iiiiiiijiiil iilBilBiiteii E BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF Hcnrg W. Sage 1891 yf^3f:^r7^ /j^/y-z/df.- Ap i 6 '?^ DATE 0\ji SEP 9 1953 D^ 0CU6 msjv INilLk'HUMAMV LfWI^^ il|miMMTriW»CT- CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 092 914 690 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924092914690 ^8p f o&n W. foster THE PRACTICE OF DIPLOMACY. Large crown 8vo, $3.00, nei. Postage 20 cents. ARBITRATION AND THE HAGUE COURT. Crown 8vo, $i.ao, net. Postpaid, ^i.og. AMERICAN DIPLOMACY IN THE ORIENT. 8vo, $3.00, nei. Postpaid, $3.20. A CENTURY OF AMERICAN DIPLOMACY- Being a Brief Review of the Foreign Rela- tions of the United States, 1776-1876. With maps. 8vo, $3.50, HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY Boston and New York DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS VOLUME I ■ ■ ^^^B^'f^'^ ^^^^^^^^^^1 H5 a ^H Bt^^^H Pg^ ^H ai r9 H ^^1 ig ^^KSSil?!'Pifev.-B Hi ^H ^^^^^F' '^ ^^^^^^H ■'' -K 1 1 B n^J-1/ztl/i^ DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS BY JOHN W. FOSTER Author of "A Century of American Diphmacy," "American Diplomacy m the Orient," "The Practice of Diplomacy" etc. IN TWO VOLUMES VOLUME I WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY 1909 7 E •1 F75- COFYRIGHT, 19O9, BY JOHN W. FOSTER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Published November igog Al,^^^*^^7 1 V ■■ X CONTENTS I. How I ENTERED THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE . 3 II. The Mission to Mexico 15 III. Social Life in Mexico 26 IV. On Horseback among the Mountains . . 35 V. Mexico under Lerdo 48 VI. A Trip to Oaxaca 61 VII. Revolutionary Mexico 71 VIII. The Triumph of Diaz 83 IX. Mexico under Diaz 97 X. Commerce and Railroads 108 XI. A Visit to the Interior Mexican States . 121 XII. From Mexico to Russia 137 XIII. The Diplomats and the Russian Court . .150 XIV. Russian Affairs, Political and Social . .163 XV. The Assassination of Alexander II . . .181 XVI. Russia under Alexander III 198 XVII. Mt Second Mission to Russia 216 XVIII. Mt Mission to Spain 239 XIX. Cuban Claims and Reciprocity 250 XX. Statesmen and Diplomats at Madrid . . . 261 XXI. Spain, Social and Political 276 XXII. The Royal Family — Diplomatic Matters . 296 XXIII. A Spanish Ceremonial 314 XXIV. Mt Second Mission to Spain 329 ILLUSTRATIONS John W. Foster {photogravure) Frontispiece Senator O. P. Morton 6 Benito Juarez, Indian President op Mexico, 1858-1872 . . 52 Porpirio Diaz, President op Mexico 84 Mrs. Porpirio Diaz 100 Robert R. Hitt 144 Alexander II, Emperor op Russia 182 Serge J. de Witte 228 Alponso XII, King op Spain 242 {Aidographfrom Miss Foster's Collection.) Royal Palace, Madrid 272 Alponso XIII, Queen Regent, and Inpantas op Spain . . . 304 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS 1872-1891 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIKS CHAPTER I HOW I ENTERED THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE The spirited political campaign of 1872 closed with the tri- umphant reelection of General Grant as President of the United States. Indiana was classed as one of the doubtful States, and the result of the October election was looked for- ward to with anxiety by both political parties as indicating the trend of public sentiment. Oliver P. Morton, the leader of his party in the State and one of the foremost statesmen of his day, was a candidate for reelection to the Senate of the United States, and he felt that his political life was at stake in the contest. As Chairman of the Republican State Committee, I con- ducted the campaign which resulted in the choice of a Re- publican majority in the legislature, and pointed unmis- takably to the success of President Grant. Senator Morton was greatly pleased, and when the returns were all in, he invited Mrs. Foster and myself to a private dinner at his residence in Indianapolis. When it was concluded, I ac- companied the Senator to his private office, and he at once said that to me more than any one else was due the decisive party victory, and that he personally felt under great obli- gations to me which he desired to discharge. He told me to take the "Blue Book" (the register of federal officers of the United States) and select the office I wanted, and that with- out further trouble on my part he would see that it was given me. I replied that I had not entered on the campaign for the purpose of securing an office, and that I must take time to consider the matter; that, however, he had indicated to me 4 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS great liberty of choice; and that I might select a position for which I was not fitted or which he might not be able to se- cure for me. He answered that he had entu-e confidence in my ability, and as to securing the office I need give myself no concern on that score. The latter assertion was no vain boast on his part, for at that time there was no man ia the country upon whom President Grant depended more strongly or whom he was more wUling to favor. After canvassing the matter fully with my wife, we decided that, with om: yoimg family, a brief residence in Europe would be both pleasant and useful; and I informed the Senator that if it could be had I should be gratified to receive the appointment of Minister to Switzerland, which was in the lowest grade of our diplomatic service. It will thus be seen that thirty years and more ago the diplomatic service presented the same allurement to inexperienced but ambitious young men as it seems to possess at the present day. Upon learning my choice, the Senator approved of it and assured me that I might count on receiving the appoiatment soon after the re-inauguration of the President, and that I might shape my business arrangements accordingly. But during the course of the ensuing winter I received a tele- gram from Senator Morton asking me to come to Washing- ton. Upon my arrival at the capital I was informed by him that he had encountered some difficulty in securing the Swiss Mission for me ; that the President had promised the friends of the incumbent that he might continue in the office during the coming term ; but that he had offered to appoint me to the Mexican Mission. I was bewildered by the proposition. It was with much misgiving as to my fitness for the office I had chosen the Swiss Mission, one of the lowest and most imimportant of the dip- lomatic posts ; and now I was tendered the highest and most difficult mission on the American hemisphere. I frankly told I ENTER THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE 5 the Senator that I very much doubted the wisdom of accept- ing such a post with my entire inexperience in diplomacy. I at the time spoke no foreign language, had never been out of my own country, and had only a text-book knowledge of international law. But the Senator only smiled at my hesi- tation, reasserted his confidence in my ability, and said I was much better fitted than most of those who were appointed to OUT diplomatic service. He asked me to go with him that evening to call on the President, who, he said, retained pleas- ant recollections of his army acquaintance with me. Oiu* caU at the White House was an agreeable one. General Grant alluding with interest to some incidents of our military inter- coiu-se, but no reference was made to my appointment. I returned to my home in Indiana, and in the first diplomatic nominations sent to the Senate after the President entered on his second term my name was included as Envoy Extra- ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Mexico. Before I left Washington an incident occurred which of- fered an entirely different turn to my diplomatic career. Sen- ator Morton informed me that President Grant had decided to appoint Hon. John A. Bingham of Ohio Minister to Japan, and that Mr. Bingham had requested him to ask me if, with the President's approval, I would be willing to change places with him and allow him to go to Mexico, the two positions being of the same rank and emoluments. I asked the Sena- tor why Mr. Bingham desired the change and was told that he, being an old man, feared that, Japan being so far away and a cotmtry with which we had so little intercourse, he would be forgotten by his friends and constituents at home. Upon reflection it occurred to me that the reason had more force with a young man who looked forward to a career in his own country, and I excused myself from the proposal. Mr. Bingham was a man of marked ability and had en- joyed a long and honorable pubUc service. In the Congress of the United States just closing he had supported the law 6 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS known as the Salary Bill, which not only increased the pay of members of Congress, but was retroactive in its effect. It proved an unpopular measure, was in the campaign termed the " Back-Pay Grab," and contributed to the defeat of Mr. Bingham and many other congressmen who supported it. His standing was so high with his party and in the coun- try that the President's action in appointing him Minister to Japan was generally commended. He remained in that po- sition for about twelve years, during a most important epoch in that country's history. He was enabled to render both to the United States and Japan valuable service, and was re- cognized by the Japanese as a wise counselor and constant friend. During my visit to Washington in preparation for my journey. Senator Morton manifested a warm interest in my mission and so continued up to the time of his death in 1878, regarding with personal pride whatever success I attained. I was greatly grieved at his death, as I was more intimate with him than any other of our great men. He was truly one of our greatest statesmen and patriots. Senator Hoar has recorded in his " Autobiography" that " Morton as a great party leader had no superior in his time, save Lincoln alone." President Roosevelt, nearly thirty years after his death, in a pubhc address, said, " When history definitely awards the credit for what was done in the Civil War, she will put the services of no other civilian, save alone those of Lincoln, ahead of the services of Governor Morton." As I now recall my hesitation to assume the duties of such a responsible and untried position as the mission to Mexico, I see that I was not without some preparation, and that I possessed an experience of the world and of political affairs which was second only in value to actual diplomatic serv- ice. I had the benefit of a worthy ancestry, which should always exercise an important influence upon character and ability. My paternal grandfather was an English farmer who I ENTER THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE 7 during the industrial depression occasioned by the Napoleonic wars sold his small possessions and emigrated to America early in the last century, bringing his family, among them my father, then in his boyhood. The latter at the age of seven- teen left the temporary home in the Mohawk Valley, New York, and on foot and alone started for the great Western country, in search of a suitable location where lands could be obtained from the Government, on which to provide a home for his aged parents and build up his own career. After traversing, with knapsack on his back, the inter- vening country as far as St. Louis, Missouri, he decided upon a location in southern Indiana, returned to New York, and brought out the family to the new home, where he had se- cured an eighty-acre tract of land in the virgin wilderness. There in a log cabin built with their own hands the family began their new life. My father soon became a large farmer, and collecting together his products and those of his neigh- bors he floated them down the White, the Wabash, and the Ohio rivers, tributaries of the Mississippi, and thence to New Orleans, and in the days before steamboats were com- mon brought back the proceeds in Spanish gold coin on foot to his Indiana home, a distance of twelve himdred mUes. This employment led into mercantile life and his location at Evansville, then a growing town, now a city of no mean proportions. He acquired such knowledge of law as led his neighbors to make him a county or probate judge; he was active as councilman, bank director, church and school trus- tee, and in all movements for the betterment of his commim- ity. Before he left England he had served an apprenticeship in a book-store, besides which his education was only such as he gained in the scanty leisure of his hardy life. He was a great reader, his favorite books being the Bible, Shakespeare, and Bums, much of which he freely recited from memory. He became an intense American and was active in politics, especially in the anti-slavery crusade 8 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS My maternal great-grandfather served in the Virginia contingent of the Revolutionary army. My grandfather migrated from Kentucky to Indiana soon after it was or- ganized as a Territory, acted as secretary to its first governor, General Harrison, participated with him in the Tippecanoe campaign against the Indians, was a member of the conven- tion which framed the first constitution of Indiana, and served frequently as a member of the State Legislature. My mother died in my childhood, but not tmtil her devotion, her gentleness, her intelligence, her deeply religious life had been indelibly fixed in my memory. Among such associa- tions and fed upon the narrative of the experiences of such an ancestry I grew up to manhood. My collegiate education was pursued at the State Uni- versity of Indiana, from which I graduated as valedictorian of my class in 1855, at the age of nineteen, I attended the Harvard University Law School for one year, spent one year in a law office at Cincinnati, was admitted to practice law at the age of twenty-one, and located at my home in Evans- ville, Indiana. In the first years of my profession I was associated as partner with Conrad Baker, one of the leading lawyers of the State, a man of the highest qualities of citizen- ship, afterwards Governor of the State and senior partner of Thomas A. Hendricks. Something of the character of the man may be seen when I state that, while serving his term as governor, he was offered by his party adherents in the legislature the post of United States Senator, which he de- clined, on the ground that the people of the State had elected him governor and it was his duty to fill out the term. The slavery agitation was the burning political question during my college days and early manhood. My home dis- trict, bordering on Kentucky and settled largely from the slave States, sympathized with the pro-slavery cause ; but, following my father's views, in college I was so ardent an anti-slavery advocate that I was ranked as an "abolition- I ENTER THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE 9 ist," a term of opprobrium in that day and in that community. In the Frtoont presidential campaign, I participated as actively as I could as a minor, and in the exciting Lincoln campaign of 1860, 1 gave much of my time to the organiza- tion of the Republican party, — then largely in the minor- ity in my section, — and in addressing the people at political meetings. My whole soul was enlisted in the anti-slavery cause, and when the CivU War, following the inauguration of President Lincoln, burst upon the country, my first impulse was to join the army of the Union, but for a few months I was constrained in my action. The rush of volunteers was much greater than the allotment in Indiana. I had just established myself in a little home, and it required a most grave necessity to have me leave my young wife and child. Besides I had no special taste for soldiering. But when the President's call for three hundred thousand men for three years' enlist- ment came, I saw that the rebellion meant a serious conflict and that the call was loudest upon those who had professed devotion to the anti-slavery cause. I enlisted in the army for three years, and without any solicitation on my part Gov- ernor Morton, who knew of my service in the Lincoln politi- cal campaign, sent me a commission as major of -the Twenty- Fifth Indiana Volunteers. During my service of three and a half years I participated in many important engagements, commanded three different Indiana regiments, was brigade and district commander, and at the close of my service was at the head of a division of cavalry. I served imder and was brought into personal contact and acquaintance with Generals Grant, Sherman, Thomas, Bumside, and other de- partment and corps commanders. My military life greatly enlarged my knowledge of men and gave me fuller con- fidence in myself. My early participation in party affairs had given me a taste for politics, and at the close of the CivU War I was 10 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS naturally led to take a deep interest in the reconstruction questions which agitated the country. Yielding to this in- clmation, I became the editor of the leading newspaper of my section of the State. Such a position affords one an ex- cellent opportunity to study the various pohtical questions which arise in the country, and their editorial discussion tends to broaden and clarify one's ideas of public affairs. In the years succeeding the war I continued to give some attention to party