File No. 812.00/1699.
[Inclosure.]
Ambassador Wilson to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs.
American Embassy,
Mexico, May 3,
1911.
Informal.]
My Dear Mr. de la Barra: My Government, to
which I transmitted a telegram recounting our very satisfactory
conversation of the 21st ultimo and the spontaneous and unreserved
expressions of cordial friendship which you were kind enough to make
upon that occasion, was most agreeably impressed with this renewed
evidence of the justness of the favorable impression which you had
made during your successful and patriotic labors as ambassador of
Mexico at Washington.
The Secretary of State, Mr. Knox, was therefore greatly surprised to
receive from the American chargé d’affaires in Buenos Aires a
telegram reporting that the newspaper La Prensa had published the
following telegram from the Mexican minister for foreign affairs to
the Mexican chargé d’affaires in Buenos Aires:
I have just informed Chamber of Deputies regarding peace
negotiations with revolutionists and present relations with
the United States. Regarding the first point, I stated that
the Government did not initiate them but was willing to
consider definite propositions inspired by patriotism, and,
regarding second, stated that difficulties exist, but
expressed Government’s disposition to settle all of them
amicably, calling attention to the fact that the presence of
a large number of North American troops so near the Mexican
frontier might give rise to an unexpected conflict.
It is perhaps superfluous for me to say, my dear Mr. de la Barra,
that by Government claims no right to comment adversely upon the
confidential communications which may be exchanged between the
department over which you so worthily preside and the diplomatic
representatives of Mexico abroad, but, as your telegraphic
instructions have evidently been communicated to La Prensa by the
Mexican representative in Buenos Aires, or at least have obtained
publicity through a diplomatic indiscretion, they necessarily become
a subject for consideration by my Government, which is interested at
this moment in eliminating from the diplomatic exchanges between the
two countries anything whatsoever which may not be conducive to a
frank and excellent understanding.
My Government is compelled to consider statements such as these,
published with what appears to be official sanction, may be
productive of a misunderstanding of the unquestionably friendly and
disinterested attitude which, as is well known to the Mexican
Government, the United States has uniformly maintained in its
relations with this Republic.
I am obliged, my dear Mr. de la Barra, for the purpose of preserving
that spirit of candor and confidence, which should exist between the
department under your charge and the Department of State at
Washington, to bring this matter to your attention, but knowing your
comprehension of the spirit which animates the Government of the
United States and the disinterestedness of its foreign policy, I
have thought it due to our mutual friendship, which I cherish very
highly, that the incident should be brought to your notice in a
purely informal way, which, in a measure, takes it out of the domain
of official discussion.
I am, etc.,
