Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-06-06
IR. CAMPBELL'S s LETTER

success. But have TO express the Dellef
that repetition of the reported seventies
referred to would shock its sensibilities and
check the current of its sympathies. 1t is
believed that such acts to prisoners of war
as are reported can not elevate the charac-
ter of the Mexican States in the estimation
of civilized people, and may tend to bring
into disrepute the cause of republicanism,
and retard its progress everywhere. The
Government instructs me to make known
to President Juarez, promptly and earnest
ly, its desire. that in case of the capture of
the Prince Macmillan and his supporters,
they NAV receive the humane treatment
accorded by civilized nations to prisoners
| of war. r. ..-.-- ..If-e .- r-.. -..-.
| have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your Excellency's most obedient servant,
~ LEWIS D. CAMPBELL.
To his Excellency, S.. Ierdo ID. Ttjada,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United
Mexican States, San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
REPLY OF THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT.
SAN LUIS PoTosI, MEXICO, April %, '67.E
SIR-I had the ehonor y yesterday to receive
the communication which you sent me
i from New Orleans on the 9Th inst. You in
formed me in it that, for reasons which
were understood, you did not come to pre-
sent the President of the Republic your
credentials as Special Messenger and Min
fster Plenipotentiary OF the United States,
and that you have been in New Orleans
since December last. The Government of
i the Republic regrets that these results
should have prevented you from coming to
present your credentials in order to COM
mence the duties of your Office for it
would be very satisfactory for the Goveril-
ment to receive youin, your character Of
representative of the United States 81, $40
b You also informed me that the satisfae-
tien with which the Government of the
United States looked on the retreat of the
French from Mexico, and the advance of
the army of the constitutional Government
Toward the capital, has been disturbed by
| information received concerning the Sc
verify used with the prisoners of war ia
ken at San Jacinto. You also mentioned
that it was the desire OF the United States
government that in case Maxilnilian and
his partizans were captured they should be
treated with humanity, as prisoners OF
war. The enemies OF the Republic, wish
| ing to produce an, unfavorable impression
of the same, have endeavored to talsify
and spread inaccurate information con-
4 cerning the case of the prisoners of
/ San Jacinto. The greater part of them,
considerable number, were pardon
ed, but punishment was meted out to some
of them. They were not looked upon SIM
ply as prisoners of war, but as offenders
against the laws of nations and those of the
Republic. They had just abandoned them
/ selves to every kind of excess and crime in
the city of Zacatecas, because they were
4 fighting like fillibusters, without country,
| without flag, and as mercenaries, paid to
4 shed the blood of Mexicans, who defend
4 their independence and their institutions.
A Some, not a few, of those foreigners taken
4 at San Jacinto were conducted to Zacate-
cas-, where they have been treated with
much benevolence, the same as those taken
elsewhere have been and are treated, be-
cause there were not SO many circumstan-
ii ces of special culpability.
! Tho ri hla p0nluct of the povorn-
ment of the Republic, and that observed
by the officers of -her-armies, has been to
| respect life, and treat with the greatest con-
sideration the prisoners taken from the
French forces; but, on their part, and by
4 order of their principal chief they fire.
quently assassinated prisoners taken from
II the Republican forces. Many times, with
out the formslity of an exchange, the pris
III oners from the French forces have been
generously set at liberty. Many of the
[ principal officers of the French forces have
ordered the burning down of whole cities;
others were decimated by what were called
3 courts-martia1; and, at times, for a simple
suspicion, without the least appearance of
justice, they put to death indefensible per-
Isensi and old men who were not able to bear
arms against them. Notwithstanding this,
II the government of the Republic and her
y officers in general, far from retaliating as
theyo were provoked to do, have ever OBJ
: served the most humane conduct, giving
Z ! constant examples of the greatest generos-
=. ity. In this manner the Republican cause
7 of Mexico has excited the sympathies of
all civilized races. ~ -.-
The French gone, the Archduke Maxi
: milan has desired to continue the shedding
, OF the blood of Mexicans. With the eX-
q ception of three or four cities yet DOM
. iueered by force, he has seen the entire
4 hepublic rise against him. Notwithstand-
9 ing this he has desired to continue the work
{ of desolation and ruin by a civil war. with
: out object, surrounded by some men known
r. by their plundering and grave assassina-
:. tions and the most forward in bringing
,. misfortunes on the Republic" In case
u there be captured persons on whom rest
q tsuch responsibilities, it does not appear to
n lme that they can be considered as simple
q prisoners of war, for these are responsible
d tiles defined by the laws of nations and by
the laws of the Republic. 5saa.
; The Government which has given many
r. proofs of its principles of humanity and
: sentiments of generosity, is also obliged tt
o consider, according to the circumstances o
II the cases, what the principles OF justice de
le mand and the duties which it has to per
3 form for the welfare of the Mexican peo
70 Iple. The Government of the Republic
of hopes that with the justification of its act
Iv lit will continue to have the sympathies o
r. the people and Government of the United
on States, who have been and are held il
the highest estimation by the people ant
Government of Mexico.
1 have the honor TO be,
s---< Very respectfully,
rs' Your obedient servant,
% -sl- ~ SEBASTIAN LERDo DE TEJADA.
- To Lewis D. Campbell, Envoy Extraordin
- ary and Minister Plenipotentiary of tn
.oi TT1;tad Gtotoe 0f Amarioq t0 the TJnite