No. 208.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, February 1, 1870.
(Received February 14.)
No. 375.]
Sir: In the legation dispatch No. 364, of December
24 last, the answer of the Mexican government is given to the request of the
Secretary of the Interior that said government would issue orders to the
local authorities to enable Mr. Edgar, the special commissioner, to remove
the remnants of the Kickapoo and Lipan Indians to the interior of Mexico,
which answer was to the effect that information which had been asked of the
governor of the State of Coahuila was necessary before the action of the
government could be determined.
On the 21st ultimo Col. Thomas G. Williams, special commissioner for the
removal of the Mescalero Apache Indians, located in the State of Chihuahua,
arrived in this city and communicated to me the result of his mission, as
far as he had been able to make any progress, a copy of whose communication
to me I inclose. From this it will be seen that the government of Chihuahua
and the Mexican Indian commissioner had effected a satisfactory arrangement
with these Indians in the shape of a treaty which provides for removing them
to reservations in the interior of the country, so distant from the frontier
as to effectually put an end to further incursions into Texas. The federal
government of Mexico had not, however, approved of such treaty, and Colonel
Williams and the Mexican commissioner deemed it necessary to come to this
capital in order to represent the situation to the Mexican government and
this legation, in order that an early and desirable conclusion might be
reached.
On the 26th and 28th ultimo I had conferences with Mr. Arias, acting minister
of foreign affairs, and urged the importance of the Mexican government
making a final and satisfactory settlement of the Rio Grande frontier Indian
question. I stated that all the Indians who could be persuaded to return to
their reservations in the United States had already left Mexico; and that if
his government declined, for want of authority or for other reason, to
compel them to return, the obligation would rest upon it to adopt such
measures as would prevent them from committing depredations in the United
States; and that I agreed with our commissioners in the opinion that this
could only be accomplished by the removal of the Indians to some distant
localities in the interior of Mexico.
I further informed him that Colonel Williams, commissioner for the Indians in
Chihuahua, was now in this city, and that Mr. Edgar, commissioner for those
in Coahuila, was in Saltillo, both awaiting action on the part of the
Mexican government; and that the present afforded the most opportune
occasion to finally dispose of this long-standing and vexatious
question.
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I also stated that these commissioners were in Mexico merely to facilitate
and second the action of his government; and that the United States were
only interested in protecting their citizens by securing the removal of
these Indians from the frontier, the method and locality of their removal
being a subject to be determined by the Mexican government. Mr. Arias
assured me that his government was entirely in accord with the views
expressed by me; that it was ardently desirous of promptly and effectually
settling the Indian question; and that it was resolved to remove them to
some distant point in the interior, and keep them under the surveillance of
the war department. He said that there was no difference materially
affecting the question between the executive and the governor of Chihuahua;
that it was only desired to ascertain the best method of securing the
removal of and maintaining control over the Indians; and that the minister
of war would be very glad to have the benefit of the information and
experience of Colonel Williams in coming to a conclusion upon the
subject.
On yesterday, by special invitation and appointment, Colonel Williams had a
conference with the minister of war and the Mexican Indian commissioner of
Chihuahua, with special reference to the Mesca-lero-Apaches; and Colonel
Williams is confident that some early and successful measures will be taken,
which will accomplish the object of his mission.
I will continue to give the subject my attention, and hope at an early day to
be able to report the entire removal of the Indians from the Rio Grande
frontier.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Williams to Mr.
Foster.
City of
Mexico, January 25,
1876.
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following
statements:
Having been charged by the Hon. Secretary of the Interior of the United
States with the duty of endeavoring to remove to a United States
reservation from the borders of Mexico and Texas certain bands of
Mescalero Apaches, who for many years have been committing depredations
upon citizens of the United States in Texas”, and generally taking
immediate refuge upon Mexican soil in the southeastern part of
Chihuahua, I last year proceeded to that State. The governor, Señor Don
Antonio Ochoa, evinced a cordial spirit of co-operation in the work, and
a sincere desire to see a speedy and permanent end put to the
depredations of those Indians.
