Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part II

No. 787.
Mr. Bayard to Mr. Bragg.

Department of State,
Washington, May 7, 1888.

No. 46.]

Sir: I have received your dispatch No. 30 of the 28th ultimo, in which you report that the death sentence of Colonel Arvizú and Lieutenant Gutierrez, the Mexican officers implicated in the Nogales incident, has been commuted by President Diaz to twenty years’ imprisonment.

Tour previous dispatch (No. 29) of the 24th ultimo, in which you expressed your belief that the sentence in question would be commuted, prepared me for this announcement.

I observe that in his note of 27th April, informing you of this act of clemency, Señor Mariscal is pleased to say that in thus favorably acting upon the petition of the condemned men the President “has considered it advisable to follow the humane suggestions” previously offered by the Government of the United States, “and thus afford on this occasion a proof of friendly deference” to this Government.

Every new illustration of friendly deference by Mexico to the disinterested suggestions of this Government is very gratifying, and in the present case is additionally so, being blended with mercy to prisoners under sentence of death.

I am, etc.,

T. F. Bayard.