No. 359.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, July 23, 1879.
(Received August 12.)
No. 999.]
Sir: Upon receipt of your dispatch, No. 647, of the
26th ultimo, transmitting a letter and accompanying documents from the
Secretary of War relating to the reported depredations in Mexico of Indians
from the United States, I sent to the minister of foreign affairs a copy of
the said documents, and accompanied it with a note, on the 18th instant, of
which I inclose copy. In this note I expressed to the minister my
gratification that the reports of General Ord and Colonel Hatch (May 6 and
May 28), commanding in Texas and New Mexico, proved that there was no
remissness [Page 817] on the part of the
American authorities on the Rio Grande frontier. I also called attention to
the fact that while the whole of the American side of the Chihuahua frontier
was patrolled by the Regular Army, it would seem that no such duty was
performed on the Mexican side of the border named, and that this being the
case the Mexican Government could not with reason charge that the United
States was neglecting its duty in that regard.
On yesterday I received from the minister a note, in which he acknowledges
the receive of my note of the 18th, and states that he will bring its
contents to the attention of the President. He adds that in support of his
former communications he incloses a copy of a telegram from General Trevino,
stating that barbarous Indians are passing to Mexican territory, proceeding
from the reservations in the United States. A translation of the note and
telegram are inclosed herewith.
I replied on the same day to the minister, saying I would bring the report to
your notice, but I directed attention to the fact that General Ord’s report
(as well as Colonel Hatch’s) showed that the crossing last reported must be
extremely improbable, but if it had occurred it was the work of Mexican
Indians; and I requested that General Treviño be directed to accurately
ascertain by what Indians the crossing had been made. I further suggested
that the Mexican agents ought to be enjoined to be more careful in
transmitting to their government current rumors containing charges of
neglect or bad faith on the part of the American authorities, especially as
former reports regarding the Indians had been shown to be unfounded.
While the telegram does not state where the Indians are crossing from the
United States into Mexico, as the report is sent by General Treviño, I infer
that it is somewhere in the State of Coahuila, in front of General Ord’s
department. It will be remembered that a similar crossing was reported to me
by the Mexican Government in March last, but if it was made by American
Indians it is singular that no further details have been furnished me,
according to my request.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 999.]
Mr. Foster to Mr.
Ruclas.
Legation of the United States,
Mexico, July 18,
1879.
Sir: In your excellency’s note to this legation
of March 12 last, you referred in’ general terms to certain depredations
of Indians and other raiders in Chihuahua and Sonora. On the next day I
suggested in a note that you would furnish me with detailed information
on the subject. Your excellency promptly responded under the same date
that you would cause certain data to be prepared and sent me; but in the
mean time you informed me that on the 11th of the said month a band of
sixty Indians, proceeding from the United States, crossed the Rio Grande
in the vicinity of Fort Clark, Tex., and were committing depredations in
Mexico.
Almost simultaneously with your excellency’s first note there appeared in
the Diario Oficial of March 10, official reports from the State of
Chihuahua, of depredations of Indians in said State, some of whom it was
alleged came from the United States-Having read these reports carefully,
from my knowledge of the situation of affairs in. Chihuahua obtained
from minute inquiry of residents of said State, I was satisfied; that
the Indians referred to belonged to or had their usual haunts in Mexican
territory. I inferred, however, that these were the depredations to
which your first note, alluded, and being desirous of bringing the whole
subject speedily to the attention of my government to enable it to
correct any possible remissness of its authorities, I, sent to it,
together with copies of our correspondence, full translations of the
publication [Page 818] in the Diario
Oficial, and recommended a prompt investigation, and vigorous measures,
if the reports should prove well founded.
My surmise as to the publication of the Diario Oficial was in part
confirmed by your excellency’s note of April 22, which latter was also
forwarded to Washington, but to which I have not yet received a reply,
awaiting the investigation which it has doubtless occasioned.
But I am now able to give your excellency the results of the
investigations occasioned by your note of March 13 and the publication
in the Diario of March 10, which will be found in the copy of the
communication of the Secretary of War and accompanying papers which I
inclose herewith; and I am gratified-to be able to say to your
excellency that they prove that there exists no remissness on the part
of the American authorities on the Texas and New Mexico frontier in the
cases alleged. General Ord’s report, as well as that of Colonel Hatch,
shows that if the crossing of Indians into Mexico, near Fort Clark,
Tex., ever occurred, as reported, it must have been by Indians belonging
to Mexico, returning from a raid in Texas, although it would seem that
the crossing reported is extremely doubtful.
