specific character of the extraordinary
measures dictated, had your excellency felt justified in stating them;
or, at least, to have been informed that some favorable results had
followed these measures; especially so in view of the fact that up to
the 16th instant not a single arrest had been made beyond the two
wounded assailants found at the church, who have since died. It is true
your excellency refers to the visit of the governor as one of the
measures taken; but, so far as I have been informed, the only result of
his visit was the public demonstrations of the criminals or their
friends, and the presentation to him of the petition of a large number
of the people demanding the removal of Protestant municipal officials
and their banishment from the country. The consul reports to me that the
judicial authorities acknowledged their inability to arrest or punish
the criminals, or to afford protection to the Protestant residents in
the continued “absence of a sufficient force of the federal army, as the
State militia sympathise openly with the priest (the alleged instigator
of the assault) and his party. As illustrating the condition of the
community, the consul, under date of the 16th instant, states that the
Protestants of Acapulco, fearing for their lives, applied to the
district judge and authorities for protection; that they were told that
it was impossible to protect them in the town, but that the fort, the
only place of safety, was open to them; that they were advised to leave
the town as quickly as possible; that they have accordingly scattered
and hid from persecution, a number of them having taken refuge in San
Francisco, United States; and that the town is now quiet and the
excitement dying out, the hated objects of the fury of the people having
been removed.
Notwithstanding this gloomy picture, in view of the assurance contained
in your excellency’s note as to the measures adopted and the earnest
determination of the government, I will rely upon the realization of its
confidently expressed expectation to ferret out the criminals, and visit
ample and severe judgment upon the murderers of the American
citizen.
The fact, as stated by your excellency, that Henry Morris, the deceased,
does not appear in the register of matriculation of the Mexican foreign
office does not affect the case. He is certified to me by the consul at
Acapulco as having been born in the city of Boston, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, and as being an American
citizen. I will be reluctant to believe that his possible omission to
attend to a formality of the foreign office will diminish the zeal of
your excellency’s government to secure the punishment of his assassins;
and it assuredly will not influence my Government in its determination
to require a vindication of his citizenship.
I have the honor to ascribe myself, with high consideration, your
excellency’s obedient servant,
His Excellency J. M. Lafragua,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico.
