and that immediately upon the receipt of my note the President had instructed the minister of war to send orders to the military commander at Matamoras, Colonel Cristo, to arrest Hamilton and hold him at all hazards, subject to the provisions of the extradition treaty. And in confirmation of this information, I have to-night received an official note from the minister of foreign affairs, of which I inclose a translation. (Inclosure 2.) I am, &c., [Inclosure 1 in No. 135.] JOHN W. FOSTER. Mr. Foster to Mr. Lafragua. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I herewith inclose to your excellency a copy of a dispatch from Mr. Wilson, the United States consul at Matamoras, in the State of Tamaulipas, to the Department of State at Washington, from which it appears that the arrest of one Alexander D. Hamilton, charged with a crime for which, pursuant to the treaty of 1861, his extradition may be required, has been prevented by the interference in his favor of General John N. Cortina, acting as mayor of Matamoras. I am instructed by my Government to bring the facts stated in the inclosed copy of Mr. Wilson's dispatch to the attention of your excellency, and to state that it is expected such orders will be given as will allow the treaty to be carried into effect according to its terms. I do not doubt that the Mexican government will promptly adopt such measures in this case as are required by the treaty and the demands of justice. I remain, with great respect, your excellency's obedient servant, JOHN W. FOSTER. [Inclosure 2 in No. 135.] Mr. Lafragua to Mr. Foster. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SIR: I have laid before the President your excellency's note of to-day, in which you are pleased to inform me, referring to a dispatch from Mr. Wilson, consul of the United States at Matamoros, that the arrest of a person named Alexander Hamilton, accused of a crime for which, according to the treaty of 1861, his extradition is demanded, has been prevented by the intervention of General Juan N. Cortina, to which fact your excellency calls my attention, in the hope that orders will be given in conformity with said treaty, so as to render it effective, since your excellency does not doubt that the Mexican government will employ such measures as are required by that treaty and by justice. In reply, I have the honor to inform your excellency that, through the extra-official information the government had received of the facts, it had already called by telegraph for a report from the military commander at Matamoras; and now, by virtue of your excellency's note, the proper instructions are given to the war department to send immediate orders to the said military commander to proceed at once, without omitting to render the report already called for, to arrest Hamilton and hold him in safe custody at all hazards, until, after communication with the American authorities in Texas, the extradition may be effected in view of all the requisites of the treaty and of justice. I remain, with the greatest respect, your excellency's obedient servant, No. 136.] No. 479. Mr. Foster to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Mexico, April 21, 1874. (Received May 15.) SIR: On yesterday I addressed the minister of foreign affairs a note, at the request of Lieutenant-Commander F. M. Green, of the steamer Fortune, of the United States Navy, asking that the Mexican government would issue such orders as might be necessary to facilitate the survey of the Mexican coast of the Gulf of Mexico, for which service said steamer had been detailed by the Navy Department. I also, by appointment, introduced to the President of the republic, Lieutenant Samuel Belden, U. S. N., of said steamer, who visited the legation under orders of Lieutenant-Commander Green. President Lerdo very heartily approved of the survey ordered by the Navy Department, and assured Lieutenant Belden that all necessary instructions would be given to both the civil and military authorities along the coast to promote the objects of the service in which the Fortune was engaged. And under date of yesterday the minister of war and marine inclosed to this legation an open letter to Lieutenant-Commander Green, authorizing him to land at such points on the coast as he should think nécessary and establish signals; and directing the military authorities at the various ports to facilitate the survey. The President, in the same interview, expressed his pleasure at being able to bear testimony to the uniform courtesy and good conduct and scrupulous observance of Mexican laws and regulations on the part of the officers of the United States Navy in their visits to the ports of the republic. I am, &c., No. 480. Mr. Foster to Mr. Fish. JOHN W. FOSTER. No. 140.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Mexico, May 1, 1874. (Received May 15.) SIR: With my dispatch No. 108, February 13, I transmitted the preliminary report of the Mexican border investigation commission, and embodied in my dispatch a brief abstract of its conclusions and recommendations. The final report of said commission was submitted to the minister of foreign affairs on the 13th of March last, and has just appeared in printed form, a copy of which I transmit to your Department by this mail. I inclose herewith a translation of the summary of conclusions reached by the commission, and addressed by them to the minister of foreign affairs, constituting the preface of said report, which will be found of special interest, taken in connection with the report of the United States commissioners to Texas, and the questions pending before the United States and Mexican mixed commission now in session at Washington. The report of the commission is receiving the favorable comments of the press of this capital, by which it is asserted that the report will result in multiplying a large amount of the claims of American citizens before the mixed commission, strengthen the proofs of Mexican citizens for claims to the amount of over forty millions of dollars, and form the basis of claims to an enormous sum against the Government of the United States. I am informed by the minister of foreign affairs that instructions have been given to the Mexican minister at Washington to have both the preliminary and final reports of the commission translated and printed in the English language in that city. I am, &c., JOHN W. FOSTER. [Inclosure.