organization, and, as stated, in the pre- sidential campaign of 1872 I was at the head of the Repub- lican State Committee. Through the management of the State campaign I was brought into personal contact with many prominent men of national reputation. Among these were, from my own State, 0. P. Morton, R. W. Thompson, Schuyler Colfax, Beni. Harrison ; from other States, John Sherman, Henry Wilson, Geo. F. Boutwell, John A. Logan, John M. Harlan, B. H. Bristow, Wm. P. Frye, Zach. Chandler, Carl Schurz, Fredk. Douglass, Robert G. Ingersoll. My acquaintance with James G. Blaine which continued to the close of his life began in this campaign, as will be seen from the following characteristic letter to me : — Augusta, Me., 10th Nov. 1872. My dear Sir: I cannot allow this great campaign to pass out of fresh memory without extending to you my very cordial congratu- lations upon the masterly manner in which you organized Indiana. With fourteen years' experience as Chairman of our own Committee I naturally observe somewhat closely the tides and currents in other States, and I know from my own obser- vation and from what others told me that your work was done with wonderful thoroughness. It was my great desire to have got into your State and participated in your canvass I ENTER THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE 11 and especially to have had the pleasure of making your per- sonal acquaintance, but when I reached Ohio, they simply drafted me for the campaign m et armis and I could not get away. If you visit Washington during the coming winter, I beg that you will do me the honor to call at my house — 821 15th St., where you will find the latch-string out and on pulling it will meet a Western welcome. Very truly yours, J. G. Blaine. Hon. Jno. W. Foster. I called on Mr. Blaine in Washington the next winter, was very cordially received by him in the Speaker's Room, and invited to dine with him the same evening, saying there would be a company of gentlemen at his table whom he thought I would be pleased to meet. I cannot refrain from narrating an incident of that dinner. When Mr. Blaine went home from the Capitol he told Mrs. Blaine he had invited an additional number of gentlemen, among them the Secretary of the Navy, George M. Robeson, and that she must be sure to serve some Madeira, as that was the Secretary's favorite wine ; to which she replied that there was not a bottle in the house. " Well," he said, " send to the grocer and get some, as we must have it." The Speaker was in his best humor that evening, and as he looked down the table when the Madeira was being served, he saw the Secretary testing its aroma, whereupon he ar- rested the conversation of the guests by addressing the Secretary in a voice which attracted general attention: "Robeson, I hope you will like that Madeira, for it has a history " ; and then he proceeded to invent a story of how it belonged to a cask of a choice vintage which had made a trip around the world in a sailing-vessel to temper its quality, had been brought to Washington by a European 12 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS diplomat, had been bought, at the sale of his effects when he left the country, by a retired commodore of the Navy, and lain in his cellar in Philadelphia for years, and that he, Blaine, had received from his friend the commodore, a few bottles, and this they were now drinking was the last of it. Secretary Robeson, who was a great connoisseur of wine, listened with marked attention, and responded that he knew from its delicate aroma and delicious taste it must have a history, and proceeded to praise it in extravagant terms. Mr. Blaine never omitted an opporttmity when he found his friend in congenial company to tell the story on him. The brief review which I have given of my life up to my appointment as Minister to Mexico shows, I trust, that, while I had no personal knowledge of diplomatic service, I was not without some preparation for the new and im- portant duties which I was about to assume. My training as a lawyer, my early participation in the discussion and settlement of one of the most momentous questions which ever agitated a people, my army service, my editorial work, my activity in poUtics and intercourse with public men, all tended to prepare me for the untried service upon which I was then to enter. Had I begun my career after college graduation by appointment as a Secretary of Legation, for instance, and risen by long service and merit to the mission to Mexico, I would have been free from the misgivings and trepidation which marked my acceptance of the appoint- ment, for I would have been thoroughly versed in the routine duties ; but I might not have possessed that strength of char- acter and ability to meet men in the discussion of weighty matters which I had acquired by the experiences through which I had passed. I am a strong advocate for the establishment of a regular career for the diplomatic service of the United States; I would have all Secretaries of Legation enter the service through a competitive examination ; continue in office during I ENTER THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE 13 good behavior; and, as they should prove worthy, have them promoted to Ministers. But I doubt whether the time will ever come when our Government will think it wise to confine the appointment of Ministers and Ambassadors entirely to promotions from the posts of Secretary. It has never been so in the Governments of Europe where the regular diplo- matic career has long been an established system. Many of their most useful and distinguished diplomats have been those who never entered the service through a competitive examination, but who were appointed from other branches of the public service or from private life. After I received official notice of my nomination I had the usual experience of newly-appointed Ministers. I went to Washington to pay my respects to the President, make the acquaintance of the Secretary of State and his subordinates, and to receive my instructions. My first visit to the Secre- tary of State, Hamilton Fish, could not have been more satisfactory or reassuring, I shall have occasion to refer again to this useful and distinguished statesman. During this visit to Washington I had my first experience of a diplomatic dinner. Sefior Don Ignacio Mariscal was then the resident Mexican Minister. He had been almost contin- uously in the service of Mexico at Washington since 1863 and was one of the best-known and most useful diplomats at the Capital. He received me on this visit with the utmost kindness and did everything possible to prepare for me a hearty welcome at the City of Mexico. Before leaving the city he gave a dinner in my honor, to which he invited a number of Latin-American and European diplomats. As I had never before been in such society, I confess to a feeling of considerable awe and strangeness, where insignia and decorations of nobility and orders were conspicuous, and where Spanish and French were the languages most used, with both of which I was then imfamiliar. In this visit to Washington I had a foretaste of the duties 14 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS which occupied much of my time and occasioned me no small embarrassment during my official residence in Mexico. I was waited upon by various American citizens or their at- torneys, who sought to enlist my interest in claims against the Government of Mexico, growing out of injuries alleged to have been sustained to their persons or property and for which they maintained that Government was responsible. Among these callers was General B. F, Butler, then a mem- ber of Congress, a political and Civil War celebrity. When a law student at Harvard University I had frequently seen him in the Boston courts ia contests with Rufus Choate and other prominent lawyers. The reputation he had then of being a very shrewd but not over-conscientious individual had followed him through life, and was confirmed in the somewhat lengthy interview I had with him about his claim, which grew out of a contract which a company, of which he was the most prominent member, had with the Government of Mexico for the colonization of Lower California. After some years the Mexican Government annulled the contract on the ground that the company had failed to comply with its con- ditions and that it was really a filibustering scheme to annex Lower California to the United States. The General and his company gave the Department of State much trouble, but they were never able to fix any responsibility on the Mexican Government. CHAPTER II THE MISSION TO MEXICO While in Washington, receiving the instructions for my mis- sion, I renewed my acquaintance with General William T. Sherman, then General-in-Chief of the Army of the United States. Early in the war I was under his immediate command and in daily association with him at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, when he was under a cloud, being regarded as having an unbalanced mind, because he first of all our leaders real- ized the magnitude of the rebellion and had the courage to make known his views to the authorities at Washington. I afterwards served under him at the battle of Shiloh and in the advance on Corinth, as also later in^ast Tennessee. He received me in Washington with the hearty hospitality which characterized him, and at one of our meetings he inquired by what route I expected to go to Mexico. At that period the only regular communication from the Atlantic States was by steamer sailing from New York once in three weeks for Vera Cruz, via Havana and intermediate ports, the jour- ney occupying about fourteen days. I told the General I should have to take that route. " That will never do," he said. " I will speak to Robeson [Secretary of the Navy] and have a man-of-war sent to New Orleans to take you to Vera Cruz." And he was as good as his word, for in a few days I had ofiicial notice from the Navy Department that a naval vessel would be at New Orleans at a date to be agreed upon to carry me to Mexico. New Orleans in those days was seeking to recover its com- mercial prestige, diminished by the war and the reconstruc- tion era, and was looking hopefully to Mexico for new ave- 16 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS nues of trade. The Chamber of Commerce, anticipating my arrival, had prepared for me a reception, at which speeches were exchanged, in which on both sides were expressed great hopes of the early development of an intimate and profitable commerce between that city and the Mexican Gulf ports — hopes fondly cherished and repeatedly expressed in later years, but not yet realized. A committee of the Chamber of Commerce conducted myself and family in a commodious steamer to the mouth of the Mississippi, where we were to meet the naval vessel, and entertained us en route with a sumptuous lunch, which proved a preparation ill fitting us for our first journey on the sea. When we reached the mouth of the great river, a stiff breeze was blowing and the man-of-war lay at quite a distance outside the bar, and to her we had to be transferred in small boats. This passage in the rough sea was too much for us landsmen. I was barely able to receive the honors which the punctilious commodore had prepared for the Envoy Extra- ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, and when they were over I "went below," not to reappear tiU we were in sight of the harbor of Vera Cruz. On my arrival in the City of Mexico I was welcomed at the railway station by my predecessor, Hon. Thomas H. Nelson, and every needed courtesy extended to me by him, even the unusual one of accompanying me to the National Palace and introducing me to the President, at the ceremony of the pre- sentation of my credentials. He might have felt justified in treating me with cold civility, as we were both citizens of the State of Indiana and acquaintances of several years' stand- ing. He desired to remain in the service, had been longer prominent in politics than I, and might have pleaded greater services to the party. When the Mexican Mission was sug- gested to me by Senator Morton, I expressed a reluctance to its acceptance because an Indianian and a friend held the post, but the Senator said the President had decided upon THE MISSION TO MEXICO 17 a change, and it would be filled by another if I did not take it. Mr. Nelson had for six years previous to his appointment to Mexico served as Minister to Chili. He was thoroughly patriotic, an ardent American, distinguished as an orator, of genial manners and convivial habits which made him popu- lar in social and diplomatic circles. He was not a student, and hence failed to master the subjects he had in hand ; added to which a certain triviality of temperament possibly led to his retirement from the service. In diplomacy, as in most other pursuits of life, strict devotion to duty and a mastery of the matters one has in hand usually lead to success. I was fortunate in finding in charge of the Mexican De- partment of Foreign Affairs an accomplished scholar and a cultivated gentleman. Senor Don Jos4 M. Lafragua, Min- ister or Secretary of the Foreign Office, was a lawyer by profession, of high literary attainments, an historian, and a statesman of much experience. He was a fine type of the old Spanish hidalgo, courtly in his manners, always dressed in a black broadcloth suit, with a stiff stock about the neck, and wore colored spectacles. The following, somewhat ab- breviated, was the introductory part of our first meeting and conversation. I was accompanied to the Foreign Office by the Secretary of the Legation, who spoke Spanish fluently. After being presented and seated, the Minister addressed me an inquiry in Spanish. The Secretary interpreted it: "The Minister says he hopes Your Excellency is well." I replied: "Tell the Minister that I am in perfect health." The Secretary to the Minister : " His Excellency requests me to say that he is in perfect health." Another inquiry from the Minister in Spanish which the Secretary interpreted : " The Minister desires to be informed as to the state of health of Senora de Foster." 18 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS I replied : "Say to the Minister that I am pleased to inform him that Mrs. Foster is very well." The Secretary to the Minister: " His Excellency says he is pleased to inform the Minister that Mrs. Foster is very well." Another question from the Minister interpreted by the Secretary; "The Minister asks respecting the health of His Excellency's children."^ I answered : " Kindly assure the Minister that my children are in good health." The Secretary to the Minister: "His Excellency asks me to assure the Minister that his children are in good health." The Minister then drew from a side-pocket a beautiful cigarette-case, opened it, and, extending it to me, said in Spanish interpreted by the Secretary, "WiU His Excellency do me the favor to accept a cigarette? " The Secretary: "The Minister asks Your Excellency to do him the favor to accept a cigarette." I responded: "Beg the Minister to excuse me and make my apology that I never smoke." The Secretary to the Minister: "His Excellency begs the Minister to excuse him and requests me to apologize that he never smokes." Again the Minister speaks and the Secretary repeats : " The Minister directs me to ask if smoking is offensive to Your Excellency." I said: "Assure the Mmister that on the contrary tobacco smoke is quite agreeable to me." The Secretary to the Minister: "His Excellency says that, on the contrary, tobacco smoke is quite agreeable to him." "Whereupon the Minister, rising, extends the cigarette- case to the Secretary, addressing hun in Spanish, the latter, better trained than I in diplomatic ways, accepts a cigarette; the Minister strikes a match, lights the Secretary's cigarette and one for himself, they are seated, and after some further THE MISSION TO MEXICO 19 inquiries of me, duly interpreted by the Secretary, as to the experiences of our journey, in which several more minutes were consumed, I was permitted to state the business which brought me to the Foreign Office. In the himdred and more visits which I made to Seiior Lafragua, the conversation which I have quoted above, with the cigarette episode, was invariably repeated almost verbatim. After a few such calls, I found that I must either learn Spanish or accustom myself to the use of the cigarette. I chose the former alternative, and after some months of as- siduous study and practice, I was enabled to carry on a con- versation at the Foreign Office without the aid of a secre- tary, and in due time began to appreciate the value in my mission of a free use of the language of the country. An ambitious diplomat would doubtless have accepted the two accomplishments of the service, and made use of the cigarette-case as well as the language. One of the matters which first commanded my attention after I was installed in the Legation at Mexico was to make the acquaintance of the American colony. I was told that there was no "American colony " worthy of the name. It is true there were few American residents compared with the present day. There was no raihoad communication, and intercourse between the two countries was dependent on ships from New York at rare intervals and travel overland through the sparsely settled regions of the frontier. I had, however, little trouble in finding quite a number of country- men in the City of Mexico and its vicinity.