Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-27

1913.
hand, we greatly deplore the present ten
sion in our relations with your country,
a tension which has been produced with
ont Mexico having afforded the slightest
cause therefor. The legality of the gov
eminent of Gen. Huerta cannot be dis
puted. Article S. of our political consti
tuition provides:
If at the beginning of a constitutional
term neither the president nor the vice
president elected present themselves. or
If the election had not been held and the
results thereof declared by the 1st of
December. nevertheless, the president
whose term has expired will cease In his
functions. and the secretary for foreign
affairs shall Immediately take charge OF
the executive power in the capacity of
provisional president: and If there should
be no secretary for foreign affairs, if
he should be incapacitated. the presi
dency shall devolve OH one of the other
secretaries pursuant to the order provid-
ed by the law establishing their number.
The same procedure shall be followed
when in the case Of the absolute or
temporary absence of the president, the
vice president fails to appear. when on
leave of absence from his post il he
should be discharging his duties, and
when. in the course of his term. the alb
solute absence of both functionaries
should occur"
Resignation of Madero.
Now. then, the facts which occurred
are the following: The resignation OF
Francisco l. Madero. constitutional pres
ident. and Jose Maria Pine SuareZ. con-
stitutional vice president of the repub-
lie. These designations having been &C
copied, Pedro Lascurain, minister of for
egn affairs. took charge by operation of
law of the vacant executive power. APP
pointing, as he had the power to do. Gen.
Victoriano Huerta to the post of minister
of the interior. AS Mr.. Lascurain soon
afterward resigned. and as his resigna
ton was Immediately accepted by con-
gress, Gen. Victoriano Huerta took charge
or the executive power, also by operation
of law. with the provisional character
and under the constitutional promise al
ready complied with to issue a call for
special elections. AS will be seen, the
point of issue is exclusively one of con-
stitutional law in which no foreign ma
ton, no matter how powerful and re-
spectacle it may be, should mediate in
the least
Moreover, my government considers
that at the present time the recogni-
t1on of the government of Gen. Huerta
by that of the United States Of Amer
lea is not concerned, fnaSmuch as facts
which exist on their own account are
not at hand and cannot be susceptible
of recognition. The only thing which
is being discussed is d suspension of
relations as abnormal and without rea-
son, abnormal. because the ambassador
of the United States of America, in his
high diplomatic investiture and appear
ing as dean of the foreign diplomatic
corps credited to the government of
the republic, congratulating Gen.
Huerta upon his elevation to the Presi-
dency, continued to correspond with
this department by means of diplomatic
notes. and on his departure left the first
secretary of the embassy of the United
States of America as charge d'affaires
ad interim and the latter continues
here in the free exercise of his func-
tons; and without reason, because. |
repeat we have not given the slightest
preteXt
Speaks of Mexican Esteem.
The confidential agent may believe
that solely because of the sincere es-
TEEN in which the people and the gov
eminent of the United States Of Amer
lea are held by the people and govern
ment of Mexico. and because Of the
consideration which it has for all
| friendly nations (and especially IN TINS
| case for those which have offered their
good offices). my government consent
| ed to take into consideration, and TO
| answer as briefly as the matter per-
mits, the representations of which you
4
have rejected them Immediately be-
cause of their humiliating and unusual
| character hardly admissible even In
| a treaty of peace after a victory. IN
asmuch as in like case any nation
which in the least respects itself
would do likewise
| 1t is because my government mas CON
fidence in that when the justice Oh It's
| cause is reconsidered with serenity ana
| from a lofty point of view by the pres
| emf President of the United States or
| America, whose sense Of morality and up
Brightness are beyond question, that ne
| will withdraw from his attitude ana Will
| contribute to the renewal of still flrmer
| ha ses for the relations of sincere friend
ship and good understanding forcibly I'M
| posed upon us throughout the centuries
by our geographical nearness, something
which neither of us can change, even
though we would so desire. by eur mu-
tual interests and by our share OF actlV-
| ity in the common sense OF prosperity
welfare and culture, in regard to whlch
| we are pleased to acknowledge that you
are enviably ahead of us.
Asks for Recognition.
With reference to the final part Of the
| instructions of President Wilson, which
beg to include herewith and which say.
| IF Mexico can suggest any better way In
which to, show our friendship. serve the
people of Mexico, and meet our interna-
tional obligations, we are more than will
ing to consider the suggestion. that final
part causes me to propose the following
equally decorous arrangement: One, that
our ambassador be received in Washing
| ton; two. that the United States OF
America send us new ambassador WIN
out previous conditions.
And all this threatening and distress
ing situation will have reached a happy
conclusion; mention will not be made
of the causes which might carry US. II
the tension persists, to no one knows
what incalcuIable extremities for two
peoples who have the unavoidable obli-
cation to continue being friends, pro-
Vided of course. that this friendship
is based upon mutual respect, which is
indispensable between two sovereign
.hol hof To- nd