File No. 812.512/2253
The Ambassador in Mexico (
Fletcher) to
the Secretary of State
No. 1692
Mexico,
December 31, 1918.
Sir: For the information of the Department
I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of my note No. 823 of
December 28, 1918, to the Mexican Foreign Office, which note was
sent in compliance
[Page 792]
with
the Department’s instruction No. 799 of December 13.1 There is also enclosed a copy of my note No.
824 of December 28, to the Mexican Foreign Office, which was sent at
the same time as the note above referred to and based on the
Department’s telegraphic instruction No. 1752, of December 27, 5
p.m., and my telegram No. 1860, of December 26, at 2 p.m. Both of
these notes refer to the petroleum decrees.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The American Ambassador (
Fletcher) to the Mexican Acting Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs (
Pérez)
No. 824
Mexico,
December 28,
1918.
Sir: In connection with the various
petroleum decrees which have been issued by the Executive in
exercise of the special powers granted it by the Mexican
Congress on May 8, 1917, and which have been the subject of
diplomatic representations on the part of the United States
Government and of prolonged negotiations between representatives
of the American oil companies and of the Mexican Government, as
well as proceedings now pending in the Mexican Courts, I have
the honor to inform you that my Government has learned that the
Mexican Congress has been requested by the Executive to ratify
and confirm said decrees and that preliminary steps to that end
have been taken in the Chamber of Deputies.
In view of this I have been instructed urgently to represent to
the Mexican Government that in the event of the ratification by
the appropriate legislative branch of the Government of the said
petroleum decrees, etc., the United States Government wishes to
renew the protests heretofore made in regard to these decrees
and legislation and to make clear its non-acquiescence therein
on the grounds already communicated to the Mexican
Government.
Accept [etc.]
[File copy not signed]
