J. M. Lafragua to To His Excellency John W. Foster , Envoy Extraordinary and, June 19, 1875

Mr. Lafragua to Mr. Foster.

Mr. Minister: Iliad the honor of receiving, with its in closures, your excellency’s note of the 8th of May last, in which you are pleased to inform me that you have received instructions from the State Department to call the attention of the Mexican government to the subject concerning the Kickapoo and Lipan Indians, to their depredations and return to their reservations, and to urge that a definite decision be adopted with a view of settling, in an effective manner, this affair so long delayed.

Your excellency further states that the State Department is reluctant to believe that the authorities of this capital are insincere in their declarations of good-will, but that it is to be hoped they will have sufficient influence over the local authorities and residents of the frontier to cause their orders to be respected, and remove the obstacles which the United States commissioners find in their way.

For this reason your excellency enters upon various considerations on the inconvenience that the above-mentioned Indians should remain on Mexican territory, and complains of the bad success met with recently by the United States commissioner sent to remove the Kickapoos, on account of the opposition shown by the local authorities, respecting which your excellency indicates that the government should again take this subject into consideration in order that definite measures be taken to entirely remove that opposition and facilitate the commissioner’s work that their efforts may be successful.

Your excelleney has thought proper to allude to the origin of the presence of the Kickapoos in Mexico, and, supported by Mr. Galindo’s report, your excellency sees an additional reason why Mexico should-show her good disposition toward the United States; and entering on further considerations concerning the difficulties which have been presented for the complete transfer of the Indians, your excellency concludes by repeating the desire that the authorities and citizens of the corresponding localities may be required to abstain from all opposition, and that such measures may be adopted as will secure, in an effective manner, the return of the Indians to their reservations.

Your excellency’s note and inclosed documents have been considered in connection with the previous antecedents already received by my department on this subject, and in conformity with the desire of the State Department of the United States, I have given full account to the President of the republic, who, after having again examined said affair, has directed that I should answer your excellency as I now have the honor to do.

A solution has been sought, in fact, for a long time to the question relative to the Indians of the frontier, on account of the depredations attributed to them, and with the view of causing them to return to their reservations in the United States; but unfortunately, when this last point began to be discussed, the most proper means were not proposed. It was desired that the Kickapoos should be driven away by force, and this was not within the powers of the government. Permission was solicited afterward that United States armed troops should be allowed to enter Mexican territory, to follow up the Indians, and take them to their former reservations; but neither in this case could the government give its assent, both because it was the function of Congress to give permission to foreign troops to enter the national territory, as also because the indiscretion and ill-will of persons in Texas who have suggested the invasion of the frontier, and circulated projects for the annexation of those States to the republic of the north, have engendered among the Mexicans of those frontier localities certain irritation and suspicious fear which might have produced, perhaps, not only results contrary to the wishes of both governments, but an actual conflict between the two nations.

In fact, if your excellency, and also the State Department of the United States, attentively notice the Texas newspapers, their bitter language, the exaggeration of the facts that have taken place, or the complete inexactness, as well as the hard judgment against the inhabitants of the Mexican frontier, without distinction of classes or persons, your excellency and Government will undoubtedly be led to know the origin of certain dispositions and opposition which the Mexican government does not approve, but which are easily explained and in order to oppose and remove these, the Government seeks to act with extreme prudence, avoiding, as far as possible, that those alarming and offensive incidents should be increased, and that they should be responded to with bitterness; for the Government understands that retaliation in the press is not the best means of re-establishing confidence and good harmony between the inhabitants and authorities of that frontier.

The extradition of all these Indians was also at another time proposed; but neither the laws of Mexico nor the respective treaty favored that idea.