^ * In a dispatch to the Department in 1875, I made the following report : " The number of adult Americans at present residing in the Federal District (the Capital and vicinity) is about one hundred and thirty, of which sixty are heads of famiUes, representing an American population of almost three hundred £ind fifty. The occupations of these residents are : A few merchants, several teachers and professors in private and public schools, editors, officers and employes of the Mexico and Vera Cruz Railroad, civil engineers, superintendents of es- tates, mechanics and laborers." 20 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS My credentials to the Government were presented June 16, 1873, and I issued an invitation to all the male Americans, whose addresses I could ascertain, within easy reach of the Capital, to meet me at dinner on the Fourth of July in cele- bration of the national anniversary. Between fifty and sixty citizens responded to the invitation. The unusual event, celebrated in one of the tivolis or restaurants in the suburbs of the city, attracted general notice and favorable comment by the native and foreign press of the Capital. The "Two Republics," edited by an American, said: "It was a joyous occasion replete with harmony, patriotism, and American fellowship — a proud exhibition which has not been witnessed in this Capital, lo ! these many years. . . . This day marked a new era of American nationality in Mexico, which had been allowed, disgracefully, to dwindle into comparative insigni- ficance." The writer of this notice was an ex-Confederate major, who came to Mexico at the close of our Civil War rather than live under the Government of the restored Union. There were quite a number of other ex-Confederate soldiers present at the dinner, and none were more enthusiastic participants in the national festival. As indicating my purpose in giving the entertainment, my readers will indulge me in a little "Fourth of July oratory" by reproducing my introductory remarks on the occasion : — Fellow Countrymen, — I had two objects in view in invit- ing you to meet me in this manner to-day. Being a stranger to every American citizen resident in Mexico on my recent arrival, I have adopted this method of making your acquaints ance, and I congratulate myself on so large, intelligent, and respectable an assemblage of my fellow countrymen. I had been told that there were very few Americans in Mexico, and very little congeniality, sympathy, and sociability among them. I am sure the present company abundantly disproves that assertion, I am certain that what Amexica is and what THE MISSION TO MEXICO 21 Americans have achieved at home and abroad offer no reason why we should be ashamed of our country, our citizenship, or of each other's society. I hoped by thus affording an op- portunity for Americans to meet together, we might become better acquainted with each other, promote social inter- course, and in some measure elevate the standard of Ameri- can citizenship in the place of our present residence. I regretted to learn that for many years there had been no general observance of our national anniversary by the Americans of Mexico as a body. I was unwilling that this Fourth of July should pass by without some commemoration of American Independejice, in which all its citizens would have an opportunity to unite. I am gratified that you have so heartily seconded my wish. Certainly there never was a time when Americans had more abundant cause to rejoice in their country's greatness and glory than to-day. Never has she occupied so proud a position among the nations of the earth. Never in her past history was there greater freedom, more perfect equality, observance of law and order, widespread intelligence and prosperity, peace and happiness than now. And coming as I do so recently from the United States, I am happy to assure you that the terrible wounds made in our country by the late Civil War are rapidly being healed ; the spirit of conciliation is fast taking the place of resentment; and, with sohtary exceptions in a few locali- ties, there is a general disposition on the part of all our people to look, not to the past, but to the busy present and the future. The changed condition of the country and the constitution are accepted facts, and under the glorious old Flag of our Fathers and as one imited and indissoluble nation, we are going forward in a grander career of progress, usefulness, and greatness than ever before. Whatever may be our party or sectional sympathies, I am sure that, away from our homes in this foreign land, we can sink them all in the higher and nobler sentiment of nationality, and regard each other as the 22 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS honored members of one common family. I can assure you that officially and socially I will know you only as Americans. From that day forward to the present time, with few omissions, the national anniversary has been celebrated an- nually in the City of Mexico by the American residents, and its observance has had a healthful influence in keeping alive their attachment to their country and its institutions. I sought to make my entertainment of permanent value, and at the close of the dinner, before the guests dispersed, I sug- gested that they organize themselves into a society. I said to them that in my brief residence I had found that there were unfortunate countrymen often calling for needed re- lief. Thereupon all those present cheerfully united in form- ing the American Benevolent Society, sustained by annual dues ; which has proved a great blessing to many a stranded or sick American ; and the outgrowth of which is the excel- lent American Hospital in the City of Mexico. The Benevolent Society relieved me of many calls which are common to our legations abroad to aid distressed or impecunious countrymen, but it not infrequently came in my way to render needed and appreciated service. I give an instance by way of illustration. A young man just out of col- lege and with his ' ' wild oats "not all sown, the son of a promi- nent and worthy citizen and proprietor of the leading news- paper in one of the large cities of the United States, induced his father to give him an outing to New Orleans. He there fell into the company of convivial companions. A steamer was sailing for Vera Cruz, and they told him of the great opportunities for business and speculations m Mexico, the el- dorado of adventurers. These stories recalled his reading of Prescott, and contrary to his father's expectations of an early return home, he took passage on the steamer to try his fortunes in the land of Cortez and the gold-hunters. He arrived in the City of Mexico fleeced of the money which was THE MISSION TO MEXICO 23 to have taken him back home, and surrounded with dis- reputable associates. My attention was called to his wretched situation after he had been some time in the city. I had made the acquaint- ance of his father in the meetings of the Associated Press, and feeling a personal interest in the case, I brought about a visit by the young man to the Legation,, and with the exercise of a little diplomacy extracted from him the story of his sad plight. He took my friendly advice in good part, and agreed to go back to his home if he could be provided with the means of doing so. I took him to one of the banks, had him draw a draft on his father, which I endorsed and had cashed for him. Under the oversight of a passenger going to the States, he took passage on the next steamer, and returned to his home. Some time after I heard of his marriage, and that he had settled down to succeed to the management of his father's business. In due time I received a most expressive letter from the father, thanking me for saving his boy, as he termed it, and hoping that an opportunity might come to him to repay my kindness. On my next visit to the United States he gave prominent editorial notice to it in his paper, and stated that my return had been made the occasion in the cities through which I had passed "of an ovation such as few public men receive in this country for having faithfully discharged the duties of their office." Not content with this somewhat imaginative account, he spoke of my record in the war, as a lawyer, and a diplomatist, and he referred to me as a citi- zen "of eminent scholarly attainments who had devoted much time to the archaeological history of America," a branch of knowledge to which I had given no attention, the grateful father in his zeal confounding me with a distinguished savant of the same name of another State ! So long as he lived, his paper never omitted an opportunity to speak kindly, even extravagantly, of my pubhc services. 24 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS In order to do my share in keeping fresh in the minds of my absent fellow citizens the festive institutions at least of our country, my first Fourth of July dmner was followed in November by the observance of the National Thanks- giving Day. All resident and visiting Americans were in- vited to the Legation on the evening of that day, and many of the Mexican official and private society attended. The President's proclamation was read, and patriotic songs and social gayety marked the occasion. Such meetings were held on each recurring Thanksgiving Day during my residence in Mexico. The President of the Republic, members of the Cabinet and of Congress, of the army and of unofficial society were often present, and thus had an object-lesson that oxu* nation, though without a state church, was not without recognition of religion and of an overruling Providence. Washington's Birthday was marked by the annual meet- ing of the American Benevolent Society, and usually by a public reception and ball at the Legation. There being no suitable portrait of Washington available in the city, the Americans subscribed a fund and had a life-sized portrait of the Father of his Country painted by an eminent Mexican artist, and presented it to the Minister, to adorn the Lega- tion library and to to be used at the celebration of national holidays. Neither were the little folks neglected. On Christmas Day all the children of the American and English families and of other English-speaking residents were gathered at the Legation to enjoy the Christmas-tree and youthful sports. In addition to these annual gatherings, the Legation was opened informally on Tuesday evenings for the reception of such friends of the Mmister's family as found it convenient to call. A smoking-room was at the service of the gentlemen, Mrs. Foster served a cup of tea and other light refreshments during the evening, and if the size and character of the com- pany warranted it the spacious Legation hbrary was available THE MISSION TO MEXICO 25 for a dance. These weekly Tuesday evening receptions were neither extravagant nor ostentatious, but they proved very popular and became quite a social feature of the Capital, affording the resident and visiting English-speaking and Mexican families an opportunity of making each other's acquaintance not often otherwise presented, and thus pro- moting better social relations. Observing the custom of the Catholic countries, Sunday in Mexico was made the social day of the week. After morn- ing service at the church, the remainder of the day was given up to visiting, dinner-giving, and private or public enjoy- ment, it being the day chosen for the bull-fights, and the theatres were open in the evening. Calls were made on us by foreigners and Mexicans on Sunday afternoons, but they were not returned by us on that day, nor did we accept invitations to breakfasts or dinners or give such entertain- ments. At home it had been our practice to observe Sunday as a religious and rest day, and we did not think it necessary to abandon our custom. Our friends in Mexico soon came to understand us, and in a little while we ceased to be embar- rassed by calls or invitations. We were regarded by them as a little odd, but we never found that we suffered thereby in their good esteem. CHAPTER III SOCIAL LIFE IN MEXICO To a foreign resident of Mexico in "the seventies" the ab- sence of f acihties of communication with the outer world most impressed him. The one railroad in the country was that from the seaport of Vera Cruz to the Capital, two himdred and sixty miles in length. The only regular communication with the United States was by steamer leaving Vera Cruz for New York once in three weeks. The British Royal Mail steamer and the French line for St. Nazaire, making the itinerary of the West Indies, touched at Vera Cruz monthly. During the first years of my residence there was no tele- graphic communication with the outside world. Later an overland line was established, with a single wire running through the long stretch of desert and thinly settled country of Northern Mexico. In that timberless region the poles which supported the wire were of the most flimsy character and were favorite objects with which the range cattle scratched their backs. As a consequence the line was down more often than in working order. It was quite common for me to receive the confirmatory copy of ofiicial telegrams from the Department by mail, ten days from date, before the originals were delivered. Such a thing as the publication of telegraphic news in the press of the Capital was unknown in my day. Having been an editor and addicted to reading the news, on leaving for my mission I took the precaution to have myself supplied with the current periodical literature. Two daily papers from my home city were subscribed for, one from the State Capital, one from Washington, and two from New SOCIAL LIFE m MEXICO 27 York, besides a number of weekly and monthly journals and magazines. When our mail arrived from the United States by the New York steamer once in three weeks, it was dleivered to me literally by the bushel and sometimes even by the cartload. How to read up the news was a serious problem. My wife, with a woman's instinct to ' ' get at things," went straight for the latest paper, but with my methodical training I began by arranging all my dailies in chronological order and reading up from the earliest to the latest dates, but it was tedious work and I soon abandoned that method. The Mexican postage at that period was a matter of some consequence. Every letter from the United States, in addi- tion to our domestic rate, was charged twenty-five cents per half-ounce. This charge constituted a considerable item in the Legation contingent account. In those days much the greater part of Mexican commerce and correspondence was with Europe, and for the foreign residents the most important event was the arrival of the monthly European steamer. " Mail-week " was the busy time for the foreign bankers and merchants — that is, a few days before the arrival of the steamer in preparation for the ouf^ going mail and the few days the steamer was lying in port awaiting the return mail from the Capital. In these circles all was confinement to office-work during mail-week. But after the mail had gone a season of relaxation and recreation followed, and it was taken advantage of for picnics and ex- cursions to the many attractive places in the Valley of Mexico or even across the mountains to the capital cities of Cuerna- vaca, Toluca or Pachuca, or to Puebla by rail. A large-hearted Scotchman had a cotton factory, with a commodious residence and beautiful garden attached, nest- ling among the foothills of the snow-clad volcanoes of Popo- catepetl and Iztaccihuatl, about ten leagues from the Capital. Here he had entertained Lieutenant U. S. Grant and other American officers of General Scott's army, on their way to 28 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS an unsuccessful attempt to reach the peak of Popocatepetl. Here many a British-American party was entertained in.my day. Texcoco, across the lake from the city, was also 'd--far vorite object of a two or three days' excursion. A genial French mill-owner dispensed a cheerful hospitality at his home, surrounded by charming groxmds, fountains and rivu- lets of moimtain water. The Aztec ruins scattered over the hillsides in profusion afforded objects of interest'; and the hacienda or plantation of a rich Spaniard near by; encircled by broad fields of grain and pulque {maguey) plants, afforded a most comfortable and welcome rest on the way. On the other side of the valley, favorite picnic resorts were the beautiful suburb of San Angel, where the mountain- stream, fresh from its fountain of snow, rushed over the cas- cade ; and "El Desierto," an extensive abandoned monastery, hid away in the dense forest high up on the mountain. These excursions' about the valley were all made on horse^ back, the gentlemen of the party invariably carrying, fee- arms ; and when a foreign minister was of the party^ the.Gov- ernment sent along a mounted military escort. In the troub- lous times of the Lerdo Administration, and while the Diaz revolution was active, often even within sight of the Cap- ital the highwayman made the roads hazardous, and the kid- napper rendered residence in the country insecure. The mail coaches from the interior were not