Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

the attention of the Government of the United States to a letter from Victor L. Ochoa, published in the Citizen, of Albuquerque, N. Mex., of the 6th instant, and dated the 18th of the previous February, which has been reproduced in several newspapers, and among them The Two Republics, of Mexico, as you will see in the inclosed clipping.__That letter shows that Ochoa is still intent upon organizing in the United States new expeditions against Mexico, and this, in the opinion of the Government of Mexico, makes it the more urgent that he should be imprisoned and brought to trial.

Accept, etc.,

Mr. Gresham to Mr. Romero.

M. ROMERO.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, March 28, 1894.

SIR: Referring to your note of the 19th instant, representing the importance to your Government of the arrest and trial of Victor L. Ochoa, alleged to be organizing in the United States expeditions against Mexico, I have the honor to inform you that I am in receipt of the reply of the Attorney-General to the letter addressed him on the subject, of which you were advised in my note of acknowledgment of the 22d instant.

The Attorney-General states that he will be happy to instruct the proper district attorney to proceed at once to prosecute any violation of the neutrality laws of the United States upon being furnished with any tangible evidence of such violation. The supposed letter of Ochoa published in the Albuquerque Citizen he thinks only creates a suspicion, but gives no facts upon which a prosecution by the Government of the United States can be initiated, and he will be pleased to receive any such facts that may come to your knowledge.

Adding that the War Department will be happy to cooperate toward the ends of justice whenever the Attorney-General may be in a position to act upon positive information of actual or attempted infraction of the statutes in this regard, I take the occasion to renew, etc.,

W. Q. GRESHAM.

Mr. Romero to Mr. Gresham.

LEGATION OF MEXICO,

Washington, March 29, 1894. (Received March 29.)

MR. SECRETARY: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your note of yesterday in which, referring to mine of the 19th instant touching the importance of the arrest and punishment of Victor L. Ochoa, who is endeavoring to prepare in the United States expeditions against Mexico, you state that the Attorney General informs you that he will take pleasure in instructing the proper district attorney to institute proceedings against Ochoa for violation of the neutrality laws whenever he is furnished with positive evidence of violation of said laws, and that he does not consider as evidence of that nature the letter of Ochoa published by the Citizen of Albuquerque which I submitted to you in my above-mentioned note.

You also state that the War Department will cordially cooperate on its part with the Attorney-General to the same purpose.

I have the honor to say, in reply, that if the letter published by Ochoa in the Citizen of Albuquerque is not sufficient in order to institute proceedings against him—and granting that the opinion of the Attorney-General on this point is of great weight-it affords no reason why he should not be prosecuted for the expedition which he organized in the United States in 1893 and carried out into Mexico, where he committed many crimes, being ultimately driven off by the Mexican forces.

I have, under instructions of the Government of Mexico, requested the arrest and trial of Ochoa for violation of the neutrality laws in the United States in organizing in this country an expedition in arms against a friendly nation, of which the facts can be proved before the competent Federal court of this country, and I am confident that the Government of Mexico will assist in adducing all the evidence that may be necessary in the case. Should the Attorney-General of the United States think it necessary to examine the evidence before proceeding against Ochoa, I shall apply for the same at once.

Please accept, etc.,

Mr. Uhl to Mr. Romero.

M. ROMERO.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, April 6, 1894.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith copy of a letter1 from the Attorney-General touching the subject of your note of the 29th ultimo, in which you requested the prosecution of Victor L. Ochoa for organizing in the United States in 1893 an armed expedition against Mexico.

The Attorney-General calls attention to the fact that your note does not specify in what State or Territories the alleged armed expedition was organized, and he states that if you will furnish him with the evidence to establish the violation of the neutrality laws of the United States, he will at once forward it to the U. S. attorney for the proper district with instructions to immediately institute such proceedings as the evidence will justify. Accept, etc.,

EDWIN F. UHL,

Mr. Romero to Mr. Gresham.

[Translation.]

Acting Secretary.

LEGATION OF MEXICO,

Washington, June 20, 1894. (Received June 20.)

MR. SECRETARY: With reference to our previous correspondence in regard to the organization by Victor L. Ochoa of a band of people armed in the State of Texas for the purpose of invading Mexico, I have the honor to inform you that I am in receipt of authentic information to the effect that Ochoa, who had left the State of Texas to escape from prosecution on the ground of violation of the neutrality laws of the

'Not printed.

United States, is now at the Hotel Espanol e Hispano Americano, No. 116 West Fourteenth street, at New York.

The Government of Mexico has instructed me to secure the apprehension and punishment of Ochoa, and with the wish that he may be brought to justice so that this may serve as a warning and prevent the organization of similar bands in the future which are the cause of so many evils on the frontier of both countries, I advise you of Ochoa's whereabouts so that the proper proceedings may be taken in conformity to the laws of this country.

Be pleased to accept, etc.,

M. ROMERO.

Mr. Uhl to Mr. Romero.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, June 20, 1894.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of this day's date, giving the present whereabouts of Victor L. Ochoa, who, you state, has left Texas to escape prosecution for a violation of the neutrality laws of the United States in organizing an armed force for the invasion of Mexico.

A translation of your note has been furnished to the Attorney-General for his information.

In this relation I have the honor to inform you that the evidence submitted with your note of the 14th ultimo has been forwarded to the U. S. attorney for the western district of Texas, with instructions to present the same to the grand jury for indictment.

