File No. 711.1215/410.
The Acting Secretary of State to the Mexican Ambassador.
Washington, March 30, 1912.
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 9th instant, setting forth the position of the Mexican Government with respect to the validity of the award in the Chamizal case, in which you state that:
Notwithstanding the foregoing statement, the Mexican Government, desiring for its part no abatement of the cordiality of the relations that bind it to the Government of the United States, is disposed to listen to such proposals as that Government may see fit to make, and the Government of Mexico will give them the full consideration they deserve, on the understanding that they are not to deal with the question of the validity of the arbitral award or the possibility of determining scientifically the site of the river bed in 1864.
By this language, in connection with the memoranda of the Department of August 24th and October 6th last, to which the Embassy is responding, the Department understands the Embassy to mean that neither Government is to be expected at any stage in the proposed negotiations to admit the correctness of the contention of the other with respect to the validity of the award and the possibility of scientifically relocating the site of the river bed in 1864. The Department understands that, without prejudice to the position of either Government with respect to the two matters mentioned, which positions may be expressly recited if so desired, the proposed negotiations will seek a solution upon a basis of mutual advantage.
This Government is desirous, as suggested in the memorandum of this Department of August 24th last, that the details of the proposed arrangement be taken up in negotiations in Washington as soon as possible, and the Department expresses the hope that, in case the Embassy in this city is not already empowered to that end, the Mexican Government will deem it appropriate to authorize the Embassy to take up these negotiations without delay.
With high appreciation of your Government’s courteous action in the matter, I avail [etc.]