infrequently " held up" and the passengers came into the city with newspapers for their only apparel. On my first arrival I was entertained by the blood-curdling narrative of the kidnapping of a rich hacendado, or planter, almost under the shadow of the city gate and the horrible torture to which he was subjected in order to induce his friends to send the enormous ransom de- manded. Too often these inhuman outlaws were successful in extorting the ransom, but in this instance the kidnap- pers, thanks to the vigilance of the Government, were found and immediately, without trial or hearing, were placed SOCIAL LIFE IN MEXICO 29 against a wall and shot to death. The condition of the coun- try at that time recalled the days of the old Hebrew judges, when it is recorded "the highways were unoccupied and the travelers walked through byways." But this condition did not deter the foreign colony intent on an outing, and only seemed to add piquancy to the excursions. The American, English, German, and French residents found among themselves congenial society, but it was not so easy to break through the crust of the Mexican and Span- ish upper circles. As we came to speak the language and be- came more familiar with their customs, they began to come to the receptions at the Legation, and we were welcome guests in their homes; so that before we left the country many of our warmest friends were among the higher classes of Mexican society. There was a certain reserve in this so- ciety towards foreign acquaintance, but when this was over- come they were found by us most cordial and hospitable. The more wealthy Mexican families lived in commodious mansions; once in a few years they gave a grand "tertulia" or evening party and ball, but dinner-giving to which for- eigners were invited was not common among them. On their haciendas, or country estates, however, they dispensed a prodigal hospitality, to which foreigners were often welcome guests. Dinner-giving was quite in vogue with a few of the foreigp families and members of the diplomatic corps, but the cuigine of most households was limited, and social clubs were not organized till a later date. When a large dinner or banquet was to be given resort was often had to the use of the popu- lar restaurants or tivolis in the suburbs. I recall a dinner served by Poraz, the French proprietor of the leading tivoli, because it was vividly impressed on all the participants. A Scotch gentleman from California, with a charmiag American wife, had been spending some months in Mexico seeking a railway concession. In return for many courtesies received, 30 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS he gave a large entertainment, or "breakfast," as it was termed, at this tivoli. The ladies and gentlemen were in- vited for twelve, noon, but did not sit down at the table till one o'clock. It was a long course dinner, as was the custom at such feasts there, interspersed with toasts and speeches in great variety. The dinner was a good one, well served, but a httle tedious, as we did not rise from the table till after 5 o'clock; its most notable feature was a beautiful Sevres china service, which Poraz had just brought back with him from a recent trip to Paris, and used then for the first time, commanding the admiration and envy of the ladies espe- cially. But the entertainment was not yet ended, as we all re- paired to the holiche, or bowling-alley, or sat under the shade of the great trees of the garden, smoking, sipping cordials, or drinking tea and pousse-cafs. The company did not dis- perse till after six o'clock, quite a number, ourselves among them, hurrying off to the city to take a little rest and change our dress; for we were invited by a diplomat to dine with him at 7 o'clock, as a farewell to the Scotch railroad promoter. With great exertion we reached the house of our host at the hour indicated, still sated with the tivoli breakfast, when we were ushered out to the dining-room, to be served by Poraz, on his new Sevres porcelain, precisely the same menu we had been regaled with at the tivoli only an hour or so before ! During the early part of my residence in Mexico the Dip- lomatic Corps was very small. This was occasioned by the overthrow of the so-called Empire and the execution of Maximilian. Those events were followed by the withdrawal of the British, French, Spanish, Austrian, and Belgian Ministers, all those nations having been concerned in the tripartite intervention of 1861 against the Liberal Govern- ment or associated with the maintenance of the Empire. The German and Italian Governments being free from those SOCIAL LIFE IN MEXICO 31 entanglements, accredited Ministers to the Republic under Juarez ; and the Spanish, never very heartily in the inter- vention, soon afterwards sent a representative. These, with a Guatemalan, constituted the Diplomatic Corps on my arrival. Because of the absence of representatives of the leading European Powers, there was thrown upon the Legation of the United States a large amoimt of unofficial duties. I was called upon from time to time to exercise my good offices with the Mexican Government, by eight different countries, to wit, Great Britain, France, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Russia, Sweden, and Japan. And as it became necessary for the Mexican Government also at times to communicate with some of these countries, my good ofiices were invoked by it for such purpose. I was asked most frequently to act in behalf of British interests. The first note I addressed to the Mexican Foreign Office was in behalf of a British mercantile and banking house, which was seeking to establish a large claim for damages caused by the acts of the Mexican authorities. British bankers, merchants, and mining companies were established throughout the Republic, and during my entire term of service I was repeatedly called upon to interpose in their behalf. My relations with the British residents were quite intimate and cordial, they regarding me as their de facto Minister, and the London Foreign Office made frequent expressions of appreciation of my service, which it would have put into the form of decorations ; but that, happily for the good of our foreign service, is not permitted by our Government. From the other Governments named, I also received repeated ex- pressions of thanks for the good offices rendered to their subjects and their interests. The French population of Mexico was more numerous than the British, but was not of such a character in its business 32 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS relations as to require so much of my time, although I was frequently called upon for my good offices, as in the case of the French Sisters of Charity, related in the next chapter. These Sisters before their departure sent a delegation to the Legation to express their thanks for my interposition. The diplomatic estrangement caused by the overthrow of the Maximilian regime passed away with the lapse of time, and during the successful administration of President Diaz all of the leading Powers not only of Europe but of the world have established permanent relations with his Government. By the changes of the representatives and my higher rank, I soon became the dean of the Diplomatic Corps. My relations with my colleagues were always of the most cordial charac- ter. The first German Minister during my residence, Coimt Gustave Enzenberg, was an experienced diplomat and culti- vated gentleman, but somewhat eccentric. He wore pro- minent scars on his face, not indicative of military service, but caused by dueling in his student days. At the age of seventy-six he became enamoured with his niece, of less than half his age. Because of his Protestantism and the consanguineal relation, a dispensation from the Church had to be obtained, the niece being a devout Catholic, and he did not hesitate to complain to his intimate friends that it was a very costly proceeding. The marriage ceremony, which was celebrated in the private chapel of the Archbishop, took place at four o'clock in the morning. At his special request the Diplomatic Corps attended in fuU uniform. As a diplo- matic costume is forbidden in the service of our Government, I gratified the old Minister by appearing m the military uniform I wore in the army. As the wedding occurred in the early morning after our National Thanksgiving Day, which we were celebrating with a ball in the Legation, we "made a night of it," and went from the ball to the Archbishop's palace. Another narrative of my relations with my venerable SOCIAL LIFE IN MEXICO 33 colleague may be related, because it illustrates the defects in my education and also the weather conditions in Mexico. The Count was passionately fond of music, especially of the German masters. A countryman of his, a professional of some note, was in the city, and he invited a select party of his friends to a private musicale in the Legation. It was in the rainy season, and about an hour before the time fixed for the entertainment the windows of heaven were opened and such a torrent of rain came down as had not fallen for years. The city was in those days practically without sewers, and the streets were so flooded it became hazardous to make the journey to the Legation in the darkness. It was out of the question for Mrs. Foster to go, but fear- ing the Count might be disappointed by others of his guests, I decided to attend, thinking to excuse myself and slip away after the musicale was begun. But lo ! I was the only one of the guests who appeared, the elements were so threatening. I supposed the entertainment would be postponed, but, no ; the Count's passion for music would not permit the opportun- ity to pass, and so the entire recital was gone through with, and there being no chance for me to escape as I had planned, I was compelled to sit through two hours and listen to class- ical music which I could not enjoy, as I was utterly untu- tored in the art and could hardly distinguish one note or tune from another. My host, however, was enthusiastic. When the last note sounded, I would gladly have taken my leave, but a sumptuous supper had been provided, and my hospit- able host would not allow me to go till that was served. Some time after midnight I managed to reach the Legation in safety, much to the relief of my anxious wife, who had looked for my early return. The renewal of diplomatic relations with the European Governments, which had been broken off on the death of Maximilian, has already been mentioned. The last of those to reestablish relations was Austria, whose archduke had 34 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS been so ruthlessly slain by the Republican Government of Mexico. This was brought about by the delicate attentions of the Mexican Government and the honors paid by the army at the dedication of the memorial chapel which had been erected at Queretaro on the spot where Maximilian was shot. A strange sequel has followed the renewal of relations. The first Mexican Minister appointed to Vienna died there after only a two days' illness, within four months after his arrival ; and his successor, Don Jos6 de Zenil, a diplomat of culture and experience, had a still more frightful experience, being found dead in his bed one morning soon after his ar- rival at his post. The Mexicans are possibly not over-super- stitious, but they have come to regard Austria as fated to bring misfortune on their coimtry, the sudden deaths of those two Ministers have added to that conviction, and Vienna is no longer regarded as a desirable post by Mexican diplomats. CHAPTER IV ON HORSEBACK AMONG THE MOUNTAINS Combining a study of the country with recreation, we had frequent resort to excursions or journeys to the more distant States of the Mexican Republic. One of these was a horse- back trip from Cordova to Jalapa, in the State of Vera Cruz. I find an accoimt of it, written by me at the time, in a letter to one of my daughters, then at school in the United States. As it gives my fresh impressions of the journey, although somewhat familiar in style, I transcribe it. Vera Cruz, Mexico, January 13, 1875. Mt dear Edith — Your mamma and I are here on our way back to the Legation from a long horseback trip, and as we have an opportunity to send letters by an English steamer going to Galveston this afternoon, I thought I would write you a hurried account of it. We left Mexico City just ten days ago and came down to Cordova, where we arrived at half-past one in the afternoon. Dr. Russell had our horses and guide all ready, and as soon as we had our dinner we left on our trip, intending to ride along the mountains to Jalapa, more than a hundred miles away. Our party consisted of Mamma, Mr. Gibbon [my pri- vate secretary], myself, our guide, and an arriero [a pack- driver]. As every one said the route was safe, we did not take an escort, although the Government offered one. As we were to be entertained at haciendas on the way, we feared the soldiers might be a burden to our hosts. Mamma brought her saddle with her, but the rest of us rode on Mexican saddles. You would have enjoyed seeing us starting out from Cordova, all of us with broad-brimmed 36 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS Mexican hats and riding accoutrements, and our baggage strapped on to the pack-horses — a novel sight for Ameri- cans, and we even attracted much attention from the natives. Cordova is near three thousand feet above the sea and we had to ascend eight thousand feet, and ride up and down the mountain ridges. We had hardly passed through the lanes of Cordova before we began to ascend, and the bright sun- shine we had at starting was changed to lowering clouds which had suddenly blown up, and we saw the falling rain in the mountains. Into the rain we soon rode in our ascent and it continued with us during the rest of our ten-mile journey to our first night's halt, but we rather enjoyed it, as we were well protected by our rubber coverings, and were afforded peculiar views as the rain-clouds swept across the ridges and peaks. It was after dark when we reached the piterta [entrance] of the hacienda of "Monte Blanco." The hacendado, Senor V., being advised by the military comandante at Cordova of our coming, was at the puerta to welcome us after our rainy ride, and he gave us a cheery reception. Our rubber coats and charravels were hardly off till we were served with wine, cognac, water, and cigars, and the house, all it contained and the servants, were given to us in the genuine Mexican style which you have heard. A good dinner was served us within a reasonable time after our arrival, and we were surprised to see how elegant it was, and so well served, in this solitary place high up in the moun- tains. An hour's talk after dinner, in which we had to make the best possible use of our Spanish, as none of the household speak a word of English ; and we were shown to our rooms with comfortable beds, and we enjoyed a good night's rest. This plantation house, still in good condition, was built in 1740. We had intended to start the next morning at daylight, as we had a long and hard journey before us; but it had rained all nighty and they told us it would be very slippery ON HORSEBACK AMONG THE MOUNTAINS 37 on the mountains and in the barrancas, and that we had bet- ter wait till after the sun was up. To the usual desayuna of pan y cafe there was added eggs and frijoles, in consideration of the journey before us. We had seen nothing of the haci- enda the evening of our arrival, and our surprise and enjoy- ment were the greater as we looked upon the charming view in the morning, just as the sun was lighting up the moun- tains and valleys thick with verdure. As we departed, the genial host did not allow us to take leave, but rode with us through his hacienda (it is four leagues long) to the last puerta. He made his company both interesting and instruct- ive, as he told us all about the method of cultivation and the products, which are coffee, sugar, tobacco, frijoles, and cattle. Our road all the way to Jalapa was only a mule-path, — a way that it was impossible for a wagon of any kind to travel, — almost all the time over the mountains and down and up barrancas, like the one you saw at Regla, near Pa- chuca. This is said to be one of the most picturesque rides in all Mexico. Sometimes we were down in the tierra caliente [hot land] and then up in an hour or two in the tierra tem- plada [temperate land], but all the time among orange, banana, or coffee groves, and most of the time in sight of the palm trees. In all this mountain region it rains a great deal more than in the tablelands of Mexico, and conse- quently the vegetation is much more fresh and green, and very rank. There are no bare mountains, like those on the high plains about Mexico City and all that region ; but the mountains and valleys are covered with a thick growth like that you saw about Cordova. After leaving the hospitable hacienda of Monte Blanco, we suddenly came upon a pueblo, a village of fifteen or twenty houses, "beautiful for situation," perched upon the moim- tain-side ; but not very attractive in its buildings, which were mainly of bamboo with thatched roofs. Yet surrounded 38 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS with flowers and tropical vegetation (this is a region famous for wild