Señor Cayetano Romero to Mr. Foster.
Washington, February 6, 1893. (Received February 6.)
Mr. Secretary: The Government of Mexico, desiring to take measures to defend the national territory by punishing the marauders who organize in United States territory and periodically cross, in armed bands, for the purpose of committing arson, robbery, and murder on the soil of Mexico, and also to put a stop to their incursions, is of the opinion that it would be well for each Government to apprise the other of the measures which it thinks proper to take in its territory to prevent these bands from meeting and organizing, and to punish them if they enter the territory of the other.
The Government of Mexico has a force stationed on its Texan frontier sufficient to annihilate any marauders who may cross, if they will light, and this has been shown by the fact that in none of the various incursions which they have made during the past three years have they been able to remain on Mexican soil for more than two days. Our efforts are frustrated, however, by the circumstance that, when the invaders are attacked by Mexican troops, they cross to United States territory, where they can not be pursued by our forces.
My Government thinks that it would perhaps be premature to propose to that of the United States an arrangement similar to that concluded for the pursuit of hostile savage Indians, according to which the troops of either country might cross to the territory of the other in pursuit of those armed bands of outlaws and marauders organized in the territory of the other which have no political character. Perhaps, if this state of things continues, the U. S. Government may hereafter think proper to propose the conclusion of such an arrangement to that of Mexico. For the present, it would be well for the War Department of each of the countries interested to inform the other what forces it proposes to assign to preserve the peace on its frontiers, and what system it proposes [Page 443] to adopt for the attainment of this end, so that, both acting in concert, the purpose had in view by both governments might be more easily accomplished.
I have, consequently, received instructions from Mr. Mariscal to make this statement to you, and to inform you at the same time, as I hereby have the honor to do, as a consequence thereof, that the Government of Mexico now has on the frontier the forces mentioned in the accompanying table, which are considered amply sufficient to destroy any armed band that may cross to Mexican territory, and that the officers in command of said forces have been instructed to station detachments at all the fords of the Rio Graude, so as to prevent the crossing of marauders who have organized and armed themselves in United States territory, or to punish them if they succeed in crossing. Timely information communicated by the officers in command of our forces to those of the U. S. forces will conduce to the preservation of peace on both sides of the Rio Grande, and if these views meet the approval of the Government of the United States of America, the officers in command of the Mexican forces will be instructed to carry them out.
I avail, etc.,