Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-12-09
GEN. CARRANz.A|
EXPLAINS TO
GOV. HUNT
IN REPLY TO LETTER FROM Chief
EXECUTIVE Of ARIZONA, Pro-
TESTING ABOUT EXECUTIONS Ar
JUAREz BY GEN. VILLA, REBEL
LEADER MAKES EXPLANATIONS.
SAYS CONDITIONS IN
mexico ARE Different

( Phoenix, Ariz., Dec. "a letter
from General Venustiano Carranza, de
Tending the execution by General Fran
cisco Villa of federal officers cap'urec
at Juarez and telling why Bloody re
prisals were being visited by the reyo
lutionists upon Huertaista prisoners OF
war. was given out today by Governor
| George w. p. Hunt Of Arizona,
Carranzas letter. dated at Hermo
sillo, Sonora. Mexico, November u
was in reply to communication
which Governor Hunt sent to the reb
ell chieftan suggesting that a continu
alton OF summary executions by insur
gent commanders would horrify the
people of the United States and alien
late their sympathy.
! Governor Hunt wrote as a private
citizen, not as governor of Arizona. He
said he held the constitutionalist lead
er in high esteem and feared that a
repetition of the executions which fol
lowed the fall of ,Iuarez would lneVl'
tably rebound to the disadvantage OF
the constitutionalst cause in Mexico
so far as it is related TO the citizenship
of the United States.
Carranza's letter says:
Esteemed Governor and true friend.
Il am pleased to acknowledge the
receipt of your interesting letter OF
Ithe 18th inst, written relative to the
Occupation of the city of Juarez by the
constitutionalst forces, under the i'm
mediate command of General Villa, and
! to assure you of my gratitude for the
high regard for me personally which
iyou expressed therein.
while recognizing with pleasure
THE spirit of frank friendship which
actuated your letter, your personal
sympathy and that of the people of
| the United States with the struggle in
! furthcrance of civilization and justice
which we are carrying on, | cannot
the less deplore the fact that, with an
Imperfect understanding of the pc
cular character of the Mexican prob
lens, there is likelihood in certain
cases, and Notwithstanding ones good
intention of placing wrong construc-
ltion on some of our acts.
This is due, in all probability. to
the fact that the criminal acts with
which this struggle was begun and the
cruel measures employed to maintain
it are forgotten.
when Mexico had realized the SUI
preme democratic prerogative of elect
ing her own representatives and had
reason to expect in the midst of
peace and tranquility the periodical
change of public officials only by an
expression of popular will, most
corrupt minority of the defeated fac
tions, after attempting to overthrow
for all time our political institutions
by means of violence alone, have de-
stroyed the lives, the rights and the
interests of our fellow citizens: have
carried out bloody executions without
regard to any law; have murdered
constitutionalists who fell wounded
while fighting for the liberty of the
people, and the deputies and senators
who have defended with their power
of speech our democratic institutions,
have torn away from their homes
peaceful men and even boys, to COM
pei them to take arms against us, or
have filled them with terror by devas-
tating entire cities.
Destructive acts of the character
have made it apparent that the cause
which | represent has constituted not
only a political reform revolution, but
also has the character of preceding
calm and severe justice which punish.
es the culpable and safeguards the
Mexican family s,
II have determined, within the
spirit of our constitution and without
any feeling of passion, but deliberately
and with circumspection to pursue
these ends, until gradually the exer- !
else Of clemency and magnamity can |
be attained in satisfaction of an i'm !
perative demand of justice and the
urgent necessity of securing peace and !
Of assuring the future welfare of the I
nation | have determined to enforce /
and in accordance with the I
which was duly issued
On May IA, 1918, the law of Juarez of +
January %, 1862, which defines and .
delincuencies inimical to
he public peace. 7
with strict Difference to the law
the Huerista officers were
ried and executed in the city of
Tuarez. Among them were some who
,ad been captured at Torreon by this
iame General Villa who after pardon
ng them agreed that they should be
Unlisted by our forces. Thereafter
hey endeavored, but unsuccessfully
o create detection of the men
shom | entrusted to their command,
inally deserving to re engage in crime.
1T is true that the established
rinciples observed in international ,
vars extend to prisoners the choice of
ardon or immunity from bodily harm, ,
ut in civil struggles the most civiliz- ,
d nations in all ages have employed ,
lore rigorous and bloody means even