No. 478.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, April 18, 1874.
(Received May 5.)
No. 135.]
Sir: I am this day in receipt of your dispatch No.
90, March 25, relating to the interference of General Cortina, at Matamoras,
in preventing the extradition of one Alexander D. Hamilton. Immediately on
receipt thereof, I sent to the minister of foreign affairs a copy of the
dispatch of Mr. Wilson, inclosed in your No. 90, with a representation that
the Government of the United States would expect such orders to be given as
will allow the treaty to be carried into effect according to its terms.
(Inclosure 1.)
Within an hour after the transmission of this note, I was personally informed
by the minister that the President had aleady seen some notice of the action
of General Cortina in the public press, and had at once sent telegrams to
the governor of the State, to General Cortina, and to the military
commander, calling for information on the subject, [Page 745] 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.]
Mr. Foster to Mr.
Lafragua.
Legation of the United States,
Mexico, April 18,
1874.
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
1881, his extradition may he 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,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 135.]
Mr. Lafragua to Mr.
Foster.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, April 18,
1874.
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,