orchids), the ride through its lanes was a charming experience. Outside the piieblo and across a plain of two miles, we came upon a barranca, not very deep but furnish- ing some beautiful prospects, with a clear stream dashing and foaming among the rocks, and not too large to ford on our horses. After climbing laboriously up its steep sides, we found another broad and fertile plain, under cultivation and fuU of Indians plowing with oxen. Beyond the plain our path led again up the mountains, and there, snugly ensconced among the foothills, we entered the town of Coscomatepec, a considerable place of fifteen hundred or two thousand people. On one side of the plaza was a fine large stone church, and on another the municipal building. Most of its houses were built of stone, or adobe [sun-dried brick], with tiled roofs, showing those evidences of town or city comfort, as the pueblos are mainly constructed of bamboo with thatched roofs. As our arriero had to have his pack-horses shod, in the hour of our stay we had an opportunity to examine the town. What chiefly attracted our attention was the gambhng be- ing conducted on the open street. The Mexicans are much addicted to gambling, but the old inhabitants tell me there has been a great change for the better in this respect among the people within the last generation. But we Americans cannot too severely criticise our neighbors in this matter, in view of the pohce reports of our cities. I recall also an experience I had on my first journey across oiu* country to California the first year the Pacific Railroad was opened. We had to change cars at Ogden about midnight. As we alighted from the cars the night was made briUiant by a number of bonfires, and in front of each one was a gambling- table, with piles of gold double-eagles ($20 pieces), the gambhng outfit, and the proprietor shouting his invitation to the game, which seemed to be well patronized. ON HORSEBACK AMONG THE MOUNTAINS 39 One league beyond Coscomatepec brought us to the famous barranca of Jamapa, the view of which alone well repaid us for our journey. Its perpendicular descent is about one thou- sand feet, and its width at the top a little more than twice that distance, and it required just an hour for us to cross it. I can hardly give you an idea of its beauty and wild grandeur ; the narrow mule-path along its almost precipitous sides, a road hewn out of the solid rock in the time of the old Spanish viceroys, but now much neglected and out of repair; the luxuriant vegetation hanging from the crags and rocky sides ; the foaming, roaring torrent at the bottom, spanned by the substantial Spanish bridge ; the grand vista of snow-capped mountain and verdant valley — an experience long to be remembered by us. It seemed as if the descent was almost perpendicular, and from the top it looked as if it would be impossible to go down on foot, to say nothing of on horse- back: but we managed it in safety, although Mamma de- clared very often she and her horse would certainly go over the precipice to the bottom. Crossing the' river on the arched stone bridge, we began the ascent, bu^it was slow and toil- some, and hard on our horses, along thfe zigzag path. It was near noon when we reached tHe top, and we were glad to dismount at the Indian village on the crest of the barranca and enjoy with a- relish the luncheon we bad brought with us, supplemented by the hot tortillas [large thin corn-cakes], just fresh made, served to us by an Indian wo- man. It was three more leagues to our stopping-place for the night, over a route equally as attractive as that of the fore- noon, over the ridges and through the valleys, till, climbing a mountain range about'twenty-five hundred feet above the adjoining valley, suddenly the town of Huatusco burst on our view, a most romantic site, on an elevated plain, locked in as it were by the mountains, and almost hid with banana and mango groves. The only roads leading to it are mule- paths; there is not a single wagon or cart in the place, and 40 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS there probably never was one. It is one of the most beauti- fully situated towns or cities in the Republic, the Capital of the canton or district, with a population of seven or eight thousand people. It has an attractive plaza and quite an imposing church — the plaza is a feature of all Mexican towns of any pretensions and of the cities, and the church or the cathedral is the chief attraction ; and around the plaza are situated the church, the public buildings, and stores. Besides these, Huatusco had well-paved streets and substantially built private houses. The chief house of entertainment for travelers bore the strange sign of "Posada Jonson," or, in plain English, "Johnson Hotel." The proprietor bears this English name, but can speak nothing but Spanish. His father settled in the country more than fifty years ago and married a Mexi- can woman. The son was born in this place and is a Mexican citizen. As you have never been in a country hotel in this land you may be interested if I describe it. Our whole cavalcade, in place of stopping at the front door to dismount, as at an American hotel, rode directly through its hospitably opened door into the square paved court, which is always found in large Mexican houses. This patio, or court, is inclosed by a building one story high, with a corridor or porch running all round the inside facing the court. Ranged in order were the rooms of the hotel, with a door and window opening on the corridor. A part of the corridor adjoining the kitchen is used as the dining-place, as in this warm climate it is pleasant to eat " in the open." On the opposite side or in a more distant part of the same building, opening likewise on the same patio, are the stables for the horses and other animals. In this posada we were well lodged for the night, with clean rooms, comfortable beds, and a fairly good table — a combination not always found in Mexican country hotels or lodging-houses. We were glad to dismount and make the most of the comforts mine host ON HORSEBACK AMONG THE MOUNTAINS 41 Johnson had to offer us, as our day's journey had been a hard one. We had traversed twenty-four miles, but they were equal to double that number on a fair road. We were fortunately housed in good season, for soon after our arrival it commenced to rain, and continued all night almost without stopping. As a consequence it left the road in a miserable condition for our next day's journey, — wet and slippery over these mountain-paths, — but fortunately it was a short one, only fifteen miles, to the celebrated ha- cienda of Mirador. You wiQ probably remember that the Count and Countess Enzenberg often talked of making a visit to this hacienda. They went down to Cordova last year, in- tending to go over to Mirador and spend a month or two there with their countrjrmen, but they had such bad accotmts of the road, they gave it up and returned to Mexico. So we had a curiosity to turn off from the direct road to Jalapa and go to Mirador, and thus be able on our return to report to them. We were off early in the morning ; the road out of Hua- tusco, after crossing a barranca and river, led up the steep sides of a mountain range which it was almost impossible for our horses to ascend, as the clay bed of the road, wet with the rain of the night, was so slippery they could scarcely find a footing. But once on the top, we had a grand view. The fog of the early morning rising from the damp valley was just lifted above the town, which was brightly lighted up by the rising sun ; and for the first time on our journey the snow- capped volcano of Orizaba, towering majestically upwards eighteen thousand feet above the sea-level, was plainly visi- ble. It was a magnificent panorama. The fog like a fringed curtain hung over the town and valley ; and the volcano, clear white and solitary, standing high above it, was mon- arch of the scene. Our route lay across a succession of ridges, a constant change of steep, slippery ascents and descents, which proved a dangerous, tiresome journey, the anxiety of a fall only 42 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS occasionally relieved by a short ride on the level crest of a ridge which gave us an opportimity to enjoy the charming scenery. But we were ready enough to pull up at Mirador and be greeted by the warm-hearted German proprietor and his family, who, advised the night before of our coming, had a good smoking-hot old-fashioned breakfast waiting for us, for which our four hours' hard ride had given us a good appetite. This hacienda, which is the prettiest we have yet seen in Mexico, is well named Mirador, — Prospect, or Out- look, — as the residence is situated on an oval-crested hill which overlooks the country for many miles in all directions. From the corridor on one side can be seen the volcano of Orizaba most grandly and also the Cofre de Perote, next to Orizaba the highest mountain in this region; Jalapa, the "garden city," up on the side of the sierra; and from another corridor can be seen sixty miles away on a clear day the ship- ping and lighthouse at Vera Cruz and the blue sea. This place is just between the tierra caliente and the tierra templada, and the climate is delightful. The garden, kept under fine cultivation, was a delight to see, and in this month of January as green and fresh and blooming as in summer. This is the largest coffee hacienda in the Republic, They have now three hundred thousand trees growing, ex- pect to plant this year fifty thousand more, and to have a yield from the present season of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. The father of the proprietor wrote one of the best books on Mexico yet published. The family are intelligent and interesting people. Three of the daughters and a son are now in Germany at school, and in the spring the members of the family here will make a visit to Germany, leave the two girls now here and bring back the others. They are all well read in German and Spanish, and speak English fluently. They treated us so kindly and appeared so glad to have us with them (they see very few foreigners) that we concluded to ON HORSEBACK AMONG THE MOUNTAINS 43 stay over another day to enjoy their society, the beautiful scenery, and the delightful climate. We were off at daylight the morning after (the fifth day of ovLT trip), for we had a long day's ride before us to reach the first comfortable hacienda on oiu* route, a distance of six- teen leagues, or about forty-five mUes. There was a large barranca immediately in front of Mirador, which we had to cross, and its sides were so steep we were forced to go down along it fifteen miles before we could find a crossing-place ; and then it was so steep on the other side that we had to get off our horses and climb up on foot a considerable part of the way. But we enjoyed it, as the scenery was very grand. This day the sim was very hot, as about noon we crossed a valley in the tierra caliente, and for two hours we suffered a good deal with the heat. We also had to cross a wide river on a balsa, a kind of rude raft or ferry-float made of poles tied together with withes or vines. Mamma insisted we should certainly drown, and held on to me tight with both hands till we reached the other shore. After climbing a high moun- tain, just at dark we reached the hacienda where we were to spend the night. It was the longest ride we had made, but had it not been for the hot sun we would have got along very well. My army campaigning was of value to me, as I stood the ride better than I had feared, as we all did ; but Mamma and Mr. Gibbon were so tired they could hardly wait for their suppers before they fell asleep. The next morning we were again in our saddles about dayUght, and had another grand view of the sunrise in the mountains. After a three hours' ride we reached the beauti- ful city of Jalapa, the end of our horseback journey, having traveled in all about one hundred and twenty miles since we left Cordova. We found the Governor of the State of Vera Cruz, whose residence is here, had engaged rooms for us at the hotel, and we were soon rested from the fatigues of the trip, which proved the most enjoyable one we have yet made in 44 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS Mexico. We spent two days very pleasantly in Jalapa, of which I have not time to write you in detail. This is con- sidered the most beautifully situated city in all the Republic. Day before yesterday we came down to this place, riding half the way in a stage-coach, and half on a mule railroad they are building to Jalapa. The stage-ride was the roughest we have yet taken in Mexico, and Mamma said she would much rather have gone on horseback. We are quite enjoying our stay here at the oceanside. It is good to get a sniff of the fresh sea breeze. But I must close, as the gentleman who is to take this letter says the steamer sails within an hour. . . . Cordova, the city from which we started on the excursion just narrated, we found a very attractive place for short visits, as it is situated in a most picturesque region, just midway between the hot climate of the coast and the more vigorous climate of the tableland, and readily accessible by the railroad from the Capital. Notwithstanding its many attractions Cordova has for me sad memories. Before I entered the diplomatic service I had made the acquaintance of Fernando C. Willett, a young man who had come out to Indiana, having just graduated from a college in his native State of Vermont. He was younger than I, but his charming personality, his lovable nature, and his promising talents had greatly attached me to him. After I had been in Mexico two years a vacancy occurred in the secretaryship of the Legation. I had heard that owing to a pulmonary attack Willett had been compelled to give up the study of his chosen profession and gone to Colorado in search of health. At my request the President appomted him to the vacant place as Secretary of Legation, and upon the advice of his physician he accepted and came to the Capital of Mexico, all of us hoping and believing that its high and dry climate would agree with him, as it had with many others suffering from his malady. ON HORSEBACK AMONG THE MOUNTAINS 45 For several months he was in apparent good health and the best of spirits, and made friends of all with whom he came in contact. But the insidious disease was still doing its work, and he was suddenly attacked with hemorrhages. The physician ordered him to the lower and milder chmate of Cordova, where he came imder the care and companionship of Dr. RusseU, an American physician residing there. But in a little while Doctor Russell wrote me that poor Willett was gradually sinking and that some one should come to care for him. In those days there were no professional nurses in Mexico, and there was no one in the country upon whom he had a stronger claim than myself. For four weeks I was almost continuously at his bedside alone in a dismal posada, or hotel. It was a sad experience to see the life gradually fading out of that yoimg manhood. Reahzing the danger, he fought strenuously against death ; he was so anxious to live ; he told me why, and talked of his great projects in Ufe. The end came about midnight, in a bare and comfortless room, with me alone to close his eyes. His body was taken to the City of Mexico and buried in the American miUtary ceme- tery in the presence of a large concourse of friends. The American colony erected a becoming monument over the grave. Poor Willett's life did not end in that grave. Be- sides his firm faith in a blessed immortality, even in this world his sweet characteristics and high ambitions were imparted to a host of friends in whose lives his own was perpetuated. In addition to its charming features of vegetation, scenery, and climate, Cordova has long been noted in Mexican polit- ical history. Early in the seventeenth centmy it was the winter resort of the Spanish viceroys, proving equally de- sirable as a refuge from the fever-stricken regions of the coast and the rarefied air of the Capital. Here Iturbide made the treaty or agreement with the Viceroy O'Donohu, in 1821, which led to Mexican independence and the Republic. Here 46 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS the French, English, and Spaniards halted in their tri- partite expedition in 1861. It was here that an ex-Confederate colony was located at the close of our Civil War. Quite a large niunber of the soldiers of "the Lost Cause," among them Generals Price, Magruder, Reynolds, Shelby, and Governor Isham G. Harris (afterwards a member of the United States Senate), took refuge in Mexico, feeling they could not endure the Govern- ment of "the Stars and Stripes." Maximilian in 1865, then at the height of his power, caused to be set off and surveyed for these refugees some estates in the valley of Cordova to constitute an American colony. These estates had been con- fiscated by the Juarez Government as property mortgaged to the clergy. Each head of a family was assigned by Maxi- milian one hundred and sixty acres of land, and each single man eighty acres, on certain conditions as to settlement thereon, improvements, cultivation, etc. A considerable colony was at once established. Governor Harris was made alcalde, and active preparations for improvements