Mr. Plumb to Mr.
Seward.
No. 206.]
Legation of the United States,
City of Mexico,
October 14, 1868.
Sir: On the 22d ultimo, I received from Mr.
Ulrich, consul at Monterey, a letter under date of 12th ultimo, of which
I beg to inclose copy herewith, in which he informs me that, on the 11th
of September, the judge at Monterey gave his final decision in the case
of the American citizens who were maltreated at that place.
I had expected that before this a copy of that decision would have been
communicated to me by this government, but no communication whatever has
been made to me on the subject of that outrage since Mr. Azpiroz’s note
of the 11th of August last, in which he stated that he had asked from
the governor of Nuevo Leon the official documents in this affair,
directing that the same be punctually remitted by return of mail. A copy
of that note was transmitted to the department with my dispatch No. 171,
of the 12th of August.
By the report of congressional proceedings, published in the Siglo XIX of
yesterday, I see that Mr. Narciso Davila, late secretary of the governor
of Nuevo Leon, who, according to the depositions of the parties
aggrieved at Monterey, gave the orders for their arrest and ill
treatment, has arrived at this capital, and, his credentials having been
approved, was sworn in and took his seat as a member of the national
congress on the 12th instant.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Ulrich to Mr. Plumb.
Consulate of the United
States, Monterey,
September 12, 1868.
Sir: On yesterday the judge gave the final
decision in the case of the six American citizens who were
maltreated here.
The result is about what we all looked for, and while the decision
punishes some of the parties concerned in the outrage, it still
allows the principal instigator to go free.
The judge imposes a penalty of fifteen months’ incapacitation to hold
office on Juan Vara, who was warden of the jail. The parties who did
the whipping, &c., in the jail, being already prisoners under
long sentences, are not much incommoded by the penalty of being
compelled to work on the streets for some months after their terms
have expired, as a punishment for this offense.
Mr. Davila, ex-secretary of Governor Trevino, is not reached by this
decision. The judge declares, in his statement, that there is no
tribunal here before which he can be brought. If this be the case,
we are then placed at the mercy of every petty official who may wish
to annoy us. As Mr. Davila is the guilty party beyond a doubt, the
others having been merely tools in his hands, there should be some
tribunal competent to give him his deserts.
No notice whatever has been taken of the worst feature of the case,
Davila’s allowing the young Mexicans of the party, who were equally
culpable with the others, to go to their homes, while the Americans
alone were sent to jail. And, besides, there is no doubt but that it
was through his orders that they were treated so severely.
As you, no doubt, will be furnished by the authorities with a copy of
this decision, I think, on seeing it, you will agree with me in the
opinion that the penalties affixed, and the character and position
of the parties punished, is but a poor satisfaction to the persons
aggrieved.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
Hon. E. L. Plumb, United States Chargé d’ Affaires, Mexico.
