File No. 812.00/12363.
Secretary Dodge to
the Secretary of State.
No. 24.]
Prospect House,
Niagara Falls, N. T.,
June 25, 1914.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a
summary of the proceedings of the fourth plenary conference of the
mediation, which was held last evening at 9.45, the substance of which
appears in the Commissioners’telegram.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure.]
Summary of the Proceedings of the Fourth Plenary
Session of the Mediation Conference, June 24, 1914.
The session was opened by the reading of the minutes of the third
plenary session, which were approved.
Mr. Da Gama, the Brazilian Ambassador, who presided, then had a
statement of the Mediators read, relative to the consideration of
Mexican internal questions by the conference and as to the reason
why the Mediators had now thought it their duty to invite
representatives of both contending factions to meet, in order if
possible to agree upon bases of adjustment. A copy of this
statement, which was referred to in the Commissioners’ telegram of
the 22nd instant, is enclosed. This statement was made a part of the
minutes of the session without comment.
The three articles to be protocolized, of which the English text was
telegraphed in the Commissioners’ telegram of the 24th instant, were
then read in English and in Spanish.
Mr. Justice Lamar, after the reading of Section C of Article 3, drew
attention to the fact that the provision of amnesty was limited to
foreigners solely for the reason that amnesty for Mexicans was an
internal question, expressing the hope that the representatives of
the two Mexican parties would provide for a broad and general
amnesty for all Mexicans. After the reading of the three articles he
further drew attention to the fact that they were protocolized in
the expectation that the Mexican representatives of both parties
would agree upon internal questions and that, if this expectation
should unfortunately fail, the American Commissioners understood
that the adoption of these articles was without prejudice to these
matters being brought again before the Mediators, in case such a
course was found to be desirable or necessary. To this the Mediators
and the Huertista representatives assented. The articles were
thereupon approved without further discussion. A copy of these
articles is enclosed. The session thereupon adjourned.
[Subinclosure 1.]
Statement of the Mediators included in the Minutes
of the Fourth Plenary Conference.
The internal question of Mexico constitutes an essential difficulty
in the way of the full solution of the conflict pending with the
United States of America. We so understood when we extended to all
the parties interested the tender of our good offices toward the
peaceful settlement of this conflict.
[Page 548]
Unfortunately, circumstances we respect did not permit the
Constitutionalist Party, notwithstanding its acceptance in principle
of our tender, to participate in the Conferences of the Mediation
under the conditions which we considered as indispensable if they
were to be conducted in that atmosphere of cordiality and confidence
which would facilitate the solution sought. Notwithstanding this,
we, the Mediators, understand that at the present moment it is our
duty to remove all obstacles which might stand in the way of the
attainment of the purpose which prompted the tender of our good
offices, and the study we have made of all the circumstances
connected with that conflict has shown us that its settlement is
dependent, at the present moment, on the solution of the internal
question between the contending parties, and that it is the latter
to whom peculiarly belongs the right and the authority to solve it.
It is for this reason that we have thought it our duty to invite, as
we have, both the Representatives of the Constitutionalist Party and
those of the Government of General Huerta accredited to the
Conferences of the Mediation to meet at a place near that where they
are being held, in order to discuss and agree between themselves on
the bases of an arrangement whereby the political pacification of
the country could be consummated, with the termination of the civil
war and the organization of a provisional government to conduct the
general elections for the establishment of the powers of a permanent
government.
In this manner, if an unprejudiced and compromising spirit could
prevail at said conferences, we trust that Mexican patriotism will
remove, by itself and without outside interference, the causes of
the sorrowful situation in which the country finds itself at the
present time, reestablishing thereby the exercise without
reservations of her national sovereignty and of her material and
moral prosperity.
Furthermore, the mediation in which we are engaged, it should be
unnecessary to repeat, has not proposed in any form whatsoever to
interfere in, decide or legislate on internal questions of Mexico,
but seeks, as at all times it has sought, to bring about between the
contending parties a serene discussion of the conflicting interests
which now divide them in order to procure or facilitate an agreement
between them with the aid of our friendly counsel, without
prejudgment or partiality.
[Subinclosure 2.]
Text of Mediation Protocol No. 4.
I.42
The Provisional Government referred to in protocol No. 343 shall be constituted by agreement of the delegates
representing the parties between which the internal struggle in
Mexico is taking place.
II.44
- A.
- Upon the constitution of the Provisional Government in the
City of Mexico, the Government of the United States of America
will recognize it immediately, and thereupon diplomatic
relations between the two countries will be restored.
- B.
- The Government of the United States of America will not in any
form whatsoever claim a war indemnity or other international
satisfaction.
- C.
- The Provisional Government will proclaim an absolute amnesty
to all foreigners for any and all political offenses committed
during the period of civil war in Mexico.
- D.
- The Provisional Government will negotiate for the constitution
of international commissions for the settlement of the claims of
foreigners on account of damages sustained during the period of
civil war as a consequence of military acts or the acts of
national authorities.
[Page 549]
III.
The three mediating Governments agree on their part to recognize the
Provisional Government organized as provided by Section I of this
protocol.