and plant- ing of crops commenced. Before they had been on the ground long enough to gather the first crop, a raid was made on the colony by a band of Liberals, regarding them as Imperialists, and a large amount of stock and other property was seized and many colonists carried off as prisoners. They were finally released on con- dition of leaving the country, and were sent to the United States from Alvarado, or other Gulf ports. This raid so alarmed the remaining colonists that many of them aban- doned their lands ; and, on the fall of Maximilian, nearly all of them returned to the United States, and the colony proved a failure. Notwithstanding the fact that the ex-Confederates who had come to Mexico were considered as hostile to the Liberal Government, there is good reason to beheve that President Juarez would have recognized the act of Maximilian in es- ON HORSEBACK AMONG THE MOUNTAINS 47 tablishing the colony, would have protected the colonists in their titles, and encouraged the existence and growth of the enterprise, if any considerable number had remained, as it was so manifestly for the interest of the country. But as only two or three were left on their lands, it was useless to continue the effort on the part of the Government. Had the settlers been a little more persistent, there might to-day be a large and flourishing American colony in this rich and beautiful valley, engaged in the cultivation and exportation of this profitable crop. But I opine that when the keen edge of their disappointment over "the Lost Cause" was worn away by time, these true-hearted Americans began to long for their old homes and were quite willing to come under the old flag again. In my day there was only one of the old ex-Confederate colonists left, Dr. Russell of Alabama (whom I have already mentioned), who had served under General John T. Morgan, for so many years afterwards the distinguished Senator from Alabama, than whom no more ardent American could be found in the United States Senate. The Doctor was pretty thoroughly "reconstructed," and he and I became intimate friends. He was largely engaged in coffee cultivation, and it was his ambition not to return to his native land till he could go back in a ship loaded with the product of his own lands. That day never came. He accepted the dolce jar niente of that charming climate and scenery, lived a plain hfe, enlarged his coffee holdings from year to year, ministered gratuitously of his professional skill to the ills of the simple natives of his haciendas, and twenty-five years after I left the country he died in a ripe old age in his home in Cordova, highly esteemed and mourned by his neigh- bors and dependants. CHAPTER V MEXICO UNDER LERDO At the time when I began my residence in Mexico, the conn- try was still suffering from the long struggle of the Liberal party against the Clericals, in the War of the Reform, which began in 1857 and ended with the downfall and execution of Maximilian in 1867. The days of the pseudo-empire and the tragic death of the Emperor were fresh in the pubhc mind, and I was often entertained by the participants with the narration of incidents of those stirring times. The President of the Republic to whom I handed my credentials, Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada, had been one of the active leaders of the Reform or Liberal movement, and was generally credited with deciding the fate of Maximilian, Although Juarez, the head of the Liberal party and then the President, was a man of great sternness of character, he was much moved by the interposition of the Government of the United States in its effort to secure the peaceful departure of Maximilian from the country. Juarez highly appreciated the services which the United States had rendered the Liberal cause during the war, and was inclined to mercy ; but Senor Lerdo felt that the Republic had suffered so much at the hands of the Monarchists, that such a punishment should be visited upon the leaders of the movement as would be an effectual warning against all future attempts to overthrow the democratic institutions of the country; and it was his firm attitude that brought about the execution of the chief of the short-lived empire. Lerdo had succeeded to the presidency on the sudden death of Juarez in 1872 ; and just before my arrival he had MEXICO UNDER LERDO 49 been elected by an almost unanimous vote for another con- stitutional term of four years. One of the early acts of his second term was the promulgation, as a part of the Federal Constitution, of what are known as the Laws of Reform. These laws had constituted the battle-cry of the Liberal party when it began anew its contest against the Clericals in 1858, they had been adopted into law in 1859, and after the overthrow of Maximilian they had been approved by the States as a constitutional amendment. In 1873 they were proclaimed with much ceremony as a part of the organic law. This act of proclamation was the final consummation of the great struggle of the Liberal party. The amendment declares the independence of each other of the State and Church, and forbids the passage of laws establishing or pro- hibiting any religion ; declares marriage a civil contract, and gives exclusive jurisdiction to the civil authority to celebrate this and all other civil personal acts ; prohibits the acquisition by religious institutions of real estate or of capital secured by mortgages, except for specific church uses ; abolishes all religious oaths ; and makes unlawful the existence of monas- tic orders. These provisions are also supplemented by laws which prohibit all religious processions or wearing of a monastic garb in public. I transmitted to Washington a copy of the President's pro- clamation embod5dng the Laws of Reform, which I charac- terized as the crowning act of triumph of the Liberal Gov- ernment in its long contest with the Conservative party. In response, I was instructed by Secretary Fish to communicate to the Mexican Government the congratulations of that of the United States on the adoption of the amendments, as a great step in advance, especially for a republic, and that in the experience of our country these measures had not tended to weaken the just interests of religion. The Government of Mexico was greatly gratified at this act of Secretary Fish ; the correspondence was by order of 50 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS President Lerdo read by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the National Congress; the President of Congress, in the name of that body, expressed the gratification with which the assembly had received the congratulation, and by vote of Congress the correspondence was entered upon its journal ; and the act commanded general attention and comment throughout the country. This action of our Government was the more gratifying to the Liberal party of Mexico, as the Pope of Rome had denounced the Laws of Reform as an impious attack upon the Church, and the proclamation had stirred up anew the old religious fanaticism of the country and its hatred of the Government. All the monastic orders and religious communities had some time before been broken up and their members forced to leave the country or go into other occupations, with the exception of the Sisters of Charity, who had been tolerated because of their humane work in the hospitals and other charities. But now that the Laws of Reform had with so much pomp been incorporated in the Constitution, the Gov- ernment felt that consistency required that its provisions should be impartially enforced, and orders were issued that the Sisters of Charity should cease their vocation or leave the country. I was instructed by the Secretary of State, at the request of the French Government (there being no French Minister in Mexico), to intervene in behalf of the French members of the order, who constituted the majority, to secure a postponement of their departure. This I readily accomplished, as the Government granted them whatever reasonable time they desired. But the orders of the Govern- ment caused the adherents of the Church to break forth into new demonstrations of indignation. The opposition mani- fested itself most prominently in what were termed the "protests of the ladies," documents which were drawn up with the ostensible object of expressing sorrow for the de- parture of the Sisters of Charity, but whose real purpose and MEXICO UNDER LERDO 51 effect were to attack and denounce the existing Government and weaken its influence with the people. These "protests" were largely signed and promulgated throughout the country, and embraced the names of the wives and daughters of many of the members of Congress and Federal officials, as well as leading citizens of influence and wealth. The subject was dis- cussed with great acrimony by the Conservative or Catholic press on the one side and the Liberal press on the other. The discussion had the effect of imiting the supporters of the Government in defense of the laws, which were regarded as the natural sequence of the great struggle through which the country had passed successfully. This manifestation was the last concerted effort of the Clerical party publicly to resist the enforcement of these important laws. While the great mass of the people remain faithful to the Catholic Church, they have accepted the result as an accomplished and permanent fact, and prelates and people have accommodated themselves to the changed conditions. Nor has the Church itself materially suffered by the change. A generation has passed since the proclamation of the Laws of Reform as a part of the Constitution, and the Catholic faith seems as strongly intrenched in the country as ever. The notable difference from the past is that the clergy have ceased to participate in or seek to control the political affairs of the nation. The long struggle for the separation of the Church from the State which resulted in the triumph of liberal principles was of great importance in promoting the peace and pro- sperity of the country, but the struggle was not confined to Mexico in its salutary influence. It was felt throughout all Latin America. When Juarez and his band of reformers first proclaimed the principle of " a free Church in a free State," in all of the Governments south of the United States on the Western Hemisphere the Catholic was the State religion, and none others were tolerated. The Liberal party in Mexico was 52 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS fighting the battle of a "free State" for all of them, and to-day with few exceptions these Governments are entirely- separated from the Ghiirch, and religious toleration prevails. In studying the institutions and customs of Mexico, my attention was given early to the political parties and the elections. Having taken some part in politics at home and having had charge recently of an electoral campaign, I was naturally interested in examining these institutions in our neighboring sister Republic, where by the Constitution the suffrage was made free and universal. I found that in the past twenty years the country had been divided into two parties, contending for great principles of government, vital to the peace and prosperity of the nation; but that those contests had been concluded, not by a resort to electoral campaigns and the ballot-box, but by an appeal to arms, and that the result was determined on the battlefield. When by the arbitrament of war the Liberals triumphed, the Conservatives not only laid down their arms, but they withdrew from aU participation in politics and the exercise of the electoral franchise. Thenceforward the political cam- paigns became contests of persons, not principles, as the Liberal party alone participated in them. Worse than this, it seemed that there was a conviction among the electors that the party in power would control the result of the election in favor of its candidate, without regard to the bal- lots cast. So it was that on the fall of Maximilian, when Juarez became a candidate for reelection, the friends of General Diaz, who were very numerous throughout the Repubhc, raUied to the support of Diaz ; but before the cam- paign closed they alleged that they would be coerced by the Administration at the polls or defrauded in their ballots, and on that ground they declined to take part in the elec- tion, but in many sections of the coimtry sought to organize an armed revolution. Just before I reached Mexico, Lerdo BENITO JUAREZ Indian President of Mexico, 1858-1S72 MEXICO UNDER LERDO 53 had been declared elected with substantial unanimity, Diaz receiving only one vote in the Capital and a few dozen in the entire RepubUc, although it was known he had a large following throughout the country. During my seven years' residence in Mexico, I often visited the polUng-places on election days, but I never saw a citizen deposit a ballot, and rarely did I find any persons at the polls besides the election ofiicers. An American merchant, who had resided many years in the city of Oaxaca and pos- sessed the esteem of the people, in answer to my inquiry about the elections, said that one of the polling-places was always held near his store, and that he generally passed most of the election day chatting in company with the offi- cers of the "mesa" (election board). He stated that it was a very rare occurrence that any citizen came to the polls to vote, the only persons doing so usually being the officers of the election board, who went through the act with the most ceremonious gravity imaginable. Everybody understood that the elections were a farce, the officers "to be elected" were fixed upon by the Governor and a special circle, and the list was generally known before the election was held. In answer to a question, he said that an Indian (the large majority of the population being of that race) could not be induced to go to the polls, imless a rope was fastened around his neck with sufficient mule-power attached to overcome his muscular resistance. On my return to Mexico a few years ago, after a twenty years' absence, I met a citizen who had been a boy acquaint>- ance of mine during my residence as Minister. I asked him about his present occupation or profession. He told me the business in which he was engaged, but he added, " I am also a diputado" [member of Congress]. I extended my congratula- tions. "Yes," he said, "I did not care much about it, but Don Porfirio [the title by which friends refer to the President] said he would like to see me in Congress." He was chosen 54 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS from a State which he had never visited and from a district of which he had never heard. My German colleague, a very thoughtful observer, dis- cussing this subject jWith me, said: "There is no popular suffrage in this country and there cannot be in this genera- tion, for two reasons : First, the want of intelligence on the part of the masses ; second, the general conviction that the votes cast are so manipulated by the authorities that there is no assurance that the result will be according to the wishes of the voters. The masses [the Indians] do not vote because of indifference and ignorance. If they did, it would be as the priests indicate, because they have the greatest influence over them. The priests do not exert their influence, partly because of their retirement from politics and partly because of their conviction that it would be of no avail against the ruling politicians. The intelligent people as a rule do not vote, for the same reason — the want of confidence in the ballot being properly returned." In my day this abstention from the polls was generally recognized by the press. By the independent press it was deplored; by the opposition the responsibility for it was charged to what were termed the illegal acts and arbitrary practices of the Administration. From an independent journal of good standing I cut out during my residence this item: "Yesterday afternoon at one o'clock, Mr. A. M., a congressman, was found at the electoral voting-place, which it was his duty to open, when a friend arrived and asked him how the election was going there. The reply was that no one had come to vote, so that he had not been able to organize an election board. 'Then, you will close the poll and report the fact.' 