Accept, etc.,

Mr. Uhl to Mr. Romero.

EDWIN F. UHL,
Acting Secretary.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, June 29, 1894.

SIR: Referring to previous correspondence on the subject of the prosecution of Victor L. Ochoa for an alleged violation of the neutrality laws of the United States, I have the honor to state that I am informed, through the Attorney-General, that the grand jury at El Paso, at the April term, 1894, returned a true bill of indictment against Ochoa on that account.

The U. S. district attorney for the western district of Texas has been informed of the whereabouts of Ochoa, as furnished by you.

Accept, etc.,

EDWIN F. UHL,

Acting Secretary.

No. 132.]

NICARAGUA.

RIGHTS OF FOREIGN RESIDENTS.

Mr. Baker to Mr. Gresham.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Managua, Nicaragua, November 1, 1893.
(Received November 23.)

SIR: Since my dispatch No. 121, of October 24, there has been quiet in the politics of Nicaragua. The persons who were imprisoned on the night of the 22d, as reported in said dispatch, have been assigned respectively to close confinement in Leon, Chinendega, and El Viejo, but no new arrests or banishments have taken place.

The constituent assembly has continued its sessions and has spent the last four days in rather heated debate on the articles of the new constitution relating to the rights of foreign residents in this Republic. I beg to send you inclosed a copy and translation of the articles which were finally adopted on the 31st ultimo.

Article 12 created the greatest amount of discussion and was finally approved yesterday by a vote of 15 to 14.

Considerable excitement has prevailed among the foreign residents. of this city on account of the new measures taken, and much irritation has been felt by them at their intended subjection to the extraordinary taxes, as well as to the provisions of the above-mentioned articles 10 and 12.

But I have not felt called upon to take any official notice of the action taken by the assembly. I have had, however, two personal interviews with President Zelaya, during which the question came up. One of them has been reported in my dispatch No. 121; the other I had yesterday morning, a short while before article 12 was definitely approved.

In the latter, President Zelaya and Vice-President Ortiz both assured me that while a number of members wanted to place the provision mentioned in the new constitution, on account of former instances in which foreigners had made unjust claims, the more enlightened element thought it might prove a menace or hindrance to immigration, and they both believed there would be ultimately a majority against the article. In this, however, they were mistaken, as the same morning it passed the assembly with a majority of one vote.

I am still in the hope that, before the constitution will be adopted as a whole, some changes may be made to the articles in question.

I beg, etc.,

[Inclosure 1 in No. 132.-Translation.]

LEWIS BAKER.

Articles relating to foreigners in the new constitution of Nicaragua, now under discussion. NOVEMBER 1, 1893.

ART. 9. Foreigners shall enjoy in Nicaragua all the civil rights of Nicaraguans. ART. 10. They may acquire all kinds of property in the country, but they shall be subject, in regard to this property, to all ordinary and extraordinary charges to which

FR 94-28

433

the natives may be subject. They can not make any claim whatever nor ask for any indemnity except in the cases and in the manner in which Nicaraguans could do so. ART. 11. The Republic of Nicaragua is a sacred asylum for any person taking refuge within its territory. Extradition for political crimes is prohibited, even if common crimes should result from them. The treaties shall establish the cases in which extradition may take place on account of common crimes.

ART. 12. Foreigners who may bring unjust diplomatic claims shall, unless the latter be adjusted in a friendly manner, lose all right to reside within the territory of the Republic.

No. 135.]

RELATIONS WITH HONDURAS.

Mr. Baker to Mr. Gresham.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Managua, Nicaragua, November 3, 1893.
(Received November 23.)

SIR: In the line of keeping you informed upon the condition of affairs in Central America, I inclose herewith a telegram detailing certain action by the Government of Honduras, which seems to threaten the peace of this country. I also inclose a copy of a personal letter which I addressed to Hon. Pierce M. B. Young, U. S. minister to Guatemala and Honduras, covering this telegram. The telegram and letter are self-explanatory.

I also transmit herewith copy of a telegram which tends to show the existence of a very unfriendly feeling in Salvador toward Nicaragua, and another mentioning some troubles on the frontier of Honduras. I am, etc.,

LEWIS BAKER.

[Inclosure 1 in No. 135.]

Mr. Baker to Mr. Young.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Managua, Nicaragua, November 3, 1893.

MY DEAR SIR: I take the liberty of handing you herewith a copy of a telegram which has come into my possession. It will give you a glimpse of the uneasy condition of political feeling in this section of the country. My excuse for troubling you with this communication is founded upon the threatening attitude of Honduras, which country is within your jurisdiction as a public official, towards Nicaragua. While it is true that a small number of political refugees from Honduras are now and have been for some time residing in Nicaragua, I feel reasonably well assured that the Government of this country entertains no hostile feelings toward its neighbor on the north. On the contrary, I am convinced that it is the earnest and honest desire of the present Government of Nicaragua to cultivate the most friendly relations with all its neighbors, and that it is the highest ambition of the President and his colleagues to give to this people a good and stable government, guaranteeing peace to the citizen and personal rights to all.

President Zelaya, Vice-President General Ortiz, and the ministry are young men of good ability, and they have governed, considering the unsettled condition of affairs when they came into power, wisely and

« AnteriorContinuar »