No. 464.
Mr. Manning to Mr. Bayard.
Mexico, May 7, 1887. (Received May 16.)
Sir: I telegraphed you the result of the court-martial, the outcome of the Nogales affair, whereby Arvizu, the Mexican colonel who commanded the rescuing party, Lieutenant Gutierrez, the original offender and party rescued, and Valenzuela, Sergeant, were all three sentenced to death. * * *
I desire to repeat, what I have before said, that the President evinced, from the instant he heard of this affair, a determination to do everything that my Government could properly ask or expect to vindicate the sanctity of its soil, which had been invaded by these Mexican officers, and the integrity of its jurisdiction from which Gutierrez had been violently wrested. * * *
In this connection I must state to you another circumstance that I think is of good augury. Governor Luis E. Torres, of Sonora, promptly repaired to Nogales, and executed the orders of the National Government for the apprehension of these three officers. He remained on the spot until they were put under military guard, and afforded the most efficient and prompt aid to the Federal Government throughout the whole affair. Now a large number of the citizens of the State of which he is governor have issued invitations to a ball to be given in his honor 5 the invitation itself reciting that “the distinguished services of Governor Luis E. Torres, lent to the country in general and to the State of Sonora in particular, intervening with singular tact in the disagreeable occurrences at Nogales and ably avoiding an international conflict, has inspired us to make him this public manifestation of our gratitude.”
I think it is a circumstance worthy of special note that a large number of Mexicans should voluntarily tender to the governor of their State this manifestation of their approval of his participation in this affair and the assistance he rendered in bringing the offenders against our territorial and judicial jurisdiction to justice. This shows a condition of public sentiment that you will as much rejoice to know as I am to communicate the evidence of it to you.
I am, etc.,