No. 494.
Señor Navarro to Mr. Evarts.
New York, June 16, 1880. (Received June 18.)
Mr. Secretary: I have had the honor to receive the note of your Department, dated yesterday, in which you were pleased to inclose a letter addressed to you by the governor of the State of Texas, an opinion of the judge of El Paso County, and various petitions signed by several hundreds of citizens, the whole relative to a complaint that the Mexicans on the west side of the Rio Grande are digging ditches with a view, to taking the water from said river, leaving so small a quantity for the use of the dwellers on this side that there is reason to fear that it will be exhausted when the dry season comes, and that the interests of American agriculturists in that region will suffer in consequence thereof.
The Department of State is pleased to request me to bring this matter to the notice of my government, and expresses its desire to co-operate in bringing about a suitable remedy of the evil in question.
In reply I have the honor to state that, as soon as I received the communication to which I refer, I transmitted it, with all its inclosures, to the Government of Mexico, which, being actuated as it is by the same sentiments that actuate the American Government in behalf of the harmony and friendly relations which should exist between the two republics, will certainly not fail to give this matter its most serious consideration.
I avail myself, &c.,