-Translation.] Mr. Galindo to the minister of foreign affairs. MEXICO, March 13, 1874. CITIZEN MINISTER: In the report which I have the honor to subjoin, in compliance with the decree of the 2d of October, 1872, which ordered scrupulous investigations to be made concerning the evils suffered by the Mexican northern frontier, you will find specified all the calamities in question, their origin traced, and all their forms delineated. It was not possible to give to this work smaller proportions, for the simple narrative of facts and citation of necessary documents required a bulky volume. The opinion of the commission being therein expressed concerning the proper remedies for each of the obstacles which impede the progress of that part of the country, it has been thought proper to extract them, and present them separately in a note, so as to facilitate their being submitted to the judgment of the citizen President. In the first place, it should be stated that the establishment of an army corps on the frontier is indispensable to maintain order thereon, and furnish a respectable basis for the relations between this republic and that of the United States. The officer appointed to the command of this army corps should be of high rank and adorned with brilliant qualities. Second. It is notoriously and urgently important that the upper region of the Rio Grande be covered by detachments of from 250 to 300 men, which should be located at San Vicente, El Burro, and Las Vacas, by which measure the incursions of the Indians would be repressed, and the outrages caused by Texan settlers upon Mexicans in that section would be prevented. Third. To promote the settlement of the immense deserts lying between Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango, bearing in mind that this should only be done with native Mexicans, and cannot be effected without first protecting the frontier and afterward surveying the lands at the expense of the general government so as to grant them to applicants or to settlers carried thither from the central States, as was done by the Spanish government. Fourth. To estimate the foundation of towns upon the principle above indicated, and by the employment of the resources granted under the name of subsidies to the frontier States, over the disbursement of which it is necessary to watch, so that it be not distracted from its object. Fifth. The formation of a territory embracing all the new settlements, so that, being under the direct control of the general government, its action may be more effective upon the settlers, who, we repeat, should be entirely Mexicans. Sixth. To regulate the communications between the innumerable ranchos along the Rio Grande, so that they may not prejudice or compromise our international relations, nor, still less, the interests of the treasury by means of smuggling. Seventh. To propose the laws which may be considered expedient for the repressing of cattle-stealing, including therein the necessary provisions to prevent the escape of servants who carry out of the country a considerable capital, and by their crimes on both sides of the Rio Grande endanger our international relations. Eighth. To endeavor to ameliorate the condition of the Mexican citizens who reside in Texas and are property-holders in that State of the American Union. This is required by the prejudices entertained against them, as is proved by the grievous outrages they daily suffer. The establishment of a consulate at Corpus Christi, in addition to the employment of diplomatic action, would do much to effect a change. Ninth. A reform of the privilege of the Free Zone, so that no class of merchandise can be consumed by the inhabitants of that region without the payment of some duty, however moderate, extending this reform to some articles of the existing tariff upon the bases suggested to the ministry of finance, in a separate memorial. Tenth. Without neglecting the rules laid down in the circular of the 10th of September, 1850, to follow all those which experience has proved to be the best for solving the Indian question, thus establishing a simple, clear, and just line of policy respecting those tribes when they present themselves in our territory. Eleventh. To create a board to take charge of all questions concerning Indians, of whose depredations it will procure exact information, as well as of everything relating to them, in order to avoid responsibilities and assure their rights to such Mexican citizens as may suffer losses by them; it being the duty of the said board in each case to show where the marauding Indians come from, their places of residence, the amount of the damage, the participation citizens or authorities of the United States may have taken therein, acts of the latter to punish and of Mexican authorities to restrain such Indians, with special instructions to the board to establish relations in Texas or in the region where the Indians reside, to investigate fully the conduct observed by the American authorities with the aboriginal tribes, both those on the Government reservations and those leading a nomadic life, using special efforts to ascertain the final disposal of their booty. Twelfth. To promote such amendments to the laws upon the administration of justice respecting the organization of the federal tribunals as shall assure that on the frontier they be always in the hands of enlightened persons, and that their substitutes possess similar qualities. Their jurisdiction should include those crimes which endanger international relations, and the judges should receive good salaries. Thirteenth. The penal features of the fiscal laws concerning smugglers also need amendment, so as to render fraud against the treasury disreputable, and to apply corporal penalties, such as imprisonment and closing of their places of business, to delinquent merchants when they are Mexicans, and their expulsion from the national territory when they are foreigners. After the enumeration of the many calamities which weigh upon the Mexican frontier, all of them set forth in bold relief in the