File No. 312.11/868.
The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Mexico, September 12, 1912—10 p.m.
Department’s September 12, 5 p.m., and instruction 966, relating to the note to the Foreign Office. At the end of paragraph terminating on page 5,1 the following has been interpolated: “Nor can my Government further tolerate with patience the repeated arrest of American citizens, in many cases on frivolous and inadequate charges, and their long imprisonment in insanitary jails in consequence of the refusal of local authorities to admit them to bail. My Government fully understands that Americans resident in Mexico who offend against its laws must expect commensurate punishment there for, but it can not in justice to its nationals permit them to be continuously made the objects of the tyranny of petty local authority or of intrigue or antiforeign sentiment. Cases of this kind are continually occurring and remonstrances have been frequent and urgent, but, unfortunately, generally without result.” On page 72 the following has been interpolated immediately after the words “is an asset”: “The instances here cited of the disposition of the Mexican Government, either inadvertently or otherwise, to permit wrongful acts against legitimately acquired American rights do not by any means constitute all which might be made the subject of remonstrance. Those cited, however, are the most recent and are illustrative conditions which appeal insistently to the attention of my Government.”