This supposition is confirmed by the fact that your excellency did not in
your note of April 22 refer to the event, nor have you since alluded to
it. It is to be borne in mind, in this connection, that notwithstanding
the Mexican Government has interned most of the Kickapoos, who were on
friendly terms with its people, the hostile Indians in its territory
are, as I am informed, in great part still in their old haunts and
liable to continue their depredations both in Texas and Mexico.
Colonel Hatch, commanding in New Mexico and on the northwest frontier of
Texas, gives good reasons upon which to base the assertion that the
crimes reported to have been committed in Chihuahua were by Indians
inhabiting or hiding in Mexican territory, and that the American
authorities ought not to be held responsible for their acts. In the
unpopulated regions of the Upper Rio Grande there is doubtless
considerable insecurity on account of the vagrant Indians, but it is
evident from the reports of the officers just referred to that the
American authorities cannot be charged with neglect of duty or want of
vigilance, much less with furnishing the Indians with facilities for
their depredations. It is to be borne in mind that while the entire
frontier of the United States bordering on the vast extent of Chihuahua
is constantly and systematically patrolled by troops of the Regular Army
of the United States for the express purpose of restraining the Indians
and punishing outlaws, it would appear both from the publication in the
Diario and from a general knowledge of the occupation and position of
the Mexican army that no such duty is performed on the Mexican side of
the border named. If such is the case, it cannot with reason be charged
by the Mexican Government that that of the United States is neglecting
its duty with regard to the peace and good order of that frontier.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
999.—Translation.]
Mr. Ruclas to Mr.
Foster.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, July 19,
1879.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to say to your
excellency that I have received your esteemed note dated yesterday,
relative to the incursions of the savage Indians on the border of Mexico
and the United States of America, and that I will bring its contents to
the opportune knowledge of the President of the republic.
In support of former communications upon this subject, and of the
internation of the savage Indians of the United States resident in the
reservation near the frontier, I inclose to your excellency a copy of a
telegram received to-day in the department of war.
I improve this opportunity to renew to your excellency the assurances of
the high consideration with which I am your very attentive servant.
Mexican Republic.—Department of War and
Marine.—Section 1.
General Geronimo Trevino, from Ventura, says, in a telegram which I have
just received, the following:
“I have the honor to inform you that the expeditionary columns against
the Indians have departed; the first left the 10th of June, and the
second the 18th. Barbarous [Page 819]
Indians pass to Mexican territory, proceeding from the reservations of
the United States.”
Which I transcribe to you for your information.
Liberty in the constitution.
Mexico, July 19,
1879.
GONZALES.
To the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 999.]
Mr. Foster to Mr.
Ruelas.
Legation of the United States,
Mexico, July 22,
1879.
Sir: I am only this morning in receipt of your
excellency’s note, dated 19th instant, in which, acknowledging the
receipt of my note of the 18th instant, you inclose to me a copy of a
telegram from General Trevino to the minister of war, stating that
barbarous Indians were passing to Mexican territory, proceeding from the
reservations of the United States.
I will, without delay, communicate the said telegram to my government for
its information, but I beg to remind your excellency that the official
reports of General Ord and Colonel Hatch, which I sent to you with my
note of the 18th instant, render extremely improbable the existence of
the facts alleged in said telegram. The point from which the latter was
sent indicates that the incursions are supposed to have occurred in the
locality described by General Ord as a region where no Indians from the
United States are found, and if the incursions have occurred, they are
most probably the work of the hostile Mexican Indians still at large in
the States of Coahuila and Chihuahua. I have, therefore, to respectfully
suggest that General Trevino be informed of the contents of General
Ord’s report, and directed to obtain accurate details as to the alleged
incursions last telegraphed, especially to ascertain by what Indians
they were committed. In the light of General Ord’s report, I am fully
persuaded that the raid, of which your excellency’s note of March 13
last gave the details, was made by Mexican Indians.
I have been prompt to bring all the reports to the knowledge of my
government which your excellency’s department has from time to time
communicated to me, and my government has shown a great readiness to
investigate all these reports with a view to suppressing the evils on
the frontier. But thus far these reports, in great measure, have been
shown to be so unfounded that I must insist that the Mexican Government
will require its agents on the frontier to be more careful in
transmitting current rumors, especially when they contain charges of
neglect or bad faith against the American authorities.
I repeat, with this occasion, the assurances of my most distinguished
consideration.