No. 442.
Mr. Manning to Mr. Bayard.

No. 93.]

Sir: Referring to your telegram of the 17th instant, touching the troubles at Nogales, which reached me while I was at Puebla for a few days, I have to-day addressed Mr. Mariscal the inclosed communication, informing him that the United States Government could not be satisfied with anything less than the return to its jurisdiction of the prisoners who had been rescued from the custody of the American authorities at Nogales, whether such prisoners were Mexicans or Americans. I have informed Mr. Mariscal that no other settlement had been originally entertained or proposed by yourself, either to Señor Romero at Washington or in your telegram to me, and that the misconception arose from the fact that there was an option suggested, but it applied alone to the Mexican rescuers, and that these might either be punished by the Mexican Government or delivered to the American authorities.

I am, etc.,

T. C. Manning.
[Page 698]
[Inclosure in No. 93.]

Mr. Manning to Mr. Mariscal.

Sir: Referring to my note of the 8th Instant concerning the forcible rescue of a prisoner or prisoners held by the American authorities at Nogales, I beg to acquaint your excellency that I have received a dispatch from my Government apprising me that its wishes in respect to the settlement of this unhappy affair have been in some sort misinterpreted. Whether this misunderstanding was produced by my misreading Mr. Bayard’s dispatch or by Señor Romero’s misconception of Mr. Bayard’s verbal statement does not much matter now. The misconception is in relation to the disposition to be made of the rescued prisoners. While the Government of the United States recognizes with great satisfaction the prompt and ready offer of the Mexican Government to redress the outrage perpetrated upon the American authorities by the rash act of Mexican military officers, and has entire confidence in the declaration of the Mexican Government that the offending officers shall be properly punished, still my Government does not think it compatible with its dignity to be satisfied with less than the return to its jurisdiction of the prisoners thus rescued, whether they be Mexicans or Americans. This is simply the restoration of the status quo at the time the outrage was committed.

But while my Government relies implicitly upon the good will of the Mexican Government which will prompt it to accede to this request, I am instructed to say that it does not make the same demand with relation to the Mexican officers who rescued the prisoners, and that these may either be delivered to the American authorites for punishment or may be punished suitably by the Mexican Government, and this is the option which Mr. Bayard suggested to Señor Romero and conveyed to me.

I desire to repeat to your excellency the great pleasure imparted to my Government by the ready compliance with its request in the settlement of this Nogales affair upon the part of the Mexican Government, and I trust that the modification herein explained, which is only a rectification of what was misunderstood, will be equally acceptable, to the Government of Mexico.

I am, etc.,

T. C. Manning.