File No. 812.00/16543.
The Confidential Agent of the
Constitutionalist Government of Mexico to the Secretary of State.
Washington,
October 7, 1915.
Mr. Secretary: In consideration of the
agreement between your excellency and the other American representatives
during the last conference held in New York, on the 18th ultimo, I have
the honor to transmit herewith for your excellency’s information a brief
résumé of the Mexican Revolution, initiated by Mr. Venustiano Carranza
in February, 1913, explaining its origin, development and progress made
to this day; and a copy of declarations made by Mr. Carranza, as the
Leader of the Revolution and Depository of the Executive Power of
Mexico, which define the tendencies and program to be followed by the
Constitutionalist Government during its transitory
[Page 764]
period, indispensable for the holding of
general elections in the Republic, wherefrom a definite constitutional
government will emanate.
Mr. Venustiano Carranza, Depository of the Executive Power of Mexico,
whom I have the honor to represent in this country, has authorized me to
say to your excellency that his public declarations of December 12,
1914, and June 11, 1915, bear the statement that the government he
represents, in its capacity of a political entity conscious of its
international obligations and of its capability to comply with them, has
afforded guaranties to the nationals, and has done likewise with regard
to foreigners and shall continue to see that their lives and property
are respected in accordance with the practices established by civilized
nations and the treaties in force between Mexico and other
countries.
That, beside the above, he will recognize and satisfy indemnities for
damages caused by the revolution, which shall be settled in due time and
in terms of justice.
I avail [etc.]
[Inclosure 1—Extract.]
résumé of the mexican constitutionalist
revolution and its progress.
The civil strife in Mexico now nearing its end, which grew out of the
arrest and subsequent death of Francisco I. Madero and José Maria
Pino Suarez, President and Vice President respectively of the
Republic of Mexico, and was a consequence of the usurpation of power
by General Victoriano Huerta, had its beginning on the 19th of
February, 1913. On this date Mr. Venustiano Carranza, upon being
apprised of the above-mentioned outrageous assault and of the
infringement of the Federal Constitution, and acting in his capacity
of Governor of the State of Coahuila * * * repudiated the aforesaid
General Huerta as President of Mexico and initiated that which has
been named “The Revolution of the Constitutionalist Party”.
Mr. Venustiano Carranza, obeying the provision of the Federal
Constitution which his oath of office involved as Governor of the
State of Coahuila, raised the flag of legality against the
usurpation of federal power, at the same time calling all public
officers in the country to do their duty and inviting all commanders
of troops to repudiate and oppose General Huerta as President of the
Republic; but in view of the fact that none of the secretaries in
the cabinet of Mr. Madero, who by operation of law and according to
their precedence were expected to punish the outrages committed
against the Constitution, responded to the call to duty, Mr.
Carranza was constrained to assume the leadership of the restorating
movement because it was his duty to do so as Governor of the State
of Coahuila and pursuant to the unanimous vote of the citizens who
at that moment had rallied around him to defend the political
Constitution of the United Mexican States.
Mr. Carranza is, therefore, in the light of the Federal Constitution
of Mexico, the rightful successor of Francisco I. Madero in the
exercise of the Executive Power, to the exclusion of any other
public officer, because he is the only one who complied with his
duty according to the fundamental charter of the Republic.
The nomination of Mr. Carranza as chief of the revolution took place
in the Hacienda de Guadalupe, State of Coahuila, where the
well-known “Plan of Guadalupe” was framed and enacted on March 26,
1913,47 which was the rule of action to be observed
and followed by the army which was then being organized with the
sole object of opposing and overthrowing the power of General
Victoriano Huerta and which was wisely named at that time
“Constitutionalist Army”.
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After a revolution of a year and a half * * * Mr. Carranza made his
triumphant entry into the City of Mexico at the head of the
restorating army on August 19, 1914, taking immediate possession of
the executive authority of the Republic of Mexico, in accordance
with the Plan of Guadalupe dated March 26, 1913.
[Description of the organization of the Constitutionalist Government;
the defection of Villa; the convocation by Carranza of a convention
at Mexico City to make a provisional program of government; lack of
representation therein of Villa’s Northern Division of the
Constitutionalist Army; Carranza’s resignation and reinstatement by
the Mexico City Convention; conference between certain Carrancista
generals and Villa and his generals; consequent transfer of the
Convention from Mexico City to Aguascalientes and the adoption there
of the name “Sovereign Revolutionary Convention”; election by this
convention of General Eulalio Gutierrez as Provisional President of
Mexico; defection of Villa from Gutierrez; return of certain
ex-Carrancista generals to their former allegiance; Villa-Zapata
coalition.]
From the above it appears that the Constitutionalist Party headed by
Mr. Carranza initiated the revolution against Huerta in February,
1913, and organized and equipped successively in various States of
the Republic an army of volunteers which fought the usurpation of
Huerta and finally threw him out of power, and has also fought and
completely defeated the factions of Villa and Zapata, who had
revolted against the authority of the First Chief.
At the present time Mr. Carranza controls twenty-four States of the
twenty-seven which make up the Republic, and the Territories of
Tepic and Quintana Roo and the Federal District, and has established
in each of them a local government. [Names of governors.]
All of the above leaders of the Constitutionalist Army and Governors
recognize the First Chieftainship of Mr. Carranza and his authority
as the Depository of the Executive Power of the Nation, as they have
recently stated when replying to the note addressed to them by the
Secretary of State of the United States and the American Diplomatic
Representatives, tendering their good offices as mediators, and
inviting them to a conference for the purpose of solving in this
manner the struggle in Mexico.
From the above-mentioned reply it is seen that, differing from the
leaders of the Villa and Zapata factions, who made individual
replies to the aforesaid note according to their own judgment, all
the Constitutionalist leaders referred their replies to Mr.
Carranza, thus recognizing his character of chief of all of them and
reiterating their allegiance to him. This example of the cohesion
and discipline of the Constitutionalist Party clearly manifests that
it is not only a compact and organized group but a real government
from the point of view of international law, able to demonstrate its
ability to constitute itself and to gain the will and respect of the
Mexican people.
[Further description of the status of this government.]
E. Areedondo.
Washington,
October 7, 1915.
[Inclosures 2 and 3.]
[Untitled]
[These inclosures are copies of the Plan de Guadalupe of March 26,
1913, and the Manifesto to the People issued by General Carranza on
December 12, 1914, outlining the Constitutionalist policy under the
Plan of Guadalupe. These two documents are printed in For. Rel. 1914, pp. 589 and 629.
[Inclosure 4.]
[Untitled]
[Printed ante, as inclosure to Mr. Arredondo’s letter to the
Secretary of State dated June 12, 1915.]
