the American Section is in the Guarantee Trust Building, Rooms He tenido la honra de recibir la nota de Usted número 169, fechada el 20 del actual y anexos, todo referente al juicio y procedimientos en el caso de Warder y otros contra Cotton, pendiente ante la Suprema Corte de los Estados Unidos. En contestación me permito manifestar á Usted que ya pongo el contenido de dicha nota y anexos en conocimiento de mi Gobierno, para los fines á que haya lugar. Me es grato reiterar á Usted, Excelentísimo Señor, las seguridades de mi más alta y distinguida consideración. Excelentísimo Señor ELIHU ROOT, JOSÉ F. GODOY Secretario de Estado de los Estados Unidos de América. I have had the honor to receive your note No. 169, dated the 20th instant and its accompaniments, all relating to the hearing and proceedings in the case of Warder and others versus Cotton, pending before the Supreme Court of the United States. In reply I beg leave to say that I am acquainting my Government with the contents of the said note and enclosures, for all per tinent purposes. I take pleasure in renewing to you, Most Excellent Sir, the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration. JOSÉ F. GODOY. Most Excellent Mr. ELIHU ROOT Secretary of State of the United States of America. Señor Godoy to Mr. Root. EMBAJADA DE MÉXICO EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA N. 144. Present. WASHINGTON, 24 de Febrero 1908. Refiriéndome á la nota de Usted, número 169, fecha 20 de Enero último, relativa al caso de Warder y otros vs. Cotton, en que, al contestar á la nota de esta Embajada, número 75, fecha 13 de Noviembre próximo pasado, manifiesta Usted que ese Departamento se ve obligado á creer que los abogados de Warder se equivocan al asegurar que ningún terreno al Norte de la línea de 1852 estaba en disputa en el juicio de Cotton contra Warder y otros, tengo la honra de poner en conocimiento de Usted que mi Gobierno me comunica que si bien es cierto que en el resto de El Chamizal difiere notablemente la verdadera posición del Río Bravo en 1852, tal como se deduce de las notas de campo originales de Salazar y Emory, de la que pretenden asignarle Warder, Clarke, Cameron y socios, no lo es menos que en la zona particular llamada "Cotton Addition" casi se confunde y que el litigio citado envuelve una área muy considerable de las tierras que quedan al Sur de la verdadera posición del río de 1852. Mi Gobierno me manifiesta además que la pretensión de Warder y socios á toda la parte de El Chamizal que quede al Norte de la posición del río en 1852, oficialmente definida en planos internacionales, es enteramente ajena á México, quien no sostiene, ni puede sostener, derecho alguno en esta disputa, sino á la región que está al Sur de la citada verdadera posición del Río Bravo en 1852, y á esta región Sur es á la que se refería la representación del Gobierno en el caso de Warder vs. Cotton, sin intervenir en lo más mínimo en la zona Norte de la "Cotton Addition," que por ahora no se halla sometida á controversia internacional ninguna. Mi Gobierno cree, por tanto, tener razón al pedir que se suspenda todo fallo judicial, ó expropiación prematura, en la parte considerable de la "Cotton Addition" que queda comprendida entre el río actual y la posición que tuvo en 1852, señalada en el plano que se halla en la página 97 del volumen i de las Actas de la Comisión Internacional de Límites Fluviales. Añade mi Gobierno que, en su concepto, es cierto que varios advenedizos (squatters) han tomado posesión de los terrenos en disputa; pero que esa circunstancia no altera la gravedad del hecho esencial de que los tribunales americanos estén dando indebida posesión de propiedades en disputa internacional, pendiente de arreglo amistoso, á ciudadanos americanos, antes de que se haya declarado la validez de su título. Ruego á Usted acepte, Excelentísimo Señor, las seguridades de mi más alta y mi más distinguida consideración. José F. GODOY Excelentísimo Señor ELIHU ROOT, Secretario de Estado de los Estados Unidos, etc, etc, etc. [Translation.] EMBASSY OF MEXICO TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, February 24, 1908. No 144. Most Excellent Sir: Referring to your note No. 169 dated the 20th of January last, relative to the case of Warder et al. vs Cotton, in which you say, in reply to this Embassy's note No. 73 of November 13 last, that your Department is constrained to believe that the counsel of Warder are in error when they assure that no land lying north of the 1852 line is in dispute in the suit of Cotton against Warder et al, I have the honor to inform your Excellency that my Government tells me that while it is true that the true location of the Rio Grande in 1852, as shown in Salazar and Emory's field notes, is notably different in the remainder of the Chamizal from that assigned to it by Warder, Clarke, Cameron and associates, it is equally true that in the particular zone known as the "Cotton Addition" it is nearly the same and that the litigation embraces a very large area of land lying south of the true location of the river in 1852. My Government further tells me that the claim of Warder and his associates to that part of the Chamizal which lies north of the location of the river in 1852 as officially defined in international maps, does not in any way concern Mexico which does not and cannot vindicate any right in that dispute, but not so as regards the territory lying south of the aforesaid true location of the Rio Grande in 1852 and that southern region is that to which the Government's representations referred in the case of Warder vs Cotton without in the least meddling with the northern zone of the "Cotton Addition" which is not at present the subject of any international controversy. My Government therefore believes it is justified in asking the suspension of any judicial decision or premature expropriation in that large part of the "Cotton Addition" comprised between the present and the 1852 location of the river as shown in the plan on page 97 of Volume I of the Acts of the International Water Boundary Commission. My Government adds that, in its opinion it is true that several "advenedizos (squatters)" have taken possession of the lands in dispute, but that this circumstance does not affect the gravity of the essential fact that American Courts are granting undue possession of property in international dispute, pending an amicable arrangement, to American Citizens, before the validity of the title has been pronounced. I beg you to accept, Most Excellent Sir, the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration. Most Excellent Mr. ELIHU ROOT, JOSÉ F. GODOY. Secretary of State of the United States of America. Mr. Bacon to Señor Godoy. Serial No. 205. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, March, 11, 1908. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. 144, of the 24th ultimo, stating that your Government lays no claim to land north of the old bed of the Rio Grande in 1852, as officially defined in international maps; but believes it is justified in asking for the suspension of all judicial discussion and acts in regard to the large part claimed south of the said line, in the Warder case. The Department feels satisfaction in knowing that your Government concurs so entirely with its views as to the light in which the legal proceedings in the case of Warder v Cotton should be regarded, in so far as these proceedings related to the title to lands north of the international boundary line as fixed in 1852 and as shown on the map, page 97, vol. 1, of the report of the International Boundary Commission. In so far as the suit in question related to lands south of that line, it should be observed that it is believed that the action of this Department in taking a stipulation from the defendants in error in the above-mentioned case, as stated in the Department's note of November 5, 1907, amounts to a substantial compliance with the views of your Government, at the same time that it avoids interference with the undisputed rights of American citizens to litigate the title to land admittedly American territory. Accept, Sir, the renewed assurance of my high consideration. ROBERT BACON, Señor Don José F. GODOY, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of Mexico. Acting Secretary. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO CERTAIN THREATENED EJECT MENT PROCEEDINGS. Señor Creel to Mr. Root. EMBAJADA DE MÉXICO EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA WASHINGTON 7 de Enero de 1908. No. 116. Excelentísimo Señor: Con referencia á los antecedentes en el asunto de El Chamizal, tengo la honra de informar á Usted que un grupo de personas que ocupan lotes y casas en los terrenos en disputa en El Paso, Texas, se quejan de que nuevamente se trata de lanzarlos de dichos lotes y casas. |