File No. 812.00/14360.
The Confidential Agent of the Provisional Government of Mexico to the Secretary of State .
Excellency: I have the honor to quote below the text of a telegraphic instruction received by me, dated the 4th instant, from Mr. M. Diaz Lombardo, Minister of Foreign Relations in the Cabinet formed by General Villa, on his recent temporary assumption of political power: [Page 651]
You will inform his excellency the Secretary of State of the United States that by reason of lack of communication between the Provisional Government of Mexico, sustained by the Sovereign Convention, and the forces under the command of General Villa, the latter, as Chief of Military Operations, has for the time being, and only for the period during which communication is impossible, assumed political authority, and has created, in order that public business be not retarded, the administrative departments to be located at Chihuahua, attached to General Headquarters: the first, Foreign Relations and Justice, of which I have been placed in charge; the second, Interior Affairs and Communications, of which Dr. Luis de la Garza Cardenas is chief; and the third, Finance and Industry, under the direction of Mr. Francisco Escudero. You will invite the special attention of the Department of State to the fact that the Convention, under date of January 18, last, ratified the appointment of General Villa, all of whose acts will be regarded as those of the Provisional Government. Be good enough to present my personal respects to Mr. Bryan, and communicate to him, in brief, the text of the manifesto and decree of General Villa which I am sending you.
In further compliance with the foregoing instruction, the manifesto and decree above mentioned will be transmitted to the Department as soon as received.5
Please accept [etc.]
- See this manifesto, inclosed with Mr. Llorente’s March 8.↩