Foster to J. W. Foster , United States, February 1, 1870

No. 208. Mr. Foster to Mr. Fish.

Sir: In the legation dispatch No. 364, of December 24 last, the answer of the Mexican government is given to the request of the Secretary of the Interior that said government would issue orders to the local authorities to enable Mr. Edgar, the special commissioner, to remove the remnants of the Kickapoo and Lipan Indians to the interior of Mexico, which answer was to the effect that information which had been asked of the governor of the State of Coahuila was necessary before the action of the government could be determined.

On the 21st ultimo Col. Thomas G. Williams, special commissioner for the removal of the Mescalero Apache Indians, located in the State of Chihuahua, arrived in this city and communicated to me the result of his mission, as far as he had been able to make any progress, a copy of whose communication to me I inclose. From this it will be seen that the government of Chihuahua and the Mexican Indian commissioner had effected a satisfactory arrangement with these Indians in the shape of a treaty which provides for removing them to reservations in the interior of the country, so distant from the frontier as to effectually put an end to further incursions into Texas. The federal government of Mexico had not, however, approved of such treaty, and Colonel Williams and the Mexican commissioner deemed it necessary to come to this capital in order to represent the situation to the Mexican government and this legation, in order that an early and desirable conclusion might be reached.

On the 26th and 28th ultimo I had conferences with Mr. Arias, acting minister of foreign affairs, and urged the importance of the Mexican government making a final and satisfactory settlement of the Rio Grande frontier Indian question. I stated that all the Indians who could be persuaded to return to their reservations in the United States had already left Mexico; and that if his government declined, for want of authority or for other reason, to compel them to return, the obligation would rest upon it to adopt such measures as would prevent them from committing depredations in the United States; and that I agreed with our commissioners in the opinion that this could only be accomplished by the removal of the Indians to some distant localities in the interior of Mexico.

I further informed him that Colonel Williams, commissioner for the Indians in Chihuahua, was now in this city, and that Mr. Edgar, commissioner for those in Coahuila, was in Saltillo, both awaiting action on the part of the Mexican government; and that the present afforded the most opportune occasion to finally dispose of this long-standing and vexatious question.

I also stated that these commissioners were in Mexico merely to facilitate and second the action of his government; and that the United States were only interested in protecting their citizens by securing the removal of these Indians from the frontier, the method and locality of their removal being a subject to be determined by the Mexican government. Mr. Arias assured me that his government was entirely in accord with the views expressed by me; that it was ardently desirous of promptly and effectually settling the Indian question; and that it was resolved to remove them to some distant point in the interior, and keep them under the surveillance of the war department. He said that there was no difference materially affecting the question between the executive and the governor of Chihuahua; that it was only desired to ascertain the best method of securing the removal of and maintaining control over the Indians; and that the minister of war would be very glad to have the benefit of the information and experience of Colonel Williams in coming to a conclusion upon the subject.

On yesterday, by special invitation and appointment, Colonel Williams had a conference with the minister of war and the Mexican Indian commissioner of Chihuahua, with special reference to the Mesca-lero-Apaches; and Colonel Williams is confident that some early and successful measures will be taken, which will accomplish the object of his mission.

I will continue to give the subject my attention, and hope at an early day to be able to report the entire removal of the Indians from the Rio Grande frontier.

I am, &c.,