Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1878

No. 380.
Mr. de Cuellar to Mr. Evarts.

[Translation.]

Legation of Mexico in the United States,
Washington, May 3, 1878. (Received May 3.)

Sir: The newspapers of Texas, and letters from that State, have spoken recently of certain preparations that were being made there with a view to disturbing peace and order in the Mexican districts bordering on the Rio Grande. The confidential agent of the Mexican Government in this country recently called the attention of your Department, unofficially, not only to these reports, but also to those received by this legation from the Mexican commercial agent at San Antonio, which refer to certain persons who are at the head of the conspiracy, and to certain places where it is asserted that arms have been deposited, which are to be distributed among the promoters of disorder. The reports from Texas designate General Escobedo as the director of these machinations, and state that he was in the vicinity of San Antonio at last accounts.

The confidential agent of Mexico informs this legation that he has had the honor to leave at your Department a note alluding to several of the places above indicated. The latest reports published by the newspapers go still farther, and speak of bands organized in Texas that have crossed the frontier, and even come into collision with the Mexican troops guarding it. The papers of to-day regard these reports (which as late as yesterday did not seem to come from a perfectly reliable source) as official, referring to dispatches received by General Ord from one of his subordinate officers. You will be able to see this in the number of the National Republican which I send with this note.

At the same time the Mexican Government, which is no doubt aware of the machinations to which I have referred, instructs me by telegraph to call the attention of your Department formally to them. The publicity of the facts, the announcement of them which has been made for several days past, the verbal information communicated to your Department by the confidential agent of Mexico, and the determination recently manifested by the Government of the United States not to permit the neutrality laws of this country to be violated to the detriment of the peace enjoyed by the neighboring republic, lead me to hope that the Department of State will be pleased to use its influence with the proper department to induce it to take the necessary measures to prevent the organization in Texas of elements with which it is sought to disturb security and order on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande.

I have, &c.,

JOSÉ T. DE CUELLAR.

[Inclosure.]

[Extract from the National Republican, Washington, May 3, 1878.]

the mexican revolution—plans of the insurgents—revolt of troops anticipated.

Galveston, Tex., May 2.

A News special telegram from General Sweitzer to General Ord says the Mexican revolutionists crossed from Texas into Mexico on the night of April 27, at Octama Capote and La Palma, supposed to number 300, under the direction of Colonel Munoz, of Escobedo’s staff. It is the programme for a party to cross near Rio Grande City and take Camargo; but it is not believed they will be able to do so. The garrisons of Mier and Matamoros are expected to pronounce against Diaz.