records formed by the commission, it would not think it had performed its entire duty if it did not at the same time express its opinion as to the measures which may be adopted for preventing them. It has not the presumption to suppose that it has succeeded in pointing out the best, and perhaps none of them is adequate to correct inveterate abuses, which are therefore hard to remedy; but it can assert that the measures proposed have been carefully studied, and it therefore believes that even if they be not adequate to extirpate the evils which have long afflicted our frontier, they will undoubtedly lead to the discovery of better ones by persons who know the general situation of the country, its men, its things, and their relative conditions, so as to put everything on the path of improvement and prog ress. In presenting to you this compend of the results of the labors intrusted to us, we ought not to conceal the fact that the inhabitants of Northern Mexico, weighed down by sufferings for more than half a century, desire even more than the redress of their damages and losses, a decided protection, so as to suffer them no longer; and more than all, wish to live under auspices which will shelter them from outrages, hitherto of almost daily recurrence, from authorities or citizens of the United States, which they have been forced to tolerate from weakness and lack of protection. After these general suggestions, the commission is bound to call attention to its own labors, since they were directed to the discovery of these evils, and of their proper remedies, without neglecting the kindred task of procuring the necessary data for proving the rights of Mexico in the just claims which her citizens have pending at Washington, and at the same time have collected all such other data as might aid in shielding her from the responsibilities which speculators and shameless traffickers are seeking to cast upon her. For this reason the commission believes that all the proofs relating to Indian depredations should be sent at once to our commissioner at Washington, who will find in them unimpeachable evidence concerning the responsibility of the American Government and the reality of the losses suffered by Mexicans. To avoid the inconveniences which might result from the loss of these papers, we have formed indexes, which may serve to replace documents which may be lost. If the objects above expressed have been attained, the satisfaction of the commission will be unlimited; and if all its efforts have not been available for that object, they have nevertheless been exclusively employed to that end. Independence and liberty! IGNACIO GALINDO. No. 143.] No. 481. Mr. Foster to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Mexico, May 9, 1874. (Received May 26.) SIR: In my dispatch No. 135, April 10, I informed you of the action of the Mexican government, up to that date, in relation to Alexander D. Hamilton, a fugitive from justice in the United States. On the 27th ultimo I was informed, by the minister of foreign affairs that he had addressed a circular to the governors of a number of the States of the republic, stating that it was possible that the said Hamilton may have proceeded to some one of the States, and that the President had recommended them to take the necessary measures for his arrest. He at the same time requested me to furnish his department with a description of Hamilton's person, in order to facilitate his capture. (Inclosure 1.) The legation not having been furnished with said description, I sent a telegram to the consul at Matamoras to forward it to me without delay. I having personally communicated to the foreign office the fact that it was reported that Hamilton might be found at San Fernando de Presas, on the 2d instant I received a note from that department informing me that the minister of war had dispatched a party of dragoons to that point with proper instructions to effect his arrest. (Inclosure 2.) Up to this date I have no further advices. I am, &c., JOHN W. FOSTER. [Inclosure 1 in No. 143.-Translation.] Mr. Lafragua to Mr. Foster. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SIR: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a communication addressed me by the war department on the subject of the fugitive, Alexander Hamilton, informing your excellency that this department, under my charge, has at once addressed a circular to the governors of the States of Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, Jalisco, and Querétaro, stating to them that it is possible that the said Alexander Hamilton may have proceeded to some one of these States under the name of Thomas M. Morgan, or other, and that this government having an interest in preventing the action of justice from being overreached, the President of the republic recommends them to take the necessary measures for the arrest of Hamilton, informing this department thereof immediately by telegraph, and holding said individual at the disposal of this department. If your legation can furnish the filiation of Hamilton, I shall be much obliged to your excellency for so doing, as it would facilitate his capture with the less difficulty. On this occasion I renew to your excellency the assurance of my perfect and attentive consideration. J. M. LAFRAGUA. [Inclosure in 1 in No. 143.-Translation.] Citizen Minister of Foreign Affairs: DEPARTMENT OF WAR, MEXICO, April 25, 1874. In a telegram of yesterday, from Matamoras, the citizen colonel, José L. Cristo, makes to me the following statement: "Referring to your two telegrams of the 19th and 20th received to-day, Alexander Hamilton is absent; it has been publicly said that he took passage for Mexico, via Monterey, in the diligence of the 12th of February, under the name of Thomas M. Morgan. The American consulate does not know where he is; should he be discovered, I will proceed to obey the order of your ministry. The extradition was demanded of the court of instance, which sent me a requisition for his arrest. I replied that the troops were at its service, and no further communication was made me. By mail I send the printed correspondence." I transcribe the above as the result of your communication on the subject. Independence and liberty! |