No. 865.
Mr. Romero to Mr. Bayard.
New York, March 25, 1888. (Received March 29.)
Mr. Secretary: I have had the honor to receive your note of yesterday, whereby you reply to that which I addressed to you on the 19th instant, relative to the crossing of our frontier for the purpose of grazing by cattle belonging in either of the two countries, and to the proposal approved by the Senate of the United States May 5, 1886, for the conclusion of an arrangement between Mexico and the United States for the prevention of difficulties growing out of such crossing.
I am glad to see by your note, to which this is a reply, that you have considered as acceptable the views suggested in mine of the 19th instant for the partial avoidance of such difficulties, and that you therefore propose that stray cattle crossing the frontier may be returned within a reasonable time to their owners domiciled in the country from [Page 1291] which they have strayed on simple proof of such domicile and ownership and of the fact of straying.
You are consequently pleased to inquire of me whether the Government of Mexico would be willing to adopt a similar arrangement in case of its adoption by the United States; and, referring to the case of Trinidad Barrera, of which special mention was made in my note of the 19th instant, you are pleased to inform me that a copy of said note has been sent to the Secretary of the Treasury with a recommendation that the return of the cattle be permitted without payment of duties, and inquire of me at the same time whether the Government of Mexico would be willing to adopt a like regulation in cases similar to that of Barrera, in which cattle belonging to citizens of the United States cross over into Mexico.
I have the honor to inform you in reply to both these inquiries that in division 7 of section 1 of the tariff of the general ordinance concerning maritime and frontier custom houses in the United States of Mexico, of March 1, 1887, among the articles that are not subject to duty on being imported into Mexico are “live animals of all kinds except gelded horses.” In consequence of this provision the crossing of cattle from territory belonging to the United States to Mexican territory via the frontier, or their importation by way of Mexican ports, is not liable to any duty, so that it can not give rise to the difficulties which are occasioned by the crossing of Mexican cattle to the territory of the United States, and to which I referred in my note of the 19th.
In my note of May 20, 1886, I took occasion to specify the bases which, in my judgment, it would be proper to adopt for the conclusion of an agreement between Mexico and the United States, designed to avoid such difficulties, which are substantially in accord with the views contained in your note of yesterday.
I shall at once transmit your said note to my Government for its information, and shall request it to give me such instructions as it may think proper in relation to this matter. As soon as I receive such instructions I shall advise you, in the hope that we may be able to reach an agreement that will hereafter prevent those difficulties, which are now of daily occurrence on the frontier, and which tend to keep up a constant excitement that can not fail to affect the amicable and neighborly relations between the two countries.
Be pleased, etc.,