No. 218.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, February 19, 1877.
(Received March 16.)
No. 496.]
Sir: I have received under date of the 15th a note,
of which I inclose a copy and translation, from the minister of foreign
affairs of General [Page 396] Diaz’s
government, in which he brings to my notice that General Diaz, having
successfully terminated his campaign, has reassumed the exercise of the
provisional presidency of the republic; that the public peace is now
restored in all parts of the Mexican territory; and that within a short time
the constitutional order will be re-established, the functionaries elected
by the people entering upon their respective duties.
On the 16th, the minister of foreign affairs sent me a circular, of which I
inclose a copy and translation, issued by the minister of government, which,
in announcing to the authorities of the States the resumption of executive
power by General Diaz, sets forth the policy which will govern his
administration in three important particulars. The circular states (1st)
that the constitutional order will be at once restored and respected in its
complete force, in so far as it. is possible, in the absence of the
legislative and judicial branches of the government; and that Congress and
the supreme court will be organized in the shortest possible time, in
accordance with the will of the people expressed in the elections.
The circular states (2d) that the plan of Tuxtepec and the present
administration established upon its principles shall not be a reactionary or
retrograde government; that the revolution has been and is liberal and
progressive, and will sustain with good faith and vigor the doctrines of the
national party, written and sanctioned in the existing constitution and the
laws of reform; and that it will lend no support or encouragement to
reactionary movements against the principles of reform, which have been
secured through so many years of struggle.
And, finally, the circular expresses the desire of the Provisional President
to call into his administration the members of the national liberal party,
without distinction of circles or banners, to have the benefit of the
experience and services of all Mexican citizens who sincerely respect and
obey the constitution and its amendments, and that an exclusive party spirit
shall not influence his conduct.
The declarations of this circular are highly important, in view of the fact
that it has been understood that two opposite influences have been at work,
seeking to mold the policy of General Diaz in directions antagonistic to
these principles. One circle has sought to induce him to disregard the
constitutional order, and to continue the military or dictatorial government
indefinitely. Another party has urged that he should make a combination with
the old conservative or church party, and annul or disregard the laws of
reform, and the other liberal and progressive provisions of the
constitution.
In my last dispatch I informed you of the abandonment of the Mexican
territory, both by Mr. Lerdo and Mr. Iglesias, so that there is now no rival
claimant to General Diaz in the republic, and virtually the whole country
has submitted to his authority. The only opposition known to exist is by
Governor Alvarez, with a small part of the State of Guerrero, and our consul
at Acapulco informs me that Alvarez is ready to surrender his authority to
General Diaz, and is only resisting the opposing governor.
* * * * * * *
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
496.—Translation.]
Mr. Vallarta to Mr.
Foster.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, February 15,
1877.
Sir: The Citizen Porfirio Diaz,
general-in-chief of the national array, has to-day again assumed the
supreme executive power of the union, the exercise of which he was [Page 397] pleased to delegate to the
second in command, Citizen-General Juan N. Mendez, when in December last
he took under his immediate direction the campaign which has already
terminated happily, and without the effusion of any blood, against the
forces which combated the order of affairs created by the plan of
Tuxtepec.
On making known to your excellency the stated fact, it is pleasant for me
to bring to your knowledge that the public peace is now restored in all
parts of the Mexican territory, and that within a short time the
constitutional order will be re-established, the functionaries, whose
election is at present being made by the people, entering upon the
discharge of their respective duties.
I have the honor of assuring your excellency of my most distinguished
consideration.
[Inclosure 4 in No.
496.—Translation.]
Circular of February 16 to
the provincial governors, announcing the policy of President
Diaz.
Department of Government.—Section
1.
Circular.
The decree which I have the honor to inclose to you will inform you that
the citizen-general-in-chief of the army has to-day reassumed possession
of the executive power of the union, after having terminated in the most
happy and satisfactory manner his campaign, leaving the government of
the republic, in order to assume the said campaign, in the hands of the
second citizen-general in command, according to the decree of the 6th of
December of last year.
