702.1211 Laredo/10: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Mexico (Johnson)
551. Department’s 550, December 20, 8 p.m. Following telegram has been received from Governor of Texas dated December 20th:
“Valls was District Attorney for many years at Laredo. Upon the creation of a new district court I appointed him district judge and R. L. Bobbitt to succeed him as district attorney. I later appointed R. L. Bobbitt Attorney General of Texas, which office he now holds and Valls asked to be appointed to his old position of District Attorney, which he formerly held. I have had considerable correspondence with him but I never saw him but once. He has enjoyed the reputation of being honest and fearless in the performance of his official duties. I am not advised as to whether he was proceeding in the recent matter with or without a grand jury indictment. If he had a case against [Page 524] the party in question I cannot criticise him for undertaking to perform his duty but I do believe that when it was made known to him that the United States Government had extended immunity from arrest to the party in question that he should have recognized the attitude of the Government without attempting to create any scene or disturbance. Under the constitution and laws of this State the district attorney acts as an independent public official and he is not subject to the orders of the Governor of the State.
Last summer when the threat was made to arrest Calles I took the matter up with Mr. Bobbitt who was at that time district attorney and he took it up with Mr. Valls who was then district judge. You will recall the disposition of the matter. I am not informed of any differences that may have existed between Mr. Valls and any other public citizen of Mexico. I feel confident that you can say to representatives of the Mexican Government that the attitude of the people of Laredo toward the people of Mexico is such that they need not anticipate any unpleasantness upon the reestablishment of the relations which have heretofore existed.”
The Department does not intend to answer Governor Moody’s telegram for the time being.