Office of the Historian

Mr. Foster to Señor Cayetano Romero.

Department of State,
Washington, December 20, 1892.

My dear Mr. Romero: I have received your note of December 14, in which you inform me of the receipt from Señor Mariscal of certain instructions relating to an alleged raid into the territory of Mexico by bandits, who are reported as having surprised a small detachment of Mexican troops, burned their barracks, killed and wounded some of them, and brought others prisoners into Texas, together with their horses and arms.

You state in your note that Mr. Mariscal instructs you to make a complaint to the United States Government of the above raid, which he says would not have occurred had there been enough Federal troops in Texas to prevent such a violation of the neutrality laws of this country, and but for the lack of care shown in the matter by the local authorities of that State, and you add that you have no doubt that the United States Government will take at once the necessary measures for the prompt and energetic pursuit of the bandits who leisurely fitted out on American territory an expedition against a friendly nation.

In this connection I desire to refer you to my note of December 15 last, wherein I state to you the energetic measures taken by the Secretary of War to preserve the peace upon the Mexican frontier and to prevent any invasion of Mexican territory or any violation of the neutrality laws of this country. This Government can not allow that it has not at all times made every effort in its power to prevent the use of its territory for any purpose hostile to Mexico, nor that it has in any instance failed to take all possible measures to prevent a violation of its neutrality laws so far as that country is concerned. I have hastened to call the attention of the Secretary of War and of the governor of Texas to the subject-matter of your note, and I have again urged the employment of energetic measures directed to the preventing of any violation of the frontier of Mexico by persons coming from the territory of the United States.

Very truly, etc.,

John W. Foster.