With that view, he requested Col. Joaquin Terrazas, an officer of the
Mexican army stationed in that State as lieut. inspector of military
colonies, to act with me. And the governor also selected and designated
Señor Don Juan Zubrian, a prominent citizen of Chihuahua, to act as a
special commissioner of the State with me. At various times, first in
company with Colonel Terrazas, and subsequently with Señor Don Juan
Zubrian, I met the Mescalero Apache Indians at San Carlos, a village
about 80 miles southeast from Presidio del Norte, and also at the
last-named place.
It was finally evident from several causes and reasons that the
Mescaleros were not willing to accept the offers made to them by me of
removal to a United States reservation. The most influential reason was
because of the strong opposition of certain leading citizens of Presidio
del Norte (now called Ojinaga) and of San Carlos to the removal of the
Indians; their trade was sometimes very profitable. The chief, Arzate,
told me himself of some of the stories told to him by those
citizens.
The Indians expressed at last a strong desire to be permitted to remain
permanently and peacefully located on Mexican soil, provided something
could be done by the Mexican government to keep them from starving if
they should agree to stop stealing. With this object some of the
principal chiefs went to Chihuahua, the city, to see the governor, last
May.
About the 15th or 20th of that month a formal treaty was made and signed
by Col.
[Page 391]
Joaquin Terrazas and
Señor Don Juan Zubrian, on the part of the governor, and by the Indian
chiefs Arzate and Imais. A copy of this agreement or treaty was
furnished to me by Governor Ochoa, with the information that it would
have to be approved by the federal authorities at Mexico. By this
treaty, a copy of which was duly sent by me to the Hon. Commissioner of
Indian Affairs, several important points were secured, even more
satisfactory and beneficial to us than if the Indians had consented to
remove to our reservations; and these points are, that the Mexican
government agree to designate the limits of a reservation in Chihuahua
for those Indians, to furnish them with certain subsistence-stores and
clothing at stated terms, to exercise a constant supervision and control
over them, to establish a military force on the reservation, to require
military service of them, and also, in case of any future depredations
upon Texas, the guilty parties were to be arrested and delivered to the
United States authorities for punishment, &c.
A copy of the said treaty I hand you herewith, together with a copy of
Governor ‘Ochoa’s letter, and a copy of the reply of the President of
Mexico.
By instructions from the Hon. Secretary of the Interior I returned to
Chihuahua last month to ascertain if the arrangements contemplated by
the treaty had been effected. Upon arrival there Governor Ochoa informed
me that the President of Mexico had not approved the treaty, but had
indicated a design to commence a new policy toward these Indians.
The governor said to me verbally, and officially in writing, that he felt
sure the authorities at Mexico did not yet clearly understand the case
and did not appreciate the importance of immediately ratifying the
treaty made last May, and he therefore suggested and urgently requested
me to come to this city for the purpose of putting the subject before
you for such action as you might deem best and proper.
He also at the same time sent Señor Don Juan Zubrian to Mexico to
communicate directly to the authorities all the reasons for a prompt
approval of the treaty. Señor Zubrian is now in this city on that
business.
Whatever may be the ultimate action of the Mexican government, the
governor and people of Chihuahua, Don Juan Zubrian, and myself all
concur in believing that if this treaty le not adopted and the Indians
thereby gradually accustomed to a judicious control and constraint,
instruction, &c., a costly war of extermination must be forthwith
commenced, involving, of course, a great loss of life and property and
expenditure of money far greater than would be required to take control
of the Indians on a reservation for many years; they must be controlled
and fed, or forthwith be killed.
If it should meet with your approval I would very respectfully beg that
an early opportunity be taken to bring this matter to the notice of the
Mexican government, and of requesting that the said treaty be carried
out at once, inasmuch as it would seem to be the first and best step
toward a permanent settlement of Mexican Indian troubles on the frontier
of Texas.
I am, &c.,
Hon. J. W. Foster,
United States Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of
Mexico.
