Poster to J. M. Lafragua, November 27, 1874

No. 403. Mr. Foster to Mr. Fish.

Sir: In conformity to the instructions contained in your dispatch No. 147, of October 19th ultimo, I communicated to the Mexican minister of foreign affairs, on the 18th instant, the substance of the letter of Professor Benton, of the Pacific Theological Seminary, in relation to the safety of Messrs. Watkins and Morgan, friends and associates of the fate Rev. John L. Stephens, and expressed the hope that the Mexican government would take such additional measures as it might find requisite to secure their protection and the freedom of religious worship.

Under date of the 28th instant, Mr. Lafragua, in acknowledging the receipt of my note, states that he has transcribed a copy thereof to the governor of the State of Jalisco, recommending him to take the measures which he may deem efficacious for giving Messrs. Watkins and Morgan the security which the law guarantees; and that he had also addressed an excitative to the supreme court of justice, before which is still pending the appeal of the persons convicted of the assassination of Rev. Mr. Stephens, in order that the said business may be terminated as soon as possible.

While I have been disappointed in the manner in which the judicial proceedings in the case of the assassins of Mr. Stephens have been conducted, and do not recognize the full force of the statements contained in the last paragraph of Mr. Lafragua’s note, I have thought proper to defer a reply for the present, in the hope that some prompt and satisfactory termination may be had to the judicial proceedings.

I am, &c.,