The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-20
MExICAAS ARE DEFIANT.
MAKE SHARP REJOINDER To
HUNTINGTON WILSON'S NOTE.
through Minister of Foreign Affairs.
MaderO Repudiatcs Intentional Re.
spOnsibility for Acts of Rebel Orozco
-Dcplores Assistant Secretary's
Course.

leo replied to the note of Acting Sec
retary Huntington Wilson tonight de-
Ginning to assume responsibility for
Orozco's acts, denying the right of
the Washington government to deliver
the admonition contained therei1.
taxing exception to the warning to
Orozco through Consul Letcher and
deploring the making public of this
communication in the same note TO
which the government was required
TO make answer.
The reply was given to the press by
Senor Claro, minister of foreign re-
lauons. 1t denies the right of the
Washington government to admonish
Mexico for the reason that"it is not
based on any justifiable incident. 1t
denies responsibility by the consti-
tuted government for acts committed
in territory removed from law while
accepting full responsibility for every
loss or damage sustained for foreign
ers legally chargeabe to the gov
ernment.
A caution has been issued to lead
ers Of the federal forces to insure
proper treatment Of foreigners who
may be taken as prisoners of war, at
the same time it is asserted that no
basis exists for supposing that any
either course would be pursued. Oroz-
co is held to be answerable for his
offenses only to the Mexican courts
and therefore should not have been
the recipient or diplomatic communi-
cation.
After setting forth at length the
causes for the Washington note, the
minister continued in part:
'In reply and by express instruc-
tions cf the president Of the republic
have the honor to say to your ex-
cellency:
THE Mexican government has full
consciousness Of it's duties and neither
by its acts nor by the manifestations
OF its functionaries has it given a rea-
son to doubt the sincerity of it's de-
termination to cause to be respected
the generally accepted principles of
International law and the rules which
govern the conduct Of civilized ma
tiOns. Your government has recog-
nized this in the notes which 1 have
the honor to answer and by means
Of other repeated demonstrations Of
friendship toward the government
and the people Of Mexico, which
demonstrations so highly and so cor
daily have been esteemed in this
country.
For these reasons the Mexican
government finds itself in the painful
necessity of not recognizing the right
Of your government to make the ad-
montion which the note contains for
the reason that is is not based on any
incident that has been chargeable to
the Mexican government and which
could signify that it might have de-
parted from any observance OF the
tional law.
THE government of the United
States may be assured that it is the
firm determination of the Mexican
government to observe and to cause
to be observed the principles of in
ternational law and laws of the coun-
try, which latter are in full conforr. =
ity with the former, with respect to
American citizens or other foreigners
who may be made prisoners among
the rebel forces.
Orders have been sent to the mill
tary chiefs that if it should happen
that foreign subjects should be taken
prisoners. these should be treated in
conformity with the laws of the re-
public and Of international practice.
Far from evading responsibilities
which may be contracted by illegal
acts against the lives and property
of foreigners the government accepts
beforehand such responsibilities when
these by their nature should he
charge upon the government: but il
refuses and will always refuse To ac-
cept responsibilities of other charges.
which any other government may at
tempt To impose upon il outside these
principles
My government has taken no
To the rebel Orozco by order of your