Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1889

Mr. Whitehouse to Mr. Bayard.

[Extract.]

Legation of the United States,
Mexico , December 18, 1888. (Received December 26.)

No. 218.]

Sir: In reference to your No. 181 of the 7th instant, requesting a revival of the Baldwin case, I have the honor to state that I called on Señor Mariscal yesterday and directed his attention anew to the matter.

Señor Mariscal said he had not yet received a full report of the case from the local authorities, but would request anew that it be furnished forthwith. Such a statement or report, he continued, was absolutely necessary in order to enable him to judge impartially of the merits of the claim.

I argued that, although I did not pretend that any one held the central Government directly responsible for the crimes committed by the bandits, still the local authorities were unquestionably very lax in affording the desired protection.

Mr. Mariscal admitted that there had possibly been some “neglect,” but expressed himself unable to offer a decision until he had carefully weighed the evidence of both sides.

I am, etc.,

H. Remsen Whitehouse.