The Secretary of State to
Chargé McCreery.
Department of State,
Washington, November 14,
1905.
No. 66.]Sir: Referring to instruction No. 63, of the 2d
instant, regarding the complaint of the Mexican Government of the action
of the governor of Texas in making direct application to the governor of
Tamaulipas for the arrest and provisional detention of Charles Luna, I
inclose herewith for communication to the Mexican Government a copy of a
letter from the governor of Texas, explaining his course in that and
similar cases.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
The Governor of Texas
to the Secretary of State.
Executive Office, State of Texas,
Austin, November 7, 1905.
Sir: I am directed by the governor to
acknowledge receipt of your communication of the 2d instant,
inclosing copy of communications referring to the interpretation of
the Mexican minister of foreign affairs of Article X of the
extradition treaty in so far as the same relates to the provisional
arrest and detention of fugitives in the respective countries. In
reply thereto I beg to advise you that while the governor has
recognized the interpretation placed upon said article by the two
countries as the correct one, he has simply invoked the friendly
spirit of the governors of the border states of Mexico in effecting
the arrest and provisional detention of fugitives purely for the
purpose of expediting their detention and not with a view of
superseding the functions of the State Departments of the respective
governments. He has invariably extended the same official courtesy
at the request of the governors of the border states of Mexico, not
because they have the authority to make such request by the terms of
the treaty, but purely as an act of official courtesy alone. In view
of the objection which seems to have been raised on this dual
procedure, similar requests from this state will hereafter be
confined exclusively to the diplomatic channels at Washington, and
the governors of the border states of Mexico will be urged to
observe the same rule.
Trusting this will prove entirely satisfactory to the foreign office
of the Mexican Government, I have the honor to be, sir, etc.,
F. G. Laniiam
Private Secretary.