On again assuming the position assigned to him by the plan of Tuxtepec,
amended at Palo Blanco, the citizen-general-in-chief has the
satisfaction of having secured peace throughout the whole country, the
triumph of the national insurrection being now complete and
absolute.
This satisfaction is even greater to him inasmuch as, in obtaining a
blessing of so great value as is the general peace of the republic,
there has been no occasion for the effusion of more blood since the
combats which overthrew the administration of Lerdo.
The citizen-general-in-chief assumes the provisional power which he
exercises, inspired with the same sincere desires which have always
animated him for the prosperity of the republic, his firm purpose being
to restore, in the shortest time possible, the constitutional order
disturbed since the preceding administration; and he will direct all his
forces to the abbreviation of the present transitory period of the
reconstruction of the constitutional powers. I can consequently assure
you that the provisions of the convocation and
the promises of the revolution of Tuxtepec will have complete
fulfillment in regard to the early constitutional reorganization of the
republic.
In the very few days in which he will still have to exercise the
provisional power, with which he is invested by virtue of the present
situation, the citizen-general-in-chief will cause, nevertheless, that
the constitution shall be a reality, respecting it, and requiring its
fulfillment in all of its provisions, which the present circumstances do
not make impossible of execution.
If the lack of the federal legislative and judicial powers does not
permit that they shall act, or that the constitutional order shall exist
immediately in all its fullness, all the other constitutional provisions
which do not relate to those powers, as those which insure individual
guarantees, which designate the form of government, which sanction the
reform, &c., shall be the supreme laws of the republic, and will be
observed and strictly complied with. In this manner the
citizen-general-in-chief believes that he repays the confidence which
the nation has been pleased to place in him, preparing the early
re-establishment of the complete constitutional order.
The plan of Tuxtepec, amended at Palo Blanco, expressly proclaims in
article 1st the constitution and the laws of reform as the supreme laws
of the republic. The revolution, tolerant inasmuch as it is liberal, has
not been, is not, neither will it be, reactionary; it does not
retrograde to the most gloomy times of our history, rejecting the
principles which are professed to-day by all cultivated nations, and
whose conquest has cost Mexico torrents of blood. The revolution has
been and is liberal and progressive, and will sustain with good faith
and vigor the doctrines of the national party, written and sanctioned in
our constitution and the laws of reform.
The citizen-general-in-chief directs me to make the foregoing
observations in the most explicit manner, in order that the nation may
know what are the aspirations and views of the provisional government,
in order that it may know that the revolution of Tuxtepec is not a
reaction against the laws of reform; that the present government neither
protects nor lends its support to the tendencies of retrogression. These
declarations, made known in this solemn form-and accepted by the cabinet
with complete unanimity, will serve to completely tranquilize all fears,
causing it to be understood that after the regenerating revolution which
has displaced a corrupt administration, [Page 398] there should he no fear of the loss of the great
blessings which Mexico has secured in half a century of political
convulsions.
I am also ordered by the citizen-general-in-chief to make known on this
occasion another declaration of no less importance. Being persuaded that
exclusive governments do not have the elevated views which are necessary
for the constitutional and stable reconstruction of a country so
burdened with revolutions as ours, he desires to govern with the
national liberal party, without distinctions of circles or banners; he
desires to have at his side all Mexicans who sincerely and loyally obey
and respect the constitution and its additions and reforms. He calls all
citizens to his side, and will accept with pleasure the co-operation of
all intelligent and useful persons in the difficult task of the
constitutional reconstruction.
The citizen-general-in-chief has the noble ambition to reorganize the
liberal party, and he believes that this is the occasion for taking the
first step in that direction, maintaining no exclusions except for crime
and for refusing to accept our institutions or obey our laws.
On ordering the publication of the decree which I send you, be pleased to
order, also, that this circular may be made known in all parts of the
state under your worthy charge, in order that doubts for the future may
cease, all the country knowing the sentiments by which the provisional
government is animated.
Liberty in the constitution.
Mexico, February 16, 1877.
P. TAGLE.
To the Citizen-Governor of ———
