Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1914-04-24
REGITES SERIES OF INSULTS


he hoped no war would result. He de.
clared the American people did not
seek war with the Mexican nation, but
that the only idea he had in using
force was against Huerta, who, he de.
clared, did not represent the Mexican
people. Wilson's address follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress-It Is
my duty to call your attention to a
situation which has arisen in our deal
ings with General Victoriano Huerta
at Mexico City, which calls for action.
and to ask your advice and cO-Opera.
ton in acting upon it.
On the ninth Of April a paymasteT
OF the United States steamship Dol
phln landed at the Iturbide bridge
landing at TampicO with a whalebOat
and boats crew to take off certain
supplies needed by his ship, and while
engaged in lOaC4ng the boat was ar
rested by an officer and squad of men
of the army of General Huerta.
NelLner the paymaSter nor anyone
OF the boats crew was armed. Two OF
the men were in the boat when the
arrest took place and were obliged to
leave 1t ana submit to be taken into
custody, Notwithstanding the fact that
the boat carried, both at her bow and
stern, the nag of the United States.
proceeding up one OF the streets of the
town with his prisoners when met by
an officer OF higher authority who or.
dered him to return to the landing and
await orders, and within an hour and
a half from the time of the arrest or
ders were received from the COM
mander of the Huertista forces at
TampicO for the release Of the pay
master and his men. The release was
followed by apologies from the COM
mander and later by an expression OF
regret by General Huerta himself.
General Huerta urged that martial
law obtained at the time at TampicO;
that orders had been issued that no
one should be allowed to land at the
Iturbide bridge, and that our sailors
had no right to land there. Our naval
commanders at the port had not been
notified of any such prohibition, and,
even If they had been, the only Justi-
fable course open to the local author
tiles would have been to request the
paymaster and his crew to withdraw
and to lodge a protest with the com
handing officer of the fleet.
Admiral Mayo regarded the arrest
as so serious an affrOnt that he was
not satisfied with the apologies offer
ed, but demanded that the flag OF the
United States be saluted with special
ceremony by the military commander
of the port.
The incident cannot be regarded as
a trivial one, especially as two OF the
men arrested we're taken from the
boat itself-that is to say, from the
territory of the United States; but had
it stood byitself 1t might have been at
tributed to the ignorance or arrogance
of a single officer.
Unfortunately it was not an isolated
case. A series of incidents have re
Gently occurred which cannot but
create the impression that the repre-
sentatives OF General Huerta were
willing to go out of their way to show
disregard for the dignity and rights OF
this government and felt perfectly
safe in doing what they pleased. max
ing free to show IN many ways their
irritation and contempt.
A few days after the incident a.
Tampico an orderly from the United
States steamship Minnesota was ar
rested at Vera Cruz while ashore in
uniform to obtain the ships mail and
was for a time thrown into Jan.
An official dispatch from this gov
eminent to its embassy at Mexico was
withheld by the authorities OF the tel
egraphic service until peremptOrily
demanded by our charge d'attaires IN
So far as can learn, such wrongs
and annoyances nave been suItereo 10
occur only against representatives oil
the United States. ! have heard OF nc
complaints from other governments OF
similar treatment.
II was necessary that the apologies
of General Huerta and his representa-
tives should 90 much further, that
thev should be such as to attract the
attention OF the whole population TO
their Significance, and such as to i'm
Dress upon General Huerta himself the
necessity of seeing to it that no fur
ther occasion for explanation and, pro
fessed regrets should arise. |, there
fore. felt Il my duty to sustain Ad-
miral Navo in the whole of his demand
and to insist that the flag Of the Unit
ed States should be saluted in such a
Uav as TO indicate a new spirit and at
titude on the part of the Huertistas.
such a salute General Huerta has
refused, and l have come TO ask your
approval and support In the course
now purpose to pursue.
If armed conflict should unhapplly
come as a result of his attitude of per-
sOnal resentment toward this govern
ment. we should be fighting only Cen
eral Huerta and those who adhere 70
him and give him their support, ana
orr object would be only TO restore 20
fhe Deople of the distracted republic
fine opportunity to set up again their
own laws and their own government.
We would not wish even to exercise
the good offices of friendship without
their welcome ana CONSENT. Inc ~
ME of Mexico are entitled to settle
fbeir own domestic affairs in their
own way, and we sincerely desire to
respect their right.
T. therefore, come to ask, your ap;
provai that / should use the, armed
forces of the United States In such
ways and to sucn an extent fro1i as 4eSy al
Hnerfa and his adherents the fullest
recognition of the rights and dignity
If the United States, even amidst the /
conditions now unhappiiy
obtaining in Mexico. !. bo No
There can in what we. 90 pc no |
thought Of aggression OF OF sSI 1a3nts{5 |
fbe e. dignity and authority Of the Unit |
ed al States only because we wish always |
10 keep our great influence unim. m ar |
sd for the use of liberty both IN tne
limited States and wherever else
Cos hananF