No. 207.
Mr. Richardson to Mr. Fish.

No. 364.]

Sir: I have the honor to state that, in conformity with the instructions of your dispatch No. 268, I addressed a note on the 27th instant [Page 388] to Mr. Arias, of the Mexican foreign office, calling the attention of his government to the request of Mr. Chandler that the Mexican government should issue such orders to its local authorities as might be necessary to enable Mr. Edgar, the special commissioner on the part of the United’ States, to remove the remnants of the Kickapoo and Lipan tribes of Indians, who cannot be induced to return to their reservations, to the interior of Mexico. In a reply of December 30, Mr. Arias states that orders have already been issued to the local authorities to assist Mr. Edgar in case he desires anew to induce the Indians to return to their reservations; but that if he desires that they be removed to some determined place in the interior, that place should be specified by the governor of the State of Coahuila, in order that the federal government may decide what is proper.

I transmit herewith my note to Mr. Arias, and also a translation of his reply to the same.

I remain, &c.,

D. S. RICHARDSON.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 364.]

Mr. Richardson to Mr. Arias.

Sir: I have the honor of transmitting herewith the copy of a communication addressed to the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, recommending that certain remnants of the Kickapoo and Lipan tribes of Indians who cannot be induced to return to the United States, be removed to the interior of Mexico, thereby making their incursions into Texas more difficult.

The number of these Indians now remaining who refuse to remove to the United States is about 80 Kickapoos and 50 Lipans.

Mr. Chandler, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, suggests that the Mexican government issue such orders to its local authorities as may be necessary to enable Mr. Edgar, the special commissioner on the part of the United States Government, to make the removal referred to.

I have, therefore, to respectfully call your honor’s attention to this subject, expressing at the same time the hope that your government will see fit to give the desired instructions.

It is with pleasure, &c.,

D. S. RICHARDSON.

His Honor Juan D. Arias,
Chief Cleric of Department of Foreign Affairs, Mexico.

[Inclosure 2 in No. 364.—Translation.]

Mr. Arias to Mr. Richardson.

I have received your honor’s note of the 27th instant, with which you are pleased to accompany a copy of the communication directed to the Secretary of State of the United States by the Minister of the Interior of the same country, in which he recommends that the remnants of the Kickapoo and Lipan Indians, who have been unwilling to return to the United States, may be removed to the interior of Mexico.

Your honor states that Mr. Chandler, the Minister of the Interior, desires that the government of Mexico may issue the necessary orders to enable Mr. Edgar, the special commissioner of the United States, to carry into effect such removal, and your honor concludes by expressing the hope that the desired orders may be given.

With the concurrence of the President, I have the honor to reply to your honor, that the receipt of your said note coincided with the receipt of a communication from the governor of the State of Coahuila, in which he announces the arrival of Mr. Edgar, and [Page 389] that said governor has already been advised to lend the necessary aid in case Mr. Edgar desires anew to induce the Indians to return to their reservations in the United States; but that if he desires that they be removed to the interior, to some determined place, that the said governor should inform this department of the points indicated to him, in order that, as a matter pertaining exclusively to the government of the union, it may decide upon what is proper.

I, &c.,

JUAN de D. ARIAS.

His Honor D. S. Richardson,
&c., &c., &c.