No. 872.
Mr. Romero to Mr. Bayard.
[Translation.]
Legation of Mexico,
Washington, May 19, 1888.
(Received May 21.)
Mr. Secretary: I have had the honor to receive
your note of yesterday, whereby you were pleased to reply to mine of the
28th ultimo, as an inclosure to which I sent you a draught of an
arrangement for the reciprocal passage of cattle across the frontier
between Mexico and the United States, for the purpose of grazing or as
estrays, which draught was proposed for the avoidance in future of the
difficulties which have heretofore arisen in connection with this
matter.
I have carefully examined the observations made by the honorable
Secretary of the Treasury in relation to my draught, and approved by
you, and also the additions proposed.
As the object of these observations is to prevent the frauds that might
be facilitated by the privileges granted to cattle-men on the frontier,
I consider myself authorized, by the instructions which I have received
from my Government on this subject, to accept them and to sign the
agreement in question.
I herewith inclose a draught which contains the three modifications
suggested in your note of yesterday, the first of which is intended to
form section 2 of Article III; the second is to take the place of
section 2 of Article IV, and the third is to form the final sentence of
Article VI of my draught.
Be pleased to accept, etc.,
[Page 1300]
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Additions to the draught of an arrangement for
the passage of cattle.
Article III.
(2) The collector of customs shall examine the cattle and enter them
in due form. He shall, moreover, appraise their value, in order that
such appraisement may serve as a basis for the collection of duties,
in case the animals do not return to the country whence they came;
and ne shall require their owner to furnish a bond for their return
at the time fixed (which shall not be more than six months
subsequent to the date of their passage across the frontier), or for
the payment of import duties, in case there shall be occasion for
collecting such duties.
(Sections 2 and 3 of Article III will then be sections 3 and 4.)
Article IV.
(2) (To he substituted for the same section of this article in the
previous draught.) That they show to the satisfaction of the
collector of the custom-house nearest to the point where the
estrayed cattle are to return, that such cattle are their property,
and that they were so before they strayed across; and that they
describe the brands of the animals, and set forth such other
distinguishing marks as may serve for their identification, and
furnish evidence to the aforesaid collector that the cattle crossed
the frontier without the knowledge or consent of their owner.
Article VI (at the close) in addition to
other proof satisfactory to the collector of customs, of the
identity of the animals and of their ownership of the same.
