No. 403.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, November 27, 1874.
(Received December 19.)
No. 211.]
Sir: In conformity to the instructions contained in
your dispatch No. 147, of October 19th ultimo, I communicated to the Mexican
minister
[Page 841]
of foreign affairs, on
the 18th instant, the substance of the letter of Professor Benton, of the
Pacific Theological Seminary, in relation to the safety of Messrs. Watkins
and Morgan, friends and associates of the fate Rev. John L. Stephens, and
expressed the hope that the Mexican government would take such additional
measures as it might find requisite to secure their protection and the
freedom of religious worship.
Under date of the 28th instant, Mr. Lafragua, in acknowledging the receipt of
my note, states that he has transcribed a copy thereof to the governor of
the State of Jalisco, recommending him to take the measures which he may
deem efficacious for giving Messrs. Watkins and Morgan the security which
the law guarantees; and that he had also addressed an excitative to the supreme court of justice, before which is still
pending the appeal of the persons convicted of the assassination of Rev. Mr.
Stephens, in order that the said business may be terminated as soon as
possible.
While I have been disappointed in the manner in which the judicial
proceedings in the case of the assassins of Mr. Stephens have been
conducted, and do not recognize the full force of the statements contained
in the last paragraph of Mr. Lafragua’s note, I have thought proper to defer
a reply for the present, in the hope that some prompt and satisfactory
termination may be had to the judicial proceedings.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 211.]
Mr. Foster to Mr.
Lafragua.
Legation of the United States,
Mexico, November 18,
1874.
Sir: I take the liberty to call your
excellency’s attention to a communication which has been addressed to
the Secretary of State of the United States by the presiding officer of
the Pacific Theological Seminary at Oakland, Cal., in relation to the
insecurity of Messrs. Watkins and Morgan, graduates of that institution,
now stationed at Guadalajara, Mexico, and who were friends and
associates of the late Rev. John L. Stephens, who was assassinated at
Ahualulco, in the State of Jalisco.
This officer, in his communication, directs attention to the fact that no
one has yet paid the penalty of that crime, although the assassination
occurred in March last; that recently the priest who instigated the
crime, and several other persons implicated in it, have been acquitted;
and that these occurrences have emboldened the enemies of Messrs.
Watkins and Morgan, and have rendered their situation more perilous. He
therefore asks, on behalf of the faculty and other officers of the
Pacific Theological Seminary, that the Government of the United States
may exert its influence with the national and state authorities of
Mexico to secure the safety of these gentlemen and the free exercise of
their religious duties. To this end, I am instructed by my Government to
ask for them the good-will and protection of the national authorities of
Mexico and of the State of Jalisco.
As I have heretofore, in official notes and personal interviews,
expressed to your excellency the deep interest which the Government and
people of the United States feel in the questions growing out of the
assassination of Rev. John L. Stephens, and the regret entertained for
the long delay of and immunity from punishment of the instigators and
perpetrators of that crime, it is hardly necessary for me on this
occasion to do more than direct your excellency’s attention to the
representations and request contained in the communication to which I
have alluded, and to express the hope that the Mexican government will
take such additional measures as it may find requisite to secure full
and personal protection and freedom of religious worship.
I again renew to your excellency the assurances of my distinguished
consideration.
His Excellency J. M. Lafragua,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico.
[Page 842]
[Inclosure 2 in No.
211.—Translation.]
Mr. Lafragua to Mr.
Foster.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, November 26,
1874.
Sir: I have the honor to reply to the note of
your excellency dated the 18th of this month, in which yon are pleased
to call my attention to a communication which has been addressed to the
Secretary of State of the United States by the president of the Pacific
Theological Seminary at Oakland, relative to the insecurity of Messrs.
Watkins and Morgan, friends and associates of the late Rev. John L.
Stephens, who was assassinated in Ahualulco, stating to your excellency
that I have transcribed said note, in so far as it relates to him, to
the governor of the State of Jalisco, recommending to him most earnestly
that he may be pleased to take the measures which he may deem
efficacious for giving those gentlemen the security which the laws
guarantee; and that I have addressed an excitative to the supreme court of justice of the nation, that
it likewise may take such action with the proper authority in order that
this sad business may, as soon as possible, be terminated.
I will also add, that your excellency may, if you think proper,
communicate it to whom it may concern, that it is not true that those
already declared guilty have not morally suffered the punishment which
was imposed upon them, which was death, which proves that the judicial
authorities have acted with promptness and severity; that if the case
has not afforded the ground for applying capital punishment to the
criminals, it is because they have employed in their defense the
legitimate means which the laws permit, which it is not possible to deny
without violating them; that in relation to the acquittal of those who
were charged with being instigators of the crime, it is the result of a
judicial act, which has taken place after the due process had been
completed for the investigation of the truth, which is not always in
accord with the prejudices of the public; and, finally, that for the
rest, the government, by all possible means, seeks to give security to
foreigners, and that prompt and complete justice may be administered to
them.
I renew to your excellency the assurances of my perfect consideration and
sincere regard.
His Excellency John W. Foster,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
of the United States of America.
