No. 346.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Evarts
.
Mexico , June 17, 1878. (Received July 1.)
Sir: Since writing my last dispatch, and just before closing my mail for the steamer, I had a call this afternoon from Hon. José M. Mata, [Page 553] who informed me that he had been invited by the President to accept the position of secretary foreign affairs, and that before determining his answer he desired to have a conversation with me. He said that he regarded the matters pending with the United States as the only serious questions in the foreign office, and if there was a reasonable prospect of an early and amicable adjustment of them, it would aid him materially in deciding the President’s invitation, as he was unwilling to accept the office if our negotiations were likely to prove a failure. He said he had given no attention to public affairs since his return from the United States, and he desired to know my views of the state of my negotiations with his government.
I expressed my conviction, in general terms, that there were no good reasons why an amicable adjustment could not be reached, and stated that I would be much gratified to have the opportunity to treat these questions with him (Mr. Mata). I only referred in detail to the frontier question, which, in view of the continuance of the Indian raids, I said was of urgent importance.
After some general conversation on the subject of our relations, Mr. Mata took leave, saying he would devote to-morrow to an examination of these questions in the foreign office and would call to see me again on the day after to-morrow. I hope, therefore, to be able at an early day to renew the consideration of pending matters, of which I will keep you fully advised.
I am, &c.,