The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1916-03-17
Privilege Of Crossing Border
Sought by Mexico.
FORMAL MANIFESTO ISSUED TO PEOPLE
Mexicans Told He Will Fight Before
He Will Surrender Dignity and
Honor Of Mexican Nation.

Mexico City-General Carranza Sun
day night issued a manifesto to the
nation declaring that under no circum-
stances would the Mexican government
grant to the United States right to
violate her sovereignty by sending an
armed force in pursuit of Villa with
out the consent and reciprocal privil-
ege being first obtained and admitted.
General Carranza said in his mani
festo:
81 am sure that interpret in this
matter the national sentiment and that
the Mexican people will comply in a
dignified manner with their duty, be
the sacrifices what they may, to sus-
tain their rights and sovereignty, if
unfortunately this drags us into war
which the United States can never
justify. We will not be responsible
for the disasterous consequences. Up
on the heads of the traitorous Mexi-
cans who, within and without this
country, have labored to produce this
result will fall the inexorabe justice of
the people.
1.-THE cause of the assault which
Francisco Villa and the bandits who
accompanied him made on the town of
Columbus, in American territory,
burning houses and killing some of
the inhabitants, soldiers, as well as
citizens, the international situation in
these moments is very delicate, as the
North American press have melted
their people against Mexico and the
government of that country has dis
cussed the situation in the American
congress, members of which have ad-
vised intervention.
"The constitutional government
which have the honor to represent is
also occupied diligently in an effort to
solve this delicate situation, trying at
all costs to maintain the dignity and
sovereignty of Mexico, and we yet
hope that this lamentable incident may
be decorously arranged and that there
will be no reason for conflict.
81 have addressed the government
of the United States, through the for
eign Office, stating that the invasion
of Villa has historical precedents, as
in the years 1880 and 1886, two par
ties of Indians, coming from the Unit
ed States, invaded Sonora and Chi
huahua, committing crimes and depre-
dations on the lives and properties of
Mexicans.
'It was agreed then between the
governments of the two countries to
permit the respective passage of
armed forces, resulting in the EXTERN
ination of the Indians. I have asked
the American government to pursue a
like course, in order to solve future
difficulties, should they arise, noting
that Villa and his companions are a
group of bandits whose acts the Mexi-
can government or people would not
be responsible for, and that his re-
proschable conduct is due to instiga-
tion of the reactionary element that,
lacking in patriotism and convinced of
it's defeat, is trying by all means to
bring on armed Intervention.
81 have not yet received the answer
of the American government, and
from the reports of my chiefs along
the frontier learn that the American
forces are mobilizing to pursue and
capture and deliver him to the Mexi-
can authorities; that the expedition is
in the nature of punitive campaign
and that the sovereignty of Mexico
will be respected.
"The constitutional government has
given instructions to its confidential
agent at Washington Immediately to
make representations that under no
circumstances, with any motive, be
the reasons or explanations Of the
United States what they may, will it
justify the armed invasion of Mexican
territory without reciprocal rights be-
ing granted to the Mexicans and that
not for an instant will the invasion of
Mexican territory or an outrage to its
dignity to tolerated"