File No. 703.4112/4.
Chargé O’Shaughnessy to the Secretary of State.
For the Department’s information:
Chargé O’Shaughnessy to the British Minister to Mexico.
April 23.
Referring to our conversation of last evening, April 22, at His Britannic Majesty’s Legation, I have the honor formally to turn over herewith to your excellency for safekeeping and for such care and action as may be given by one foreign mission to another in analogous circumstances, the Embassy of the United States in Mexico.
I have paid the rent of the Embassy building until June 30 next, after which date it will be paid by the Department of State.
Owing to the possibility of certain matters arising which may require the good offices of your excellency, I am leaving Mr. Louis D’Antin, the law clerk, who will be at your orders and disposition and who will prepare correspondence [Page 641] and search the archives of the Embassy in matters pertaining urgently to the interests of Americans in Mexico.
I have the honor to enclose to you herewith the sum of 2,000 pesos, which I trust will be sufficient for any incidental expenses to which your excellency may be put owing to the probability of Americans being both desirous and forced to leave the confines of the United Mexican States. I have the honor to request as well as to empower your excellency to draw directly upon the Secretary of State of the United States for such funds as your excellency may find to be necessary in order that these people may be enabled to do so.
I am sending a copy of this note to the Secretary of State of the United States at Washington, and I beg your excellency to accept my sincere thanks and appreciation of the kindness which you have always extended to me as Chargé d’Affaires of the United States since you have been in Mexico.
The reply of the British Minister:
British Legation,
Mexico, April 23, 1914.
My Dear Colleague: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of to-day’s date in which, after referring to our conversation of last night, you formally entrust to my safekeeping the Embassy and archives of the United States in this capital and in general the care of American interests in the Republic of Mexico.
It is understood that my acceptance of this charge must depend on my receiving the sanction of my Government to do so, which I have already asked for. But in view of the urgency of the case and the impossibility of obtaining an answer to my telegram before your departure, I agree to undertake the responsibility of accepting it temporarily.
I take due note of the fact that you have paid the rent of the Embassy until June 30 next, after which date it will be paid by the Department of State; and that you are leaving Mr. Louis D’Antin at my disposition to attend to the Embassy’s archives. I also beg to acknowledge herewith the receipt of two thousand dollars Mexican, which you are good enough to enclose for incidental expenses.
I appreciate very highly the friendly sentiments you are good enough to express at the end of your note, which I warmly reciprocate; and I need only add in conclusion that if my Government consents it will afford me the greatest pleasure to lend my best services for the temporary safeguarding of American interests in this Republic.
I remain [etc.]
Lionel Carden.
Note: In the above telegram the version of Mr. O’Shaughnessy’s letter to the British Minister differs from the letter as sent to the Minister, of which a copy was later furnished to the Department, as follows:
File No. 703.4112/142.
Mexico, April 23, 1914.
My dear Mr. Minister: Referring to our conversation of last evening at His Britannic Majesty’s Legation, I have the honor formally to turn over herewith to your excellency, for safekeeping and for such care and action as may be given to [by] one foreign mission to another in anomalous circumstances, the Embassy of the United States in Mexico. I have paid the rent of the Embassy building until June 30th next, after which date it will be paid by the Department of State. Owing to the probability of certain matters arising which may require the good offices of your excellency, I am leaving in the Embassy Mr. Louis d’Antin, the law clerk, who will be at your excellency’s disposition. I have the honor to enclose herewith the sum of two thousand pesos, which I trust will be sufficient for any incidental expense to which your excellency may be put. Owing to the probability of Americans being forced to leave the [Page 642] confines of the United Mexican States, I have the honor to request as well as to empower your excellency to draw directly upon the Secretary of State of the United States for such funds as your excellency may find to be necessary in order that these people may be enabled to do so. I am sending a copy of this note to the Secretary of State of the United States at Washington, and I beg your excellency to accept my sincere thanks and appreciation of the kindness which you have extended to me as Chargé d’Affaires of the United States since we have been together in Mexico.
I remain [etc.]
Nelson O’Shaughnessy.