No. 442.
Mr. Manning to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, March 21, 1887.
(Received March 30.)
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.,
[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.,
