(2.) The Secretary of State to the Mediators.

(April 29, 1914, not available.)

(3.) General Huerta to the Mediators.

(April 30, 1914, not available.)

(4.) General Carranza to the Mediators, May 2, 1914.1

I again direct myself to you for the purpose of answering your message relative to the armistice. Calling your attention to the fact that the international conflict with the United States was internationally provoked by Huerta and for the solution of this I hurriedly accepted, in principle only, the good offices of Brazil, Argentina and Chile, but this act is independent of our internal strife for liberty and law. I consider it inconvenient for the rebel cause that I represent to suspend hostilities and military movements because said suspension would accrue only to the benefit of Huerta in the civil war now going on in Mexico between the usurper Huerta and the Constitutionalist army under my command. The sovereign citizenship is in arms with all activity to re-establish the constitutional order which will produce peace.

By virtue of the above, I state to you that I cannot accept the armistice which you propose.

Consider me as one acting solely with the determination of doing only what I consider best for the interests of his native country.

V. CARRANZA.

(5.) The Mediators to General Carranza, May 3, 1914.

We have received your courteous telegraphic message of yesterday in which you inform us that you deem it inadvisable for the Constitutionalist cause to suspend hostilities against General Huerta because such suspension would benefit the latter only, and in which you state that the international conflict between Mexico and the United States, for the solution of which you accepted our good offices, is independent of the internal strife in that country.

We consider this unexpected declaration incompatible with the purpose which prompted our tender of good offices. We believe, as a matter of fact, that all difficulties which have contributed to bring about the present situation of Mexico directly or undirectly affect the solution of the conflict pending between Mexico and the United States, and consequently we

New York Times, May 4, 1914.

understand that they must be made the subject of consideration in the negotiations for the full success of which we have deemed the suspension of hostilities to be indispensable.

If you should not so understand, we would be compelled to withdraw as inofficious our invitation to appoint representatives of the Constitutionalist party to attend these negotiations. We greet you with all our consideration.

At a later time, General Carranza sought to enter the mediation conference, but was not willing to suspend hostilities. As a consequence, the mediation progressed without the presence of his delegates.

Niagara Falls, Ont., was selected as the place of the conferences, which opened on May 20, 1914. The commissioners for the United States were Supreme Court Justice Joseph Rucker Lamar and Hon. Frederick W. Lehmann, assisted by H. Percival Dodge, as secretary. General Huerta's delegates were Señores Emilio Rabasa, Augustin Rodriguez and Luis Elguero, assisted by Señor Rafael Elguero, as secretary.

g. PROTOCOLS OF THE MEDIATORY CONFERENCES HELD AT NIAGARA FALLS, ONT., MAY 20-JUNE 25, 1914.1

(1.) No. 1, May 20, 1914.

i. Opening Address of Domicio da Gama, Ambassador from the United States of Brazil, as Chairman of the Mediators."

The mediators extend to you a sincere welcome and trust that we shall not part until your hopes have been realized. Your hopes are undoubtedly the same which encouraged us to undertake this work of international sympathy, born of the ardent desire that the serene progress of civilization in America be not interrupted by the disastrous violences of a war between sister nations.

Many and varied are the thoughts which agitate our minds at this dramatic moment of our political life, but dominating all, as an imperative call of American sentiment, duty impels us not to spare any effort to discover and elucidate the causes of the Mexican conflict. It was with this

I

1 Arranged on the authority of a dispatch to the New York Tribune, June 13, 1914. New York Tribune, May 21, 1914.

2

end in view and in order to ascertain the sources of the evil and provide a speedy remedy that we invited you, gentlemen, to attend this peace com ference, held in this hospitable and friendly land, which, although under the flag of a powerful European empire, entertains and stands for senti ments of the purest Americanism.

Delegates of the United States of America, delegates of the United Mexican States, we are in need of your enlightenment in order to be able to arrive at a solution of the conflict which threatens the harmony between your nations with destruction. It is apparent that we were working for you, in the first place, when we offered you our services as mediators in the present conflict; and there is no doubt of the fact that you will derive the principal benefit from any good results of our work.

But as an ultimate and more important consequence than a mere solution of a contention between nations whose differences are not due to antago nistic results, we must throw such light upon this conference as will show it in history as an expression of the sentiments of that human solidarity which, not content with enjoying peace in solitude, seeks to extend its benefits to all.

