nations, I hastened (though, in view of Mexico's remoteness from the scene of hostilities, there seemed to be no urgent call for action) to proclaim the measures of neutrality demanded by the fact that our country is friendly to both belligerents. RELATIONS WITH PERSIA. In order to reciprocate the special mission which His Majesty the Shah of Persia was pleased to send to Mexico the Mexican minister at Paris, invested with the character of ambasador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, was sent on a similar special mission to the capital of the Persian Empire. Both there and during the whole of his passage through Persian territory our envoy received signal marks of courtesy and attention. His visit cemented the excellent relations created by the Persian mission to our country. A MINISTER FROM CHINA. The Imperial Government of China has appointed its representative at Washington to come to Mexico in a similar capacity. This will be the first opportunity afforded to us to receive a diplomat from that interesting nation, with which Mexico for some years past has had a treaty of friendship and commerce. NEW ZEALAND POSTAGE RATES. The Government of Great Britain having manifested a desire to reduce the postage rates on letters addressed from New Zealand to Mexico, a convention covering the point was recently signed, and to-day it is sent to the Senate in compliance with the requirements of the constitution. RELATIONS WITH AUSTRIA. There will also be sent to that high chamber a convention, signed on December 31 last, the object of which is to regulate the friendly relations existing between Mexico and Austria-Hungary on the same lines as laid down in the treaty of September 17, 1901, with the single difference that for its validity the period of one year from the date of the exchange of ratifications has been fixed. No. 2481.] Mr. Clayton to Mr. Hay. AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mexico, October 12, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a clipping from the Diario Oficial containing the message of President Diaz delivered at the opening of Twenty-second Mexican Congress, on the 16th ultimo, together with a clipping from the Mexican Herald containing a translation of the same. I have, etc., [Inclosure.] POWELL CLAYTON. Extracts from Merican Herald, September 17, 1904. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. Last night, with the customary ceremony, President Diaz opened the first period of sessions of the Twenty-second Congress, and on that occasion read a message reviewing the condition of public affairs. The following is a translation of the message in question: Messrs. Deputies, Messrs. Senators: The fact that the Twenty-second Congress of the union is on this day inaugurated, coupled with the memories which this anniversary arouses in the heart of every Mexican, lends added interest to this solemn ceremony in which I am called on to perform the duty imposed on me by article 63 of our fundamental law. FOREIGN RELATIONS. In the first place, I take pleasure in informing you that our foreign relations have preserved their friendly character, for, though during the time that has elapsed since my last report an incident occurred which might have had painful results, a friendly disposition on both sides brought it to a satisfactory termination. INCIDENT WITH GUATEMALA. The documents published last month in the Diario Oficial will have apprised you that as several soldiers were passing in front of the Mexican legation in Guatemala city in charge of a prisoner the latter escaped and penetrated into the zaguan of the edifice, whither, without asking permission, his custodians followed him and whence they forcibly dragged him out. The minister of Mexico, as soon as informed of the occurrence, lodged a protest, as was his duty, demanding satisfaction for the outrage and the chastisement of the guilty parties. The Government of Guatemala ordered an investigation and, without doubt misinformed as to what had transpired, declined at first to accede to these demands. though expressing regret at the incident. Mindful of the sentiments of fraternity which have always animated us in our relations with Guatemala, the Government was loath to go to extremes in the manifestations of its displeasure and merely took care to instruct its diplomatic representative to press his demands, seeing that the testimony of various persons who had been eyewitnesses of the occurrence left no doubt that an outrage had been committed. It is gratifying to me to inform you that this conduct, marked by both firmness and prudence, produced the desired result, seeing that the Government of Guatemala gave satisfaction to the Government of Mexico by yielding to its demands, which involved an expression of regret at what had occurred and the punishment of the person who proved to have been directly guilty. RELATIONS WITH PARAGUAY. For the first time a Mexican minister has visited the capital of Paraguay in acknowledgment of the courtesy of that country in sending a plenipotentiary to this Republic three years ago. Through reports received by the department of foreign relations and through newspapers published in those parts, it has been learned that both the Government and people of Paraguay extended a most cordial welcome to our representative, thus improving the already pleasant relations which have always existed between the two sister nations. MINISTER FROM CHINA. For the first time also our Republic has been visited by a representative of the remote Chinese Empire, who was received both by the governor and the society of the capital with the consideration due to his personal accomplishments and his high mission. On our side a person has been designated to represent the nation at the court of Peking, and any day now he may be expected to present his credentials. Thus diplomatic relations, which will be of mutual advantage, have been established between the two countries. POSTAL CONVENTIONS. There has been promulgated in this country a convention entered into between Mexico and Great Britain for the interchange of postal money orders, enabling the Mexican public to avail itself of this mode of remittance with any other country in the world through the instrumentality of the British post-office. Two conventions with the Republic of Cuba, one for the interchange of correspondence and the other for the interchange of postal packages, have also been promulgated. It is undoubted that these three international agreements will be of mutual advantage to the nations concerned. If the facts which I have just communicated to you offer no special novelty, they at least portray faithfully the country's situation as far as the interests, the administration of which has been confided to the Executive, are concerned and corroborate the conviction which now prevails generally throughout the world that the Republic has entered resolutely upon the ways of unquestioned progress. Peace, order, and legality, aided by the sound sense which now characterizes the people of Mexico, are well known to be the causes of this favorable situation in the history of the country. The permanence of those blessings and their increasing development will depend in future on the same causes, seeing that the obstacles which formerly trammeled public prosperity have been removed, and in order to preserve and expand it indefinitely nothing will be needed but the endeavors and industry of every good citizen and the timely and patriotic labors of the people's representatives in the exercise of the powers with which the constitution has clothed them. MURDER OF J. B. MAXWELL, J. C. MAXWELL, AND ENOCH WOODWORTH. Mr. Loomis to Mr. Clayton. [Telegram. Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Mr. Loomis states that it is reported that three Americans, J. B. Maxwell, J. C. Maxwell, and Enoch Woodworth, were cruelly murdered on the Yaqui River, and instructs Mr. Clayton to invoke the good offices of the Mexican Government for the apprehension and punishment of the murderers.) Mr. Clayton to Mr. Hay. No. 2347.] AMERICAN EMBASSY," SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Loomis's telegram of yesterday regarding the reported murder, on the Yaqui River, of three Americans, J. B. Maxwell, J. C. Maxwell, and Enoch Woodworth, and instructing me to invoke the good offices of the Mexican Government for the apprehension and punishment of the guilty parties. I inclose herewith a copy of my note to the foreign office on the subject. I have, etc., POWELL CLAYTON. [Inclosure.] Mr. Clayton to Mr. Mariscal. AMERICAN EMBASSY, MR. MINISTER: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a telegram, which I have just received from the Department of State, relating to the reported mur der, on the Yaqui River, of three Americans, J. B. Maxwell, J. C. Maxwell, and Enoch Woodworth. If the facts are as represented I respectfully invoke the good offices of your excellency for the apprehension and punishment of the guilty parties. I renew, etc., Mr. Clayton to Mr. Hay. POWELL CLAYTON. No. 2435.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mexico, September 10, 1904. SIR: Referring to previous correspondence relative to the murder of the American citizens J. B. Maxwell, J. C. Maxwell, and Enoch Woodworth, I now have the honor to inclose copy of correspondence between this embassy and the American consulate at Guaymas, Mexico, upon the subject. The especial attention of the Department is invited to the letter of Governor Rafael Izabal to George H. Lesser, consular agent at Guaymas, referring to the finding of the dead bodies of the murdered citizens and the measures which have been taken to discover the authors of the crime, four individuals having been arrested as apparently guilty of the same and placed under the control of the proper judicial authorities, who, with all possible diligence, are conducting the investigation, etc. I have, etc., POWELL CLAYTON. [Inclosure.] Mr. Crocker to Mr. Clayton. AMERICAN CONSULAR SERVICE, Guaymas, Sonora, August 30, 1904. SIR: Your letter of the 13th instant was received during my absence. Mr. Lesser, who acted for me during my absence, took the matter up with Governor Izabal, and his letter concerning the case is inclosed for your information. The crime referred to occurred in the northern part of the State, and I have no knowledge of same further than that gleaned from the newspapers. I have taken the liberty of forwarding your letter to Mr. Morawetz, at Nogales, requesting him to furnish you such infromation as he may have covering the case. Respectfully, [Subinclosure.-Translation.] FRANK M. CROCKER. Governor of Sonora to the American consular agent at Guaymas, Sonora. HERMOSILLO, August 22, 1904. DEAR SIR: I beg to answer your favor of the 19th instant, and to state that, in fact, on July 17 last, and at a place named "El Arco," district of Moctezuma, the dead bodies of the Americans J. A. Maxwell, Maxwell, and Enoch Woodward, were found, who appeared to have been murdered. Energetic measures were at once dictated to discover the authors of the crime, and two days later four individuals were arrested as apparently guilty of the same. Said men having been placed under the control of the proper judicial authorities, the latter, acting with all possible diligence, are conducting the investigations necessary to disclose the facts, to the end of applying the proper penalty upon those who may be declared guilty. I am, etc., RAFAEL IZABAL. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF MEXICO RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT. Mr. McCreery to Mr. Hay. No. 2326.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mexico, June 20, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to inclose copy and translation of amendments to the constitution of Mexico, passed by the Congress, ratified by the legislatures of the several States, and promulgated by the President on the 6th ultimo. Heretofore, in the event of the death or permanent disability of the President, the minister for foreign affairs would act as President until a President was chosen at a new election, which should be at once called. Under these amendments a Vice-President will this year be elected with the President. The Vice-President will be president of the Senate and may hold another office to which he may be appointed by the President, as a post in the cabinet. In case of the death or permanent disability of the President, the powers and duties of the office of President shall devolve upon the Vice-President for the remainder of the term for which he was elected. In case of the temporary disability of the President, or when he has been granted a leave of absence by the Congress, the executory powers shall devolve upon the VicePresident. By these amendments the term of office of the President is increased from four to six years. President and Vice-President will be inaugurated on December 1, proximo, under these amendments. The election will be held next month. The only candidates announced are Porfirio Diaz, actual President, for reelection; and Ramón Corral, minister of government, for Vice-President. I have, etc., FENTON R. MCCREERY. [Inclosure. Translation.] Amendments to the constitution of Mexico, relating to the election of President and Vice-President of the Republic. DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT-MEXICO-FIRST SECTION. The President of the Republic has been pleased to transmit to me the following law: Porfirio Diaz, constitutional President of the United Mexican States, to the people thereof, greeting: That the National Congress has seen fit to issue the following decree: The Congress of the United Mexican States, availing itself of the powers conferred upon it by article 127 of the federal constitution, and by virtue of the unanimous approval of the legislatures of the States, it hereby declares that articles 72, 74, 78, 79 to 84, inclusive, and first section of article 103 of said constitution, shall be amended according to the following terms: SINGLE ARTICLE. Sections XXXI and XXXII of article 72 are hereby repealed, and paragraph A of article 72, articles 74, 78, 79 to 84, inclusive, and the first section of article 103, are amended according to the following terms: ARTICLE 72. A. The exclusive powers of the House of Deputies are: I. To constitute itself an electoral college in order to exercise the powers which the law may assign to it in respect to the election of President and Vice |