File No. 312.52/519.

Consul Canada to the Secretary of State .

No. 1119.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s telegraphic instructions92 of January 23 regarding the killing of seven Spaniards at Esperanza and one at San Marcos, as well as other abuses and menaces in the States of Vera Cruz, Puebla and Tlaxcala, and to transmit enclosed herewith a copy and translation of the reply of the Constitutionalist Foreign Office, together with a copy of the representations made by this Consulate, a few slight changes having been made therein when quoted in Spanish by the Foreign Office.

I have [etc.]

Wm. W. Canada.
[Inclosure 1.]

Consul Canada to General Carranza .

Your Excellency: I am apprised by cable that the Department of State at Washington has been informed by the Spanish Embassy there that seven Spaniards were recently killed by the Constitutionalist forces on the Mexican Railroad at the station of Esperanza and that another Spaniard lost his life at the station of San Marcos, and also that it is reported from Puebla that more than fifty Spaniards are imprisoned and that Spaniards and their properties in the States of Vera Cruz, Puebla and Tlaxcala are menaced.

At the request of the Spanish Embassy my Government has instructed me to bring the foregoing immediately to your personal attention and to point out to you plainly the utmost importance of speedy, effective action for the complete [Page 1034] protection of the lives of Spanish subjects and the prevention of summary action against those reported to be in prison; and that if the Constitutionalists take action such as it is reported they are to take, the indignation of mankind will certainly follow and the consequences must lie at the door of those responsible.

I am further instructed to telegraph the result of my representations as soon as possible.

With renewed [etc.]

Wm. W. Canada.
[Inclosure 2—Translation.]

The Acting Secretary of Foreign Relations to Consul Canada .

No. 246.]

Mr. Consul: Your note of the 24th of this month, personally informs Citizen Venustiano Carranza, First Chief of the Constitutionalist Army that:

The Department of State in Washington has been informed by the Spanish Embassy in said capital that seven Spaniards were recently shot by the Constitutionalist forces in the station of Esperanza, on the line of the Mexican Railroad, and that another Spaniard lost his life at the station of San Marcos; and also that news is had from Puebla according to which fifty Spaniards are held as prisoners and that the properties and lives of Spaniards in the States of Vera Cruz, Puebla and Tlaxcala are menaced. At the request of the Spanish Embassy, my Government has given me instructions to bring the foregoing to your personal attention, pointing out clearly the utmost importance of rapid and effective action for the complete protection of the lives of Spanish subjects and the suspension of summary action against those who are said to be under arrest; and also that if the Constitutionalists adopt the measures which it is said they are disposed to adopt, they will no doubt provoke the indignation of humanity and those responsible will have to assume the consequence.

The First Chief of the Constitutionalist Army, in charge of the Executive Power of the Mexican Republic, has sent to this Department of State your note which contains the representation of the American Government made at the request of the Ambassador of Spain at Washington; and, in accord with the First Chief of the Constitutionalist Army in charge of the Executive Power of the Union, I have the honor to answer you as follows:

This Department of State will request General Alvaro Obregon, Chief of the military operations of the States of Vera Cruz, Puebla and Tlaxcala, to state whether the reports furnished to the Department of State in Washington by the Ambassador of Spain, relative to the supposed execution of seven Spaniards by Constitutionalist forces at the station of Esperanza and the death of another Spaniard at the station of San Marcos, are true or untrue; inasmuch as from the text of your note, it cannot be seen whether the Ambassador of Spain affirms the action as being strictly true, since, in a vague manner, the Department of State in Washington only says that it has been informed of this supposed fact (I underscore in your note the phrase has been informed) without indicating the source from which this information originated, nor the slightest logical foundation which upholds it.

In your same note it is stated “news is had from the Puebla according to which fifty Spaniards are held as prisoners and that the properties and lives of Spaniards in the States of Veracruz, Puebla and Tlaxcala are menced.”

Notwithstanding that the origin of this news (I also underscore the phrase news is had) is not pointed out, and that not only is it not definitely asserted, but not even remotely indicated; notwithstanding that it is not stated how and why the properties and lives of Spaniards residing in those three States of the Federation are menaced—which gives rise to the belief that it is a matter of the so-called news of the yellow press and of the enemies of Constitutionalism, unworthy of belief because of their lamentable vagueness—reports will be requested of the Governors of the States mentioned, in order that this Department may know if really, as it is said, fifty Spaniards are under arrest at Puebla and the reason why they are; and when once concrete data are obtained, this matter, as well as all similar thereto, will be handled through the proper channels.

Lastly, I have the honor to answer the final portion of your note, advising you that Constitutionalism has not adopted, does not adopt, and will not adopt measures other than those inspired by justice, even when it is stated to the contrary by imputations without proof whatsoever, from a suspected and hidden origin; and justice, Mr. Consul, has never provoked the indignation of humanity.

Please accept [etc.]

Urueta.
  1. Referred to in the next foregoing.