No. 296.
Mr. Nelson to Mr.
Fish
No. 438.]
Legation of the United States, Mexico,
August 30, 1871. (Received September
14.)
Sir: This morning I received your dispatch No. 178,
concerning the recent abortive attempt of officers connected with the Bureau
of Indian Affairs toward removing fragmentary bands of Kickapoo Indians, now
in Mexico, to their appropriate reservation within our own territory. I
immediately sought an interview with the minister of foreign affairs, and
communicated to him substantially the contents of the said dispatch and the
inclosures thereof. He had not been informed of the improper interference of
the local authorities at Santa Rosa, in thwarting the views of our Indian
agent, Mr. Miles, and expressed much surprise at their conduct. He promised
to prevent, if possible, in the future, any such intervention on the part of
government or State officials. Mr. Mariscal having but recently entered upon
the discharge of the duties of minister of foreign affairs, did not appear
to be familiar with the correspondence between this legation and the Mexican
government on this important subject, but said that he would make it a
special study, with a view to another conference with me at an early day. He
assured me that the Mexican government would present no obstacle in the way
of the fulfillment of the humane and peaceful policy of our Government
toward these Indians, who are temporarily residing in Mexico. Mr. Mariscal
said that he would confer with the President in regard to the most feasible
method of aiding our Government in the matter of removing the said Indians,
and expressed the opinion that, the presidential election being over, there
would now be no great difficulty in procuring the sanction of Congress to an
act authorizing the passage of our troops across the frontier for the
purposes indicated in your dispatches.
During the interview, I again called Mr. Marisca’s attention to the
constantly increasing depredations of Indians from Mexico across the
frontier of Texas, and the atrocities and outrages committed by them with
perfect impunity; and said to him, in the language of your dispatch No. 172,
that it might become the duty of our Government at
least to weigh the expediency of pursuing these hostile Indians into Mexico
without the consent of that government, if it should not adopt measures
toward checking the depredations referred to. Mr. Mariscal replied that the
Mexican government had not the power, without the authority of Congress, to
permit the entrance of foreign troops upon Mexican soil; but that if it
should become an imperious necessity for our troops to
[Page 656]
pursue savage and hostile Indians from our
territory into Mexico, he assured me, as he said, unofficially, that the
Mexican government, in his opinion, would not seriously complain.
I beg leave again to call attention to the proposition of the Mexican
government, inclosed in my dispatch No. 216, (bis,)
and also to my dispatch No. 336, of January 10, 1871.
I have the honor to inclose a copy of a communication from our consul at
Monterey, dated August 8, 1871, in regard to the council at Santa Rosa, (A,)
and also a copy of a communication from our commercial agent at Piedras
Negras, on the same subject, (B.) The latter inclosed a very interesting
report from Mr. Miles, our agent, the substance of which has doubtless been
communicated to the Indian Department.
Your obedient servant,
A.
Mr. Ulrich to Mr.
Nelson
United States Consulate, Monterey,
August 8, 1871.
Sir: A short time ago I had the honor to send
you some Texas newspapers containing telegrams regarding the visit of
Colonel Bliss and others, as commissioners from the United States to the
Kickapoo Indians, who are living on this side of the Rio Grande, at or
near Villa Musquiz, (sometimes called Santa Rosa,) in the adjoining
State of Coahuila, for the purpose of prevailing on the Indians to
remove to their reservation in the United States. The newspapers
referred to state that the Kickapoos had agreed to return to their
reservation, but that on the day succeeding to that on which the
arrangement was made, an agent from the governor of Coahuila arrived
among them, and by the distribution of $5,000 among the tribe and by
other means prevailed on them to remain in Mexico.
I was, at the time, rather inclined to doubt the truth of this statement,
but on yesterday I had a conversation with a Seminole negro, “Gopher
John,” who has been on a visit to the Kickapoos, and who was with them
when the money was distributed among them by the agent of Governor
Cepeda. I have no doubt, now, but that such is the case.
This “Gopher John,” although a negro, is a chief among the Seminoles who
remain in this country, and came here with the tribe soon after the
close of the Florida war. He is a shrewd, sharp customer, and his
statements are reliable.
The ostensible reason for this proceeding of the governor of Coahuila is,
that he wishes the Kickapoos to remain on the frontier of his State as a
protection to the inhabitants against the Comanches and other wild
Indians from Texas; but I do not believe that for this reason alone
would be be guilty of so gross a breach of good neighborhood. No doubt
he has been prevailed on by the inhabitants of Musquiz, and the region
around, to retain these Indians there, from the fact that large gains
are reaped from the trade growing out of their raids into Texas, by
which means the ranchos and haciendas are supplied with fine horses and
mules at very low rates. So, under any circumstances, the business is a
bad one, and but one result can follow: if the United States do not soon
insist on the breaking up of this nest of horse-thieves and murderers
the Texans will themselves attend to the matter; and when this takes
place, so great is the feeling against the Mexicans of the frontier that
they will suffer equally with the Kickapoos.
There is no doubt as to the stealing done by these Indians. Their raids
are constant, and their starting on them and their returns are always
well known in their neighborhood.
I am told by reliable persons that on all the ranches on the frontier are
to be found valuable horses, with brands on them of all the
stock-raisers from San Antonio to the Rio Grande; and I know that here
are daily seen on the streets valuable animals, and in greater numbers
than heretofore, that no doubt have found their way here through the
agency of the Kickapoos.
I give you the above facts, as I think it very essential you should know
exactly how this matter stands, and being assured that, before a great
time, serious complications will grow out of the matter.
I also refer you to my correspondence on the same subject with Mr.
Plumb.
I sent you, by last mail, newspapers from Brownsville with articles
marked relating
[Page 657]
to
cattle-stealers’ raids from this side of the river, on the Lower Rio
Grande. Although, no doubt, some allowance must be made for the
customary over-statements of Texas editors, still, there is no doubt but
that the wrongs complained of exist to a great extent, and that the
articles referred to indicate anything but a friendly feeling between
the people on the two sides of the river.
I hope you will be able to do something in this Kickapoo business, as it
must be very evident to you that their remaining in Mexico will not add
much to a complete harmony between the two nations, to say nothing of
the terrible results that will follow a raid of Texans on this
frontier.
I will continue sending you such Texas newspapers as I receive, and I
have no doubt you can judge from them more clearly on these matters than
from anything I can write.
I have the honor, &c.,
J. ULRICH, United States
Consul.
B.
Mr. Schuchardt to Mr. Nelson
United States Commercial
Agency, Piedras Negras,
July 22, 1871.
Sir: In my communication of June 11 I had the
honor to mention to you that a delegation from the Kickapoo reservation,
in Kansas, had gone to Santa Rosa to treat with the Kickapoo Indians
living in that vicinity, about their removal to the United States, and I
offered to communicate to you the result. I have now the honor to
inclose, for your information, an original letter on this subject,
addressed to me by Mr. Miles, the United States Indian agent, giving a
detailed statement of the whole matter. I have also sent several Texas
papers, in which you may note the growing excitement in Texas in regard
to the depredations committed by Mexicans and Indians living in Mexico.
The latest depredations so near San Antonio were perpetrated, in my
opinion, by that band of Lipanes and Mescaleros which, a few months ago,
was provided by Mexicans on this side of the Rio Grande with ammunition
and arms, and as soon as their means of warfare shall be exhausted they
will probably again make their appearance in this vicinity, as usual, in
order to trade off the plunder brought from Texas for new supplies.
* * * * * * *
I am, &c.,
WILLIAM SCHUCHARDT, United States Commercial
Agent.