Finally the United States entertained the idea of appointing commissioners that should come and in a peaceful manner treat with these Indians, and make arrangements with them for their transportation to the reservations to which they had been assigned. The Mexican government, which has no interest in these Indians remaining in Mexico, not only approved with pleasure that proposition, but, assenting willingly to the suggestions made by the United States minister and Mexican minister at Washington, instructed the local authorities at Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, and Coahuila to facilitate the removal; ordered that the necessary forces should be furnished to escort the commissioners; approved the appointment of a Mexican agent, who diligently, and with good-will, should effectively aid said commission in its work; and the minister of the treasury ordered the necessary measures for the free introduction of provisions and effects necessary for the maintenance and removal of the tribes that were to be transferred to Texas.

As a result of those dispositions, Mr. Atkinson informed the governor of Coahuila, on the 30th of August, 1873, that the greater part of the Kickapoos and all of the Pottawatomies had left for the United States. He thanked him for his aid, and especially for the assistance of Captain Montero, whom Mr. Atkinson wished to meet as Mexican commissioner in case he returned for the rest of the Kickapoos. Your excellency also, in a note dated the 1st of December of the same year, informed me of the recommendation in favor of Captain Montero, expressing the favorable estimation made of his good services.

The short narrative of these facts, known to your excellency, shows in an unmistakable manner the good and constant disposition of the Mexican government concerning this affair, and that the State Department of Washington very rightfully does justice to the Mexican authorities in being reluctant to believe that their declarations are not sincere.

In spite of this, your excellency, in conformity with the information and data received lately from” the Government of the United States, insists that effective dispositions should be dictated to secure the return of the Indians to their reservations in the United States, requiring that the authorities and citizens of the frontier should abstain from all opposition in this respect.

The information received by this department from the government of Coahuila of the success of Commissioner Atkinson in his new expedition is found on the copies which (inclosed) I send your excellency, adding, on my part, that the authorities of said State, as well as those of Tamaulipas, far from showing any opposition to the general government, have stated that the departure of these Indians should be encouraged on account of the harm they do within Mexican territory, and because their depredations in Texas are not only detrimental to the neighboring republic, but because they increase the uneasiness of the inhabitants of both frontiers, cause them to distrust each other, engender animadversion, and serve as a pretext for attributing to Mexicans all the disorders, robberies, and crimes committed in those places, thence originating interminable complaints and hateful recriminations.

Nevertheless, as it is very possible that some inferior agents or some other individuals, moved by private interest, try to hinder the transportation of the Indians, instructions are now given to the respective governors to remove any obstacle that may present itself whenever the removal of the Indians to their reservations is attempted.

It is not true that General Fuero has protested against the removal of the Kickapoos. The fact is that some of the individuals of that tribe, resentful, perhaps, for the unjustifiable assault which they suffered from Colonel McKenzie, and not appearing before Commissioner Atkinson, remained in a place called Nacimiento, where it was not convenient that they should remain; for they could continue doing harm, not only on Mexican territory but in Texas, and thus give origin to new animosities and reclamations. Hence General Fuero asked that they should be brought into the interior, assigning them some reservation distant from the frontier. Accordingly, it was ordered by the minister of war that a proper place should be assigned in the State of Durango in order that the Kickapoos might occupy it, ordering General Fuero, at the same time, to prosecute and punish vigorously the rebellious and guilty Indians.

It is very probable, I repeat, that in those sparsely populated regions there may be some individuals, who, on account of prejudices, whose origin has already been explained, or on account of private speculation, may present some difficulties to the transfer of the Indians, but this transitory evil can only be remedied by the United States commissioners observing the greatest possible prudence, reporting immediately the difficulties met with to the superior authorities of those places, in order that the obstacles may be removed and competent persons be appointed known as capable of honestly aiding the said commission.

With what I have already said I think I have satisfactorily answered your excellency’s note, assuring you that the government will always be well disposed to accept every means proposed for the removal of the savage tribes whenever those means are in accordance with its duties and powers.

I avail myself, with pleasure, of this new opportunity to repeat to your excellency the assurance of my highest and most distinguished consideration.