No. 501.
Señor de
Zamacona to Mr. Blaine.
[Translation.]
Legation of Mexico,
Washington, May 24, 1881.
(Received May 25.)
Mr. Secretary: An incident which has been
reported to me by the Mexican consul at El Paso (the correctness of
whose report is corroborated by the inclosed document) induces me to
call the attention of your department to the note which I had the honor
to address to it on the 16th day of March, 1880, pointing out some of
the causes to which, in
[Page 830]
the
opinion of this legation, the depredations committed by the savages on
the frontier are due, and particularly referring to the location of some
Indian reservations, to the permits granted to the Indians to make
extended raids beyond the limits of said reservations, and to the
reception which they usually meet with on their return from committing
ruinous depredations.
The Department of State will observe that those permits are still
granted, and that it is believed by the officers belonging to the local
police of Texas that the savages who are permitted to leave the
reservations situated near the State of Chihuahua are about to select
that portion of Mexico as the scene of their forays.
The laudable interest which has recently been manifested by the
Department of State in behalf of the improvement of the condition of the
frontier districts on both sides of the Rio Grande induces me to hope
that it will take energetic measures to remedy the evils referred to in
the reports which I have the honor herewith to inclose.
I avail, &c.,
[Inclosure.]
Captain Baylor
to Consul Escobar.
Headquarters Company A, Texas Rangers,
Marsh Ranch, May 10, 1881.
Dear Sir: Your note of 7th instant just
received, and in reply I would say that I received a letter from
commanding officer at Bliss, inclosing letter from officer
commanding at Fort Stanton, saying that permission had been given
six Mescalero Apaches to go and look for some of their tribe who had
been absent from the reservation for some time and who were supposed
to be somewhere between the Quitman Mountains and the mouth of the
Pecos River. They had permission to be absent from their reservation
sixty days, and as the scope of country they are authorized to
travel over is nearly 500 miles, they will very likely cross into
Chihuahua and depredate on the people there, as has been their
custom for years past.
They left on foot; but no one acquainted with Apaches will doubt
their riding back, and likely with a drove of horses also. The
commanding officer requested me to notify parties in the country
mentioned that the Indians were out, and to look out for them and to
punish them if they committed any outrages. He also intimated that
it was not altogether from choice that he gave them permission to be
absent, but that the Indians said they intended to go anyhow, and he
thought it best to put them on their good behavior when out. I think
the people of Chihuahua and Texas, as well as New Mexico and
Arizona, can testify that that question is settled and debatable. I
am very sorry I have no copy of the letter to send you, as the one
furnished me was sent to the adjutant-general of Texas, for his
action. One Congressman had a law passed, prohibiting either
officers of the United States Army or Indian agents giving
permission to Indians to come into Texas, but the officers were
unaware of such a law and the Indians don’t regard it. If I had
known that the information had not been sent to Col. Joachin
Terrazas, I should have posted him myself, and Don Roman Aranda
also.
I learned that ten or twelve Indians afoot crossed the stage road
between Quitman Cañon some two weeks ago, going towards the springs
back of Eagle Mountain. These are, no doubt, the Indians, as they
were afoot. I think they are looking for the Indians I fought in the
Sierra Diablo last January. I think you can get copy of letter sent
me from commanding officer at Fort Bliss. If General Terrazas should
get after these and they cross into Texas at the Basque Bonito, I
would like to have notice so that I could intercept them at Crow
Springs or the Sierra Guadalupe, and I hope the general will follow
them into Texas, as I am quite sure the government of Texas would
not object.
Very respectfully,
