No. 491.
Mr. Fish
to Mr. Foster.
Washington, September 8, 1874.
Sir: Your dispatch No. 173 of the 21st ultimo, relative to the murder of Americans in Mexico, has been received. The Department learns with much pain the facts therein stated.
One of the most atrocious of the many cases of that kind was the killing, in March last, of the Rev. John L. Stephens at Ahualulco, in the State of Jalisco. The circumstances were such that the Mexican government appears to have felt compelled to act promptly in the matter. That course was taken accordingly, much to our gratification, and in your dispatch No. 133, of the 15th of April last, you report that seven of the assassins had been tried and condemned to death, from which sentence they had appealed to the supreme court. It does not appear what were the grounds of the appeal, or whether they had been passed upon by that tribunal. It is inferred, however, that they were still under consideration, as the case is one of those which you mention in your note to Mr. Lafragua of the 11th ultimo. You will further inform him orally, but confidentially if need be, that this must necessarily become an international affair unless it shall be satisfactorily disposed of and without unreasonable delay. Its obvious peculiarities will not allow this Government to take any other course.
I am, &c.,