'By no means,' replied Mr. M.; 'I have here the list of persons who ought to vote and from it I will make up my poll-hst, and report the result. This I am ordered to do, and I cannot fail to do it.' We guarantee the exact truth of this anecdote," MEXICO UNDER LERDO 55 These comments as to the electoral franchise in Mexico do not apply to all elections; often in local and municipal contests there is an animated campaign and a free exercise of the ballot. Further reference to this subject will be made when I come to review the Administration of President Diaz. I may remark, moreover, that this defect in the exercise of the franchise is not singular to Mexico, but is common to the Latin-American countries, with few exceptions. The want of education of the masses makes them indifferent to or incapable of an inteUigent use of suffrage; and the long revolutionary struggles which preceded their independence accustomed the people to the settlement of poUtical questions by a resort to arms. Besides, in their colonial state they had not enjoyed in any degree the local self-government of the British-American colonies. Not until education is more generally diffused among the masses may we reasonably expect those countries to be ruled through the exercise of the electoral franchise. The long struggle which attended the separation of the Government from the Roman Catholic Church, to which I have referred, naturally led to some manifestations of relig- ious revolt among the people, tending to the estabhshment of Protestant congregations, but no prominent or influential native appeared to lead the movement. Its direction, as a consequence, was taken up by foreign missionaries from the United States. The first to enter the field was the Protestant Episcopal Church, but it was soon followed by the Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Quaker, and other denom- inations. These movements naturally stirred up opposition on the part of the adherents of the Catholic Church. Early in President Lerdo's term a delegation of American mission- aries called upon him to pay their respects, and presented an address asking for an assurance of his disposition to protect Protestants in the exercise of their religion. The President received them cordially, and made an earnest reply, 56 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS entirely satisfactory to them, the substance of which was reported, as follows : — "That the Constitution of Mexico guarantees in the most absolute and unreserved manner the toleration and protec- tion of all religious opinions. That although the fanaticism of other forms of rehgion might sometimes excite popular disturbances against Protestants, he was sure that the opinion of all the enlightened classes of society is ardently in favor of complete toleration, and that he will answer for the conduct of all the authorities depending directly upon the Federal Government. That in addition to the constitutional obligation to protect religious liberty, the Government takes pleasure in stating that the teachers of the Protestant doc- trine in Mexico have distinguished themselves by their de- portment as law-abiding citizens, without a single instance of the contrary having come to his knowledge ; that their labors have uniformly tended to the enlightenment of the public, discarding sectarian disputes, and limiting themselves to the propagation of doctrines of sound morality and practical religion ; that the Government will not only use its utmost diligence to punish all infractions of religious Uberty, but is earnestly desirous that the Protestant teachers should enable it to take efficient measures for the prevention of such abuses whenever there may be groimd to apprehend their occur- rence; that he is pleased to make the acquaintance of the gentlemen who have conscientiously and laboriously devoted themselves to an object of great public utility." Notwithstanding these official assurances, the Protestants were molested and persecuted in various ways. Wherever a new field was entered upon, it awakened opposition and called for the interposition of the authorities, which was usually cheerfully rendered, but after a time the open hos- tiUty ceased. During my residence a few cases of refigious riots resulted in the loss of Hfe. In one instance an American missionary was murdered. The authorities acted vigorously MEXICO UNDER LERDO 57 in the arrest of the leaders of the mob, but the usual delays occurred in the courts. Finally, eighteen months after the murder, five persons were found guilty and executed. These mission enterprises led to the visit to the Capital of various prominent American churchmen, among the most distinguished of whom was Bishop Matthew Simpson, of the Methodist Church. Few men in the American churches had a more useful career or were possessed of more eminent talents. He was received by President Lerdo, and in the course of the interview the latter repeated substantially the statements, just quoted, which he made to the delegation the year be- fore. The Bishop sought to impress on the President the great political interest the Government had in the division of the population into different religious denominations, in which Senor Lerdo heartily concurred. He was a welcome guest at one of the public banquets given during his stay by the American colony at which the Diplomatic Corps and Mexican officials were present. An extract from his address on the occasion will indicate something of his oratorical grace. He said: "I have sometimes thought that our national standards represent the present condition of the two nations. The Mexican eagle is perched upon the cactus, and holds the serpent in its beak : ours is soaring amidst the stars. With us, the conflict is over — victory has been won — and in proud triumph, yet bearing the symbol of peace, the eagle, un- trammeled and unrestrained, seeks the high heavens. Mexico, as a repubUc, is younger, her half-century has scarcely ended. She is yet in the conflict. Her eagle has seized the serpent of ignorance, of superstition, and of disorder, and is breaking its power. It is already writhing in agony and will soon be dashed Ufeless on the ground. Then, too, will the victorious Mexican eagle soar aloft — for it has a right to fly as high as ours. Her skies are more clear and her mountains taller than our own ; Popocatepetl wears a higher crown than Mt. 58 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS Hood, and Pike's Peak bows gracefully to the Woman in White." The Protestant missions and congregations are now scat- tered pretty well over the Republic. They have been active in organizing primary and higher grades of schools. They pub- lish a number of religious journals and use the printing-press freely. Their colporteurs carry the Bible into almost every community. Preaching, however, is their chief reliance for propagating their cause, and to this end they have estab- lished training-schools for educating a native ministry. But, notwithstanding their activity, they have not made great inroads among the Catholic adherents or seriously disaffected the mass of the population from the old faith. Their success, however, has been commensurate with that of Protestant effort in other Catholic countries. It is not easy to shake the foundations of the Church of Rome. Its organization, discipline, and devotion are imsurpassed. While the Protestant movement cannot claim success in the multitudes of adherents, in other respects it has had a marked influence on the Catholic Church in Mexico. The latter has been stirred up by the rivalry to greater attention to its parochial schools and the character of the instruction has been modernized. The Bible is no longer a closed book for Catholics. In the old days, before the advent of Protest- antism, little preaching was heard in the great cathedrals and parish churches. Now a sermon is given in most of them on Sunday and even "missions," or what are commonly called revival services, are frequently held. The churches, great and small, have as a result imdergone a transformation, by the introduction of pews or seats, before almost unknown, so that the worshipers may listen to the preaching with profit; and in other ways they have been "swept and gar- nished." Greater attention is given to the education and training for the priesthood, and the morals of the lower clergy are more closely scrutinized by the bishops. In those re- MEXICO UNDER LERDO 59 spects Protestantism has stirred up a spirit of rivalry in the old religion and awakened its energies into new Kfe and activity. I had the good fortune during my mission in Mexico to meet the man who in some respects may be regarded as the most noted personage in the history of the Republic — Santa Anna. He began his public career with the independence, and was an active participant in almost every movement which disturbed the afiiicted country up to his death in 1876, being repeatedly president or dictator with absolute rule, and in turn an exile and powerless. He is best known to the people of the United States for his prominent part in the struggle for Texan independence and during the Mexican War of 1846-8. His affiliations were generally with the Conservative party, but, not being much troubled with scruples, he readily vacillated from one side to the other. Owing to his machinations against the Juarez Government a sentence of banishment for eight years was issued against him in 1867, but a general act of amnesty for poHtical offenses was promulgated in 1870, and he returned to the country in 1874, and quietly took up his residence in the village of Guadalupe, in the suburbs of the Capital. His return at- tracted no attention beyond a brief newspaper notice. I called upon him in his modest quarters, and was very cor- dially received by him. I found him much broken with age, but he still preserved his military bearing and conversed with great freedom. His topics were mainly of the past, referring with special interest to his visit to the United States after his capture in 1836 by the Texans, and the kind recep- tion he received. A few months after my visit his death was announced, and he was quietly buried as a private citizen, his remains being followed to the cemetery by a few relatives only. Recalling the great power he had exercised at the head of the Government, we are reminded of the fate of another gre.ater warrior : — 60 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS " But yesterday the word of Caesar might Have stood against the world : now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence." The year of Santa Anna's death Don Carlos de Bourbon, the pretender to the Spanish throne, made a visit of a few weeks to the Capital. He was courteously received except in official circles, and with special attention by certain persons and families of Spanish origin, adherents of the old Con- servative Church party. The object of his visit seemed to be one purely of recreation. In 1875, in connection with a tour of the United States, the Marchioness Adelaide Ristori made a visit to Mexico, and I saw much of her socially during her stay in the Capital. She was the guest of my intimate colleague, the Italian Minister, was several times a visitor at my residence, and she and Mrs. Foster established a warm friendship. I regard her as one of the most remarkable women I have ever met, both intellectually and socially. At that time she had reached the height of her fame, standing in the front rank of the world's tragediennes, having been showered with presents by all the great monarchs of Europe and with the plaudits of the' artistic and refined people of both hemispheres. After a long career upon the stage, she retired to Rome with an ample fortune, devoting her time to charities and to her multitude of friends and admirers. Her eightieth birthday was celebrated in 1902 with imusual brilliancy, and she lived to the age of eighty-five. CHAPTER VI A TRIP TO OAXACA We so greatly enjoyed our excursion from Cordova to Jalapa that the succeeding summer we made another to the then more inaccessible and more famous State of Oaxaca. Our party consisted of the Italian Minister, the ChevaUer Biagi, Dr. and Mrs. Richardson of New Orleans, and Mrs. Foster and myself. We came from the capital by the railroad to Boca del Monte ; thtoce the second day fourteen leagues by stage to Tehuacan, where we found a comfortable hotel ; and the third day by stage, a distance of twenty leagues, to Tecomavaca, with poor accommodations for the night. The remainder of the journey, about one hundred miles through the heart of the Sierra Madre range to the city of Oaxaca, was made on horseback and required three days. The ex- periences and scenes were much the same as those had in the trip from Cordova to Jalapa, with two exceptions, one agreeable and the other the reverse. We experienced less rain, and the paths, although rugged, were not so difficult. On the other hand we had no such comfortable entertainment at night, the country being more wild and unsettled. One night we had to resort to a hut used by the arrieros with their pack-trains, and made our beds from the cornstalks cut from an adjoining field. There is no State of the Republic which has more objects and associations of interest or natural attractions for the visitor than Oaxaca. It was the seat of the Zapotecan race, one of the most warlike, intelligent, and civihzed of all those existing at the time of the Spanish conquest. The valley of Oaxaca was selected by Cortez as a part of his estates granted 62 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS by the King of Spain as a reward for his grand conquest, and he and his descendants bore the title of "Marquis of the Valley" (of Oaxaca). The city was founded by an edict of the Emperor Charles V, in 1532. From the beginning of the war of independence it has had a warlike experience : taken by assault from the Spaniards by the heroic Morelos in 1812 ; Santa Anna besieged and captured it in 1828 ; another siege in 1833 ; the celebrated siege of the French in 1865 ; and its recapture by Diaz in 1866. The State has been noted for the independent spirit and warlike character of its people. It gave birth to Juarez, and the Reform movement had its promulgation and chief support here. It was also the birthplace of Diaz. His first revolutionary "plan" or platform of 1871, "La Noria," and that of 1876, "Tuxtepec," were issued here; and from this State he organized with the serranos (mountaineers) the army which overthrew Lerdo and placed himself in power. From the city of Oaxaca our party made several short excursions occupying three days, to some of the wonders of the region, one of those being to Tule to see the gigantic and marvelous cypress tree, and to Mitla to examine the cele- brated architectural ruins at that place. We were accom- panied by the Governor of the State, made his guests, and received in all the towns and villages with music, fireworks, and floral arches. These places are so well known to the pub- lic through books of travel and archaeological writings, that I need not dilate upon them. But another place which we visited — Cmlapam — is so little known and so full of interest that it calls for some further notice. This village Hes three leagues southwest of the city of Oaxaca on the confines of the luxuriant valley of Zimatlan. In the ages preceding the Spanish Conquest and before this region was subdued by the Aztecs of the Valley of Mexico, this village was on the boundary between the rival kingdoms of the Mistecos and the Zapotecos. On the A TRIP TO OAXACA 63 rising ground to the west of the village stood a watch-tower of the Mistecos, whence they observed the movements of the enemy. Among the Indians there are yet treasured many traditions of bloody deeds and stirring events which took place ages ago among a people, the vestiges of whose civil- ization and prowess still remain in these valleys, objects- of our wonder and admiration. On the site of the ancient Indian watch-tower the Domini- can monks built an immense church and convent in the early days of the viceregal government of Mexico, which, with their towers and massive walls, have the appearance of an old feudal fortress. The convent has been long abandoned by the friars, and is now a vast desolation of halls, corridors, chapels, and monks' cells, similar to the ruins which are scat- tered over the Repubhc, the evidences of the departed grand- eur and wealth of the Church. We spent some hours with much interest in wandering through these dilapidated build- ings deserted by all but the bats, which have found there a quiet home ; in reading the faded Latin inscriptions upon the stuccoed walls ; in seeking to trace on the tombstones in the graveyard the history of the old monks; and in clambering up on to the dome of the church ?ind viewing the grand panorama of the valley beneath us and the moimtains around and below us. A part of the immense church, in a very ragged condition, was still used by the villagers, and the 'padre occupied a few of the lower rooms. Under his guidance we were led into one of the courts, where we were shown a tomb lying level TOth the ground, upon which were engraved some huge illegible letters, which bore the evident marks of age. This tomb the villagers regard with the greatest reverence, for here they say was buried Dona Marina, or Malinche, the famous in- terpreter of Cortez, the companion of the Spaniards in all the campaigns of the Conquest, a most important instrument of their triumph, and one of the noted women of the world. 