Office of the Historian

No. 475.
Mr. Manning to Mr. Bayard.

Legation of the United States,
Mexico, June 7, 1887. (Received June 15.)
No. 147.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith copy and translation of a note from Mr. Mariscal, of the 3d instant, with copy of the act of Congress of last month, extending for eight months the time within which foreigners can apply for certificates of nationality, under the law of June, 1886.

I have applied to the foreign office here for certificates for all the Americans whose applications for certificates of their nationality were made to this legation after the lapse of the time fixed by that law, and therefore too late for the certificates to be issued.

I also inclose copy of my note to Mr. Mariscal, in which you will perceive I reiterated the declaration which I have always made whenever the subject came up, that my Government does not, and will never, admit that a citizen of the United States can be deprived of his nationality without his own volition.

I am, etc.,

Thos. C. Manning.
[Page 732]
[Inclosure 1 in No. 147.—Translation.]

Mr. Mariscal to Mr. Manning.

Department of Foreign Affairs.
Mexico, June 3, 1887.

Mr. Minister: I have the honor to send to your excellency six copies of the decree which extends for eight months the time designated in Article 1st of Chapter V of the law of foreigners and naturalization, of May 28, 1880, in order that foreigners who may have acquired real estate or have children born to them in the Republic, or hold any public office, may manifest whether they desire to obtain Mexican nationality or to preserve that of foreigners.

I reiterate, etc.,

Igno. Mariscal.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 147.—Translation.]

Decree extending time in which foreigners can apply for certificates of nationality.

Department of State and of Foreign Affairs, Fourth Section.
Mexico, May 30, 1887.

The President of the Republic has been pleased to direct me the following decree:

“Porfirio Diaz, President of the United Mexican States, to its inhabitants; know ye:

“That the Congress of the Union has decreed the following:

“‘The Congress of the United Mexican States decrees:

“‘Sole article: The time designated within Article 1 of Chapter V of the law issued on May 28, 1886, under which foreigners who, prior to that date, may have acquired real estate or had children born to them in Mexico, or held any public office, and to whom apply the X, XI, and XII paragraphs of Article 1, Chapter V, of said law, may manifest whether they desire to obtain Mexican nationality or to preserve that of foreigners, is hereby extended for eight months from the date of this decree.

“‘Jesus Fuentes y Muñiz,
“‘Speaker House of Representatives,

“‘‘Felix Romero,
“‘President of the Senate.

“‘Roberto Nuñez,
“‘Secretary House of Representatives.

“‘Enrique M. Rubio,
“‘Secretary of the Senate.’

“I therefore order the same to be printed, published, and circulated, and that it be given due fulfillment.

“Done at the national palace of Mexico, on May 30, 1887.

“Porfirio Diaz.

“To the Department of State and of Foreign Affairs.”

Which I communicate to you for your information, to the end that foreigners spoken of in the preceding decree may make in this department the manifestation mentioned therein, either through the political authorities of their place of residence or of the place closest thereto, the said authorities to transmit immediately to this department the petition, in pursuance of which this department will issue the respective certificate.

I remain, etc.,

Mariscal.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 147.]

Mr. Manning to Mr. Mariscal.

Legation of the United States,
Mexico, June 7, 1887.

Sir: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your excellency’s note of 3d instant, inclosing copies of the law recently passed by the Congress, extending for eight months the time in which foreigners who have acquired real estate in Mexico or had children born to them there, or have held public office under the Mexican Government, may apply for certificates of their nationality, which shall be evidence of their intention to retain their American citizenship.

[Page 733]

I now inclose a list of those Americans whose applications for these certificates are on file in this legation since the 6th of last December, and I have the honor to request your excellency to issue the certificates or documents to them, similar to those that have been issued to the other applicants. To that effect I remit $40, the total amount of their fees.

(Here follows list of 40 applicants).

In doing this my Government specially enjoins upon me to repeat the declaration that it can not admit that any foreign Government can deprive a citizen of the United States of his nationality by any law or decree without the volition of the citizen.

I beg, etc.,

Thos. C. Manning.