This is the sentiment which prompted our tender of good offices to the United States and to Mexico; which sustained our spirit when almost overcome by the difficulties which beset our path, and, with the aid of your Governments, we hope to be able to overcome. If we succeed in doing so, we shall have affirmed by a striking example the never to be forgotten lesson that even in the midst of the turmoil of battle and the unchained tempests of hate and conflicting ambitions, above all this tumult, will be heard the clear and persuasive voice of reason counseling the sacrifice of persons in favor of the collective interests of the people and spreading the gospel of peace and justice.

ii. Rules of Procedure.'

First, the plenipotentiaries of Brazil, Argentina and Chile will preside over the conferences. The Brazilian ambassador will direct the proceed. ings of the conferences.

Second, the minutes of the proceedings will be signed by the representa tives and the three mediators; they will be countersigned by the three secretaries of the mediators and said minutes shall be drafted in English, Spanish and Portuguese and five copies thereof shall be made, namely, one copy for each of the representatives and one copy for each of the mediators. The deliberations shall be secret.

Third, the full conference will be held, first, for the expression of the views of the representatives upon their request; second, for the presentation of basis of same; third, for their acceptance or rejection.

Fourth, the conferences will be closed by a full final session at which will be stated all the particular circumstances which were considered in arriving at the final result of the conference, whatever such result may be. In the event of a favorable solution being reached, the minutes of the last full session at which said solution was accepted shall form the basis of the protocol of documents to be signed.

Fifth, closing addresses by the mediators and representatives, should they so desire.

(2.) No. 2, June 2, 1914.

i. Statement of policy by Mexican delegation.1

In accordance with the instructions which the Mexican delegation has had since the beginning of the peace negotiations, its members declared at the first full conference, that is to say, in the presence of the mediating plenipotentiaries and of the delegates of the United States of America, that President Huerta's personality is not an obstacle to the reaching of a satisfactory conclusion. General Huerta is prepared to withdraw from the government on condition that at the time of his withdrawal Mexico shall be politically pacified and the government succeeding his shall be such as to count on the acquiescence of the governed and on the support of public opinion, which constitute the real basis for peace and stability in any country.

It has been and is President Huerta's wish to place on record that neither mistaken pride nor personal interest will prevent his withdrawal once the above named conditions are satisfied.

The Mexican Government accepted the mediation of the South American powers, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, in a frank and open spirit, and the Mexican delegation has been guided and will be guided in all its acts by perfect good faith.

It should be unnecessary to say that President Huerta gave the Mexican delegation special instructions not to consent to anything which would hurt the sovereignty of the Mexican nation and to refuse a hearing in the deliberations of the conference to anything which might be construed as an imposition from the outside. For their own part the delegates would

I New York Sun, June 3, 1914.

not have accepted instructions of a different nature on these points; but they beg to state that hitherto they had no occasion to refer to them, thanks to the exquisite tact of the mediating plenipotentiaries and to the circumspection of the American delegates.

To treat of the interior pacification of Mexico in the course of deliberations on difficulties of an international character cannot be considered as submitting the sovereignty of the nation to an external influence. Said pacification is necessarily bound up with the international questions. This has been appreciated by the Mexican delegation, and in setting forth the intentions of its Government in the matter and in its endeavors to bring about the pacification it has been inspired by the knowledge that without it no satisfactory conclusion can be arrived at in the international question.

(3.) No. 3, June 12, 1914.1

A government is to be constituted in Mexico of a character to be later provided, which shall be recognized in Mexico City (date to be fixed) and which from that day forward shall exercise public functions until there shall be inaugurated a constitutional President.

(4.) Final Protocol, June 24, 1914.

ARTICLE I. The provisional government referred to in the protocol No. 3 shall be constituted by agreement of the delegates representing the parties between which the internal struggle in Mexico is taking place.

ART. 2. (a) Upon the constitution of the provisional government in the City of Mexico, the Government of the United States of America will recognize it immediately and thereupon diplomatic relations between the two countries will be restored.

(b) The Government of the United States of America will not in any form whatsoever claim a war indemnity or other international satisfaction.

(c) The provisional government will proclaim an absolute amnesty to all foreigners for any and all political offenses committed during the period of civil war in Mexico.

(d) The provisional government will negotiate for the constitution of international commissions for the settlement of the claims of foreigners on account of damages sustained during the period of civil war as a consequence of military acts or the acts of national authorities.

1 Boston Globe, June 13, 1914.