64 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS Hers was a strange life, as a Mexican writer has said, rather a chapter of a novel than a sober page of history. The begin- ning and the end of her life are lost. It is only that middle portion, coupled with the exploits of the great Spanish captain, which is certainly known. Little mention is made of her after her marriage. Neither Bemal Diaz, the contem- poraneous historian, nor Prescott has more than a passing reference to her after-life. Her birth and her death are shrouded in mystery and uncertain tradition. "Whether or not this ancient tomb is her grave, this crumbling ruin is a fit resting-place for her who witnessed the overthrow of her race — this spot which marks their contending struggles and where the conquerors sought to build an enduring monument of their faith, which, too, in its turn, has gone to decay. There was one remaining historic spot which we had not yet seen, so we asked the padre where was the monument that marked the death of General and President Guerrero. He pointed out to us a field of growing wheat at the rear of the convent; he evidently did not care to accompany us. It marks an event which constitutes one of the darkest pages of all Mexican history. General Guerrero was one of the most valiant leaders of Mexican independence, and in 1828 came to the presidency, as most Mexicans have, through a bloody struggle following a contested election. He had been fully installed and recognized, but Bustamente, the Vice-President, raised the standard of revolt. He was sup- ported by many of the most prominent of the old leaders of the independence, and what arms were likely to fail in accomplishing, treachery and money achieved. Guerrero was entrapped into accepting an invitation to a dinner on board a foreign vessel, commanded by a Genoese, in the harbor of Acapulco ; and while the dinner was in progress the vessel set sail, put to sea, and anchored in a port on the coast of Oaxaca in the hands of his opponents. For this base act the Genoese is said to have received $70,000. His captors A TRIP TO OAXACA 65 went through the mock forms of a court-martial in this con- vent, condemned him to death, and on this spot he was shot on the 14th of February, 1831. The murderers then, with impious rejoicing, returned to the church and sang a TeDeum over the death of this brave soldier and patriot, who had merited the honor and gratitude of his countrymen. The city of Oaxaca not only bears the scars of war, but shows in almost every quarter the marks of earthquakes, this State having suffered more from them than any other. The tradition of many frightful visitations of this " chief of terrors" to the people, occurring centuries ago, are kept fresh in the memories of the natives. They have had also recent occasion to remember their terrible manifestations. One of the most noted of these took place only three years before our visit. Nine times during the day was the pheno- menon repeated, and so powerfully and so alarmingly that the houses were abandoned and the inhabitants fled to the plazas or open squares, and even to the open fields outside the city. Many lives were lost, and we saw the effects in destroyed houses and the gaping walls of massive edifices. A few months later in the same year the people were sud- denly awakened at 4 o'clock in the morning by a terrific shock which seemed to crack the very globe itself, followed immediately by an oscillating movement of some seconds, and finally by a violent trembling motion. Many are the injuries which these earthquakes always cause when they combine the double movement of oscillation and trepidation. One of the noticeable facts about earthquakes is that they are a danger to which the inhabitants never become accus- tomed or indifferent. However often repeated, they seem to inspire an increasing and greater fear which is indescribable, and which seems to pervade the brute with even greater force than man. To feel the very earth, which is our symbol of sohdity and firmness in all things terrestrial, tremble and apparently give way beneath one's feet, inspires such an 66 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS emotion as none can conceive but those who have felt a genuine tropical earthquake. The old foreign resident of Mexico tells the newcomer that he wiU not know the coun- try till he has experienced an earthquake and passed through a revolution. We were visited during our residence with several shocks, but fortunately none of them attended with disastrous consequences. Once while dining in the Legation with a party of friends, among them George W. Carleton, the New York publisher, in the midst of the dinner there came a sudden and violent shock, which instantly brought all of us to our feet. It was a simple shock only, and we soon recovered our equanimity, resumed our seats, and the dinner went on. Mr. Carleton, who was quite an artist, made an amusing pen-and-ink sketch of the scene. As I am not able to reproduce this picture, I quote a word-sketch written by a traveler in Oaxaca describing his experience while on a visit to Mitla, as follows : — "We were sitting one day at the table, when of a sudden somebody — shook the table ; no ! — the walls shook, also the ceiling; the mighty beams supporting it groaned and twisted about, as if their vitals were under the influence of colic. The company stared at one another; but scarcely a face looked funny enough to warrant the impeachment of any one having played a trick upon the diners. Another heave, and everything movable, and what we might have thought before immovable, swayed about, a cracking, a rattling, and a subterranean growl upset the equilibrium of everything, and, above all, that of the bipeds, or most of them at least, for away they rushed, pell-mell, into the courtyard, leaving the poor pudding standing smoking in the middle of the table. A few old stagers remained, fas- cinated apparently by the attraction of the smoking good cheer, and shamming as much cheer of their own as they could conscientiously make pretense to. This encouraged some of us to attempt also keeping up appearances, and so, A TRIP TO OAXACA 67 with a sort of seasick feeling, and more sickly smiles, we revenged om-selves on the pudding, by dissecting and em- boweling it, though choking with our mouths fuU. "We had just recovered ourselves sufficiently to swallow like Christians, the fugitives were returning, and reassuming their greedy looks in regard to puddtag and dessert, when another unmitigated subterranean kick stopped every morsel in our throats. This was no laughing matter; we all felt ex- ceedingly sick ; we could not keep our positions on the chairs, but had to hold on to walls, doors, and wiadow-frames that had as much need of support as we had. . . . We had to evacuate ; we sallied into the street and there we were soon imbued with the terrible seriousness of an earthquake. From all the houses the inhabitants had come forth to the most spacious places where two streets crossed, or to the plazas or open squares. They were on their knees, pale and de- spairing, praying earnestly, some loud, some low, and here and there a heart-rending yell of 'misericordia, domine!' would be echoed by a hundred faltering tongues." Our visit to Oaxaca terminated with a large banquet in our honor given by the Governor in the Government Hall. The local press referred to it with much satisfaction, and with details of the floral decorations, the display of flags of "all nations friendly to Mexico," the music, etc. As on all such occasions there were various toasts and speeches. That of the Governor, which is a fair specimen of Mexican af ter- diimer oratory, was as follows : — To-day we register in our annals an act hitherto unknown ; the representatives of two powerful, friendly nations come among us to visit the cradle of the Zapotecos, which is also the country of the immortal Juarez. If history is not a vain echo lost in the lapse of time, we should take from it a good lesson for the future. The illustrious travelers who now listen to me advise the aristocracy to forego its privileges 68 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS which have no reason to exist, to teach the classes still marked with the seal of former servitude, that they could only raise themselves from the dust and put on the august crown of their right proclaiming Uberty and equahty, and give the people to understand that not because it has been oppressed will it be an oppressor ; that not because it has been tyrannized over can it tyrannize in its turn. We will take to ourselves these doctrines and measure their importance. These travelers call us brothers, and pour out to us con- solation and hope ; they bring a desire for better and more prosperous times for Oaxaca; they teach us to make property prolific with our work ; they enlighten us with their counsel, and engrave upon our minds the ideas that are to make our future happy. We bless, gentlemen, the inscrutable decree of Providence that has brought among us the enlightened representatives of two powerful nations, and upon offering them our hospi- tality, we strew their path with flowers, and in the light of vivid and imperishable joy, we will drink to the health and the glory of the two wise Ministers who are to-day our worthy guests. In my reply to the Governor, after expressing our high appreciation of the honor and attentions we had received, I said : — I am gratified to have this appropriate opportunity to offer a sentiment to the memory of the distinguished states- man, who has rendered such important service to his native State of Oaxaca, to his country, and to republican institu- tions throughout the world. . . . The past has furnished few more illustrious examples of steadiness of purpose, de- votion to principle, or unwavering faith in the cause of lib- erty and human progress through years of darkness, disaster. A TRIP TO OAXACA 69 and adversity than that of Don Benito Juarez. He was a worthy compeer of the political giants of our generation who struggled successfully for national unity and the consoUda- tion of their respective principles of government — of our own immortal Lincoln, of Coimt Cavour of Italy, and of Prince Bismarck of Germany; and I doubt not that history will record his name in enduring letters on the scroll of fame, along with the great American apostles of freedom, Hidalgo, Bolivar, and Washington. It is to present my offering of devotion and admiration I have crossed the mountains and come into this beautiful valley — to this city, the scene of his youth and early man- hood. I close with the toast : To the memory of Juarez and to the prosperity of his native State of Oaxaca. Our visit to Oaxaca was in all respects satisfactory and enjoyable. We were received by the official and social circles with every ci^dlity and attention. Our presence among them was recognized as a special mark of consideration for their city and State, and it proved as agreeable to us as to them. The American Consul, in writing me after our departs vire of the pleasant impression made by our visit, concluded as follows :" Every event that takes place here this year will bear date, el ano de la visita del Ministro de los Estados Uni- dos." The Mexican people are exceedingly patriotic and celebrate their national days with much enthusiasm. The two events to which they annually give special importance are the pro- mulgation of the independence by Hidalgo on September 15, and the defeat of the French in their attack upon Puebla on May 5. They also commemorated the battles in the Valley of Mexico which resulted in the capture of the city by Gen- eral Scott, the President and his Cabinet often participating in the exercises. It seems a little odd to Americans that those defeats which brought such overwhelming disaster to the 70 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS nation should continue to be celebrated with so much patri^ otic fervor. The Mexicans, however, look upon them some- what in the Ught with which the Greeks regarded Thermo- pylffi, as exhibitions of heroic devotion and bravery under the most adverse circumstances. They deplore the dissensions which weakened the national defense against the invaders, and recognize the want of skill in their generals, but their orators annually laud the soldiers in the ranks who fought with heroism in a hopeless contest, and hold up their example as a pattern for the rising generation of their coimtrjnnen. But during my residence I saw little evidence of bitter- ness of feeUng against Americans because of the war which despoiled the Mexicans of half their territory. Time has done much to heal the wounds of war, and after a generation and more have passed their intelligent citizens can see that the spirit which brought on the hostilities was slavery ; that it was destroyed in the Civil War; and that a different spirit has since then controlled our Government, as was manifest in the sympathy shown the Liberals in their contest with Maximilian. CHAPTER VII REVOLUTIONARY MEXICO I HAVE already referred to the insecurity of life and property existing in the Valley of Mexico during the first years of my residence. The same state of affairs existed, possibly in a more aggravated form, throughout the country during the greater part of the term of President Lerdo. At no time was it free from some kind of a revolution, local or general. In 1874, after Lerdo had been in power for more than a year, he arranged an excursion into the Valley of Cuemavaca and to the famous cave of Cacahuamilpa, in the State of Guerrero, to which the Diplomatic Corps, members of his Cabinet, and other friends were invited. In a great banquet tendered to him and his party by the Governor of Morelos, at Cuema- vaca, President Lerdo cited the fact of this excursion and the presence of eight Governors of States, as evidence that peace at last reigned throughout the Repubhc, and that it was possible for so many public officials to absent themselves from their posts. He seemed oblivious of the large cavalry escort which constantly accompanied him and of the army and rural guards which were on duty at every town and village through which he passed. The trains on the only railroad ia the country, that from Mexico City to Vera Cruz, constantly contained one or more cars loaded with a guard of armed soldiers. The hacendados did not venture off of their landed estates without an armed guard, and the richest of them lived in the cities for their personal safety. Every man of any importance traveling on the roads went "armed to the teeth." The conductas or bullion trains, which brought the gold and silver from the 72 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS mines to the mint in the City of Mexico, or for exportation, were always heavily protected by guards. It was the custom at large mining-centres, such as Zacatecas and Guanajuato, to combine the output of the different mines in one large conducta at stated intervals, and the Government would furnish a detachment of the army as a guard. From such distant points as the State of Chihuahua the conductas were several weeks on the road before reaching the City of Mexico. From isolated mines the condv£tas were formed by and at the expense of the proprietors. I give a statement furnished me by the manager of a well- known mine which I was visiting, situated in the mountains about one hundred and twenty miles from the Capital: "Owing to the rugged character of the coimtry wheel con- veyance is impracticable, and pack-mules must be employed. The number of men composing the guard varies somewhat according to the amoimt of silver. It is always better to send a large amount, as the expense is considerably greater on a small amount, in proportion to what it would be on a larger quantity. An escort for, say, fifty thousand ounces of silver would require from thirty to forty armed men, five muleteers, and twenty pack-mules. The men who form the guard are carefully picked out from the inhabitants of the district, and consist chiefly of small farmers who hold lands under the company, and the superior workmen from the mines who can be spared from their work. It is always an object of ambition to be placed on the conductas, and consequently we are able to pick out the best and most trustworthy men. The guards have to supply their own horses and find their own living on the road. Great care is taken that no informa- tion gets abroad as to the date of departure of the conducta, owing to the risk of such news allowing time for bands of robbers to collect. It being decided to send down the silver, instructions will be given the night before. By dayhght next morning the required number of men with their horses will REVOLUTIONAUY MEXICO 73 collect in the courtyard and receive arms from the company, consisting of a German needle carbine and a large revolver, the men providing themselves with swords. Thus prepared the muleteers bring forward the pack-mules, the silver bars are deUvered over wrapped in coarse matting, and securely fastened one on each side of the pack-saddles. The conduda on arrival in the Capital goes straight to the mint. The journey, going and returning, occupies from six to eight days." It can readily be seen that this condition of affairs greatly retarded the development of mining, which was and is the chief industry of the country. Neither could commerce greatly flourish. The rate of exchange between the Capital and near-by cities was often as high as from three to five per cent, and for the cities in distant parts of the RepubHc even ten per cent. I have noted the saying that one will not know Mexico till he has experienced an earthquake and passed through a revo- lution. We had enough of the former to satisfy our curiosity, and we were fated to witness the latter on a most extensive scale. Benito Juarez, the great hero of the Reform Movement, was chosen President of the Republic in 1858 and continued at the head of the Government through the War of the Re- form and the French Intervention. After the fall of Maxi- milian in 1867 an election was