No. 469.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, March 4, 1874.
(Received March 24.)
No. 117.]
Sir: On the 27th ultimo I addressed Mr. Lafragua,
minister of foreign affairs, a note in accordance with the instructions
contained in your dispatch No. 68, informing him of the investigation which
the Secretary of the Interior caused to be made of the Indian incursions
from Arizona Territory into the State of Sonora, Mexico, and expressed the
hope that he would be satisfied from this action and the instructions given
by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the agent of the Chiricahua
(Apache) Indians of Arizona, of which I inclosed a copy, that careful
inquiry had been made into the complaints, and that vigorous and effective
measures bad been, and would be, adopted to restrain the Indian tribes of
Arizona, and put an end to their depredations in the State of Sonora. I, at
the same time, conveyed to Mr. Lafragua the assurance contained in your
dispatch that there is every disposition on the part of the Government of
the United States to prevent a recurrence of occasion for complaints of this
character. (Inclosure 1.)
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Mr. Lafragua has acknowledged the receipt of my note, under date of the 2d
instant, conveying his thanks to me for calling your attention to the
complaints of the Mexican press in regard to the depredations of the Indians
from Arizona, and expressed the conviction that the action which the
Government of the United States has been pleased to take will produce the
most satisfactory results, as also his obligation for the disposition
manifested that there may be no further occasion for similar complaints.
(Inclosure 2.)
Since the date of my dispatch No. 36, on the 27th of August last, the consul
of Guaymas, Sonora, Mr. Willard, has repeatedly advised me of the Apache
depredations in Sonora; and the Mexican press has published additional lists
of murders and robberies alleged to have been committed by these Indians
from Arizona Territory.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 117.]
Mr. Foster to Mr.
Lafragua.
Legation of the United States,
Mexico, February 27,
1874.
Sir: I have the honor to inform your excellency
that on the 27th of August last, in a dispatch of that date, I directed
the attention of my Government to the complaints which had appeared in
the Mexican press, in reference to the depredations of the Apache
Indians of Arizona Territory upon the citizens of the State of Sonora,
Mexico; and inclosed for its information articles from the “Two
Republics,” of this city, and the “Estrella de Occidente,” of Sonora,
containing a list of the alleged depredations and other details.
Immediately upon its receipt the Secretary of State sent a copy of my
dispatch, and of its inclosures, to the Secretary of the Interior, under
whose supervision and control the Indian tribes of the United States are
placed, by whom an investigation was at once ordered. The result of that
investigation has been forwarded to me by the Secretary of State,
embracing a large number of reports, affidavits, and letters from the
officials of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, of the Territory of Arizona,
and from citizens. I transmit to your excellency a copy of the
communication of the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, with
which he forwarded the result of the investigation to the Department of
State, as also a copy of the letter of instructions sent by the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the agent of the Chiricahua (Apache)
Indians of Arizona, from which, I trust, your excellency will be
satisfied that careful inquiry has been made into the complaints, and
that vigorous and effective measures have been, and will be, adopted to
restrain the Indian tribes of Arizona, and put an end to depredations
from that Territory in the State of Sonora.
I am instructed to assure your excellency that there is every disposition
on the part of the Government of the United States to prevent a
recurrence of occasion for complaints of this character.
With this occasion I renew to your excellency the assurance of my high
consideration.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
117.—Translation.]
Mr. Lafragua to Mr.
Foster.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, March 2,
1874.
Sir: Your excellency’s polite note of the 27th
ultimo informs me that, on the 27th of August of last year, your
excellency was pleased to call the attention of your Government to the
complaints found in the Mexican press concerning the depredations
committed in the State of Sonora, by Indians from Arizona Territory,
sending for that purpose copies of the Two Republics of this city and of
the Estrella de Occidente, of Ures Sonora.
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I cordially thank your excellency for this step, not doubting that the
measures which the Government of the United States has been pleased to
take, which were to be expected from its sense of justice, and which are
found in the two inclosures which your excellency transmitted, will
produce the best and most satisfactory results; and I am much obliged
for the kind desire expressed by you that there may be no further
occasion for similar complaints.
I repeat to your excellency my sincere thanks, at the same time renewing
the assurance of my distinguished consideration.
