Texas, directing him to report fully in the matter, and meantime, to insist on a temporary stay of proceedings. Accept, Sir, the renewed assurance of my high consideration. Referring to previous correspondence in the matter of the proceedings for the ejectment of Hipólito Mena from the Chamizal tract, and especially to the Department's note informing you that the Attorney General had been requested to direct the United States Attorney at El Paso, Texas, by telegraph, to insist on a temporary stay of proceedings and to report fully thereon, I have the honor to say that the Department is to-day in receipt of a letter from the Department of Justice, informing the Department that a telegraphic report has been received from the United States Attorney, in which he states that Mena has given an appeal bond to the County Court for the January Term. The United States Attorney also states that Mena is and has always been a mere tenant, having never acquired any title to the property in question, and that the evidence is in sharp conflict as to the landlord under whom Mena obtained possession, the Mexican claimants saying that Mena got possession to enter from them, and the American landlord contending contrariwise and showing a written lease and rent payment thereunder from the day of first entry. The District Attorney has been instructed to report fully by mail, and the Department will communicate further with you upon the receipt of his detailed report. Accept, Sir, the renewed assurance of my high consideration. For Mr. Knox: Señor Don BALBINO DÁVALOS, HUNTINGTON WILSON. Assistant Secretary of State Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of Mexico. Señor de la Barra to Mr. Knox. EMBAJADA DE MÉXICO EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA. WASHINGTON, 21 de marzo de 1910. Número 40. Con referencia á las notas anteriormente cambiadas entre ese Departamento y esta Embajada relativas al lanzamiento de Hipólito Mena de tierras del Chamizal, tengo la honra de informar á Vuestra Excelencia que, habiendo tenido mi Gobierno conocimiento cierto de que no asiste la justicia á dicho individuo en la acción entablada en cuanto al derecho de posesión á los predios situados en la región del Chamizal, y deseoso de demostrar mi própio Gobierno una vez más la buena voluntad y el espíritu de rectitud que le anima para zanjar todas las dificultades que se han presentado en el arreglo de la cuestión del Chamizal, pendiente entre ambos Gobiernos, se ha apresurado á darme instrucciones para que retire la petición que á ese Departamento presentó esta Embajada á fin de que se suspendieran temporalmente los procedimientos que en contra de Hipólito Mena se siguen ante el Juzgado de Paz en El Paso, Texas. Reitero á Vuestra Excelencia las seguridades de mi más alta consideración. F. L. DE La Barra Excelentísimo Señor PHILANDER C. KNOX, Secretario de Estado de los Estados Unidos de América, [Translation.] EMBASSY OF MEXICO TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, March 21, 1910. No. 40. Most Excellent Sir: With reference to the notes heretofore exchanged between your Department and this Embassy in regard to Hipólito Mena's eviction from Chamizal lands, I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that my Government having ascertained that the said person holds no legal right in the action instituted as to the title to farming lands in the Chamizal tract, and being desirous of giving further evidence of the good will and upright spirit by which it is animated in reaching an amicable settlement of all the difficulties encountered in the disposal of the Chamizal question pending between the two Governments has hastened to instruct me to withdraw the request made of your Department by this Embassy for a temporary stay of the proceedings instituted against Hipólito Mena before the Justice of the Peace of El Paso, Texas. I renew to Your Excellency the assurances of my highest consideration. His Excellency PHILANDER C. Knox, F. L. DE LA BARRA. Secretary of State of the United States of America, No. 212. Excellency: Washington, D. C. Mr. Wilson to Señor de la Barra. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note, No. 40, of the 21st instant, conveying the gratifying information that, your Government having ascertained that Hipolito Mena, whose eviction from El Chamizal has been the subject of correspondence between the Government of Mexico and this Department, holds no legal right in the action instituted as to the title to farming lands in the Chamizal tract; and being desirous of giving further evidence of the good will and upright spirit by which it is animated in reaching an amicable settlement of all the difficulties encountered in the disposal of the Chamizal question pending between the two Governments, has instructed you to withdraw the Embassy's request for a temporary stay of the proceedings instituted against Hipólito Mena before the Justice of the Peace of El Paso, Texas. Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration. For Mr. Knox: HUNTINGTON WILSON, Assistant Secretary of State. His Excellency Señor Don FRANCISCO LEÓN DE LA BARRA, Ambassador of Mexico. La Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores me da noticia por telégrafo de la resolución que ha dictado el Juez Walthall del 41er Distrito Judicial de Texas, en el juicio número 5033, dando una orden de lanzamiento contra George Paul, José Martínez y otros 51 ocupantes mexicanos de El Chamizal. Dicha orden debe haber sido puesta ayer en manos del Sheriff para su ejecución. Como esto violaría el mantenimiento del statu quo concertado entre las dos Cancillerías, me permito suplicar á Vuestra Excelencia que se sirva disponer que por telégrafo se den las órdenes necesarias para que se impida el cumplimiento de esa resolución. Aprovecho esta ocasión para reiterar á Vuestra Excelencia las seguridades de mi más alta y distinguida consideración. F. L. DE La Barra Excelentísimo Señor PHILANDER C. KNOX, [Translation.] EMBASSY OF MEXICO Washington, D. C. TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WASHINGTON, February 5, 1910. No. 492. Excellency: The Secretary of Foreign Relations gives me notice by telegraph of the decree that Judge Walthall of the 41st Judicial District of Texas has pronounced in case number 5033, containing an order of ejectment against George Paul, José Martínez and 51 other Mexican occupants of El Chamizal. Said order must have been placed yesterday in the hands of the Sheriff for its execution. As this would violate the maintenance of the statu quo agreed upon by the two Foreign Offices permit me to beg Your Excellency to cause the necessary directions to be sent by telegraph to prevent the carrying out of that judgment. I improve this occasion to reiterate to Your Excellency the assurance of my most high and distinguished consideration. F. L. DE LA Barra. Most Excellent Mr. PHILANDER C. KNOX, No. 179 Excellency: Washington, D. C. Mr. Wilson to Señor de la Barra. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 10, 1910. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. 492, of the 5th instant, in which you inform the Department that Judge Walthall, of the Forty-first Judicial District of Texas, has issued an order of ejectment against George Paul, José Martinez, and fifty-one other Mexican occupants of El Chamizal. You state that this action is in violation of the maintenance of the status quo agreed upon between Mexico and the United States; and you request that telegraphic instructions be given to prevent the execution of the judgment. In reply I have the honor to say that the Department took the matter up immediately by telegraph with the Attorney-General, requesting that telegraphic instructions be sent to the appropriate district attorney, directing an investigation of the matter in question. Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration. For Mr. Knox: HUNTINGTON WILSON, Assistant Secretary of State. His Excellency Señor Don FRANCISCO LEón de la BarRA, Ambassador of Mexico. |