No. 435.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, May 15, 1875.
(Received May 27.)
No. 288.]
Sir: In accordance with the instructions contained
in your dispatches numbered 212, of the 12th ultimo, and 213 of the 13th
ultimo, I, on the 8th instant, transmitted to Mr. Lafragua, minister of
foreign affairs, copies of the inclosures accompanying said dispatches, and
conveyed to him substantially the views expressed by you in regard to the
troubles attendant upon the attempts made by the commissioners of the United
States to secure the removal of the Kickapoos and other Indians to their
reservation in the United States, and in regard to the desirability for both
governments of such removal. I further alluded to the frequent presentation
of this question by this legation to the Mexican government, and in view of
the recent partial failure of the commissioners to accomplish the removal of
these Indians from Mexican territory, I expressed to Mr. Lafragua the
decided conviction that his government should give the subject a new
consideration, with a view to the adoption of such effective measures as
will entirely remove the opposition of the local authorities and residents,
and make the work of the commissioners easy and their efforts completely
successful. I also directed his attention to the fact that the presence of
these Indians in Mexico is one of the remaining evil results of the late
civil wars in the two countries; in support of which I cited the report of
the Mexican border commission, (see English translation, pages 411 and 412,)
and expressed the belief that this fact would furnish to him an additional
reason why Mexico should manifest its good fellowship toward the United
States in this matter. I also called attention to the statement of this same
Mexican border commission, that these Indians did not come into Mexico with
the consent of the Mexican federal government, but only with that of the
local authorities; that such proceedings are recognized by the commission to
be contrary to public policy, and this class of immigrants to be undesirable
for the Mexican frontier, (see English translation, pages 417 and 421;) for
which reasons I was persuaded Mr. Lafragua’s government would rind no
impropriety in requiring the local authorities and citizens to abstain from,
every species of opposition, and in adopting such measures as would
effectually secure the return of all those Indians to their reservations in
the United States.
To this note, up to date, I have received no reply.
In my dispatch No. 279, of the 4th instant, I referred to an interview which
I had with Mr. Lafragua on the subject of the Texas border troubles, at
which the Indian troubles were alluded to, and Mr. Lafragua promised to
bring the whole matter to the special attention of the President of the
Republic, with a full statement of my representations upon the question. In
a recent subsequent interview with Mr. Lafragua on other matters, he
incidentally informed me that the report of the Sonora and Chihuahua
investigation commission was momentarily expected by him, and that he would
have the pleasure of sending me a copy as soon as it was received and could
be prepared. Our Government may expect to be confronted with along list of
murders, injuries, and damages occasioned by the Indians of Arizona, (the
Apaches,) especially in the State of Sonora, where their raids continue to
be reported by the newspapers.
I am, &c.,
[Page 920]
[Inclosure in No. 288.]
Mr. Foster to Mr.
Lafragua.
Legation of the United States,
Mexico, May 8,
1875.
Sir: I transmit herewith to your excellency two
separate inclosures,* both relating to the Indians from the United
States who have found a refuge in the Mexican Republic, and to which I
respectfully direct your attention. The one inclosure embraces
communications forwarded by the Secretary of War of the United States to
the Department of State upon the subject of depredations recently
committed in Texas by Indians believed to come from Mexico. The other
inclosure, embracing communications forwarded by the Secretary of the
Interior, contains the statement of Mr. Henry M. Atkinson, commissioner
of the United States, as to the embarassments which he has experienced
in removing the Kickapoos and Lipan Indians from Mexico to their
reservations in the United States. From that gentleman’s statement, it
appears that the local authorities, at least, are averse to that
measure, and are not indisposed actively to thwart it.
I am instructed by the Department of State to bring the subject of these
Indians, their depredations, and their return to their reservations to
the attention of the Mexican government, and to urge such a definitive
decision as will cause an effectual settlement of this long-standing
matter. That Department is reluctant to believe that the authorities in
this capital are insincere in their professions of good-will, but it is
hoped that they may have sufficient control over the local authorities
and residents of the frontier as to cause their orders to be respected,
and to remove the obstruction placed in the way of the United States
commissioners. It is difficult to see what substantial advantages Mexico
can expect from retaining these Indians.
So long as they remain where they now are, they are tempted to plunder
and to commit other acts of violence, not only upon Mexicans but upon
the American side of the Rio Grande, keeping up that irritation which it
would be obviously wise to allay by all honorable means. On the
contrary, if the savages are delivered up to the United States
Government to be disposed of, pursuant to its policy, (which is so
favorably referred to in the report of the Mexican border investigation
commission—see Sr. Galindo’s report, page 152,) the Indians are kept
from harming others, and have a chance of materially benefiting their
condition.
This question has been the subject of much correspondence by this
legation with the Mexican government within the past four years, and it
is difficult to add anything to the representations which have already
been made, but the recent partial failure of the commissioner to
accomplish the removal of these Indians from Mexican territory leads me
to express the decided conviction that your excellency’s government
should give the subject a new consideration, with a view to the adoption
of such effective measures as will entirely remove the opposition of the
local authorities and residents, and make the work of the commissioners
easy and their efforts completely successful. When your excellency
remembers that the presence of these Indians in Mexico is one of the
remaining evil results of the late civil war in the United States and of
the European intervention in this republic, (see Sr. Galindo’s report,
pages 114 and 115,) you will doubtless see an additional reason why
Mexico should manifest its good fellowship toward the United States in
this matter. These tribes took advantage of the partial paralysis of the
authority of the United States in the Indian country, caused by the
southern rebellion, to abandon their reservations and come over into
Mexican territory. Such a movement never would have been permitted by
the United States in time of peace, neither do I believe would have been
acquiesced in by Mexico. Now that the United States Government has made
an earnest effort to restore these Indians to their condition before the
war, and have partially failed through the opposition of Mexican
officials and citizens, I feel sure your excellency will recognize the
obligation of your government to effectually remove or counteract this
opposition. When it is borne in mind that the Indians did not come into
Mexico with the consent of the federal government, but only with that of
the local authorities, (see Sr. Galindo’s report, pages 115 and 121,)
and when such proceedings are recognized by the federal investigation
commission to be contrary to public policy, and this class of immigrants
to be undesirable for the Mexican frontier, (see Sr. Galindo’s report,
pages 121 and 130,) your excellency will find no impropriety in
requiring the local authorities and citizens to abstain from every
species of opposition, and in adopting such measures as will effectually
secure the return of all these Indians to their reservations in the
United States.
Awaiting the action of your excellency’s government, I reiterate the
assurances of the perfect consideration and esteem with which I remain,
your obedient servant,
His Excellency J. M. Lafragua,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico.
