ROMERO, Secretary to C. General Nicolas de Regules , Chief of the Army of the Centre, October 5, 1866

[Untitled]

I had the honor of receiving to-day your communication of the 9th of August last, from Zitacuaro, in which you inform me of the movements you had made up to that time with the forces under your command, and of the conduct of the French forces that were marching from Queretaro to Toluca, by way of Morelia, having fallen back from San Felipe del Obraje to Anganguco to aid a body of traitors in the latter place, which they heard you were going to attack.

This circumstance, and the French afterwards going from Anganguco to Zitacuaro to attack you, (after their government had assured the United States, as long ago as the 5th of April last, that it would return to the principle of non-intervention, and would withdraw its troops from the republic,) show that the French government has acted with notorious disloyalty, inasmuch as, while saying one thing in its diplomatic notes, it authorizes its soldiers to do the contrary.

For these reasons you request me to communicate the above facts to the government of the United States and to the supreme government of the republic, and to advise you how to act in view of the circumstances.

In reply, I have the honor to inform you that, in accordance with your wishes, and believing the nature of the case requires it, I this day transmit your note to the ministry of foreign relations of the republic and to the Department of State of the United States. Furthermore, I must inform you that, as the French government has made no engagement with ours to withdraw its troops, or to return to the principle of non-intervention, it is not bound to us, and we are under no obligations to it. The war between Mexico and France is the same, as it relates to us, as it was before the arrangement between the French government and the United States; and our duty now, as it always has been, is to continue the contest to the extent of our abilities, without trying to effect a truce with the French army, which, in reality, has no existence.

The engagements of the French government are with the United States and have nothing to do with our government; yet, as the government of the republic is on friendly terms with that of the United States, I think it would be, at least, an act of courtesy on our part to communicate to it all information we may have in regard to the course followed by the French in Mexico, with a view that it may make a proper use of such information in accordance with its sense of honor and its interest; but we have no right to demand anything of it.

I am sorry to say to you that I have not yet received the communication you mention to have addressed to me from the hacienda of Tiripitio, on the 31st of July last. The previous one I received, before the one I am now answering, is dated Zitacuaro, the 12th of July.

For these reasons I repeat to you the assurance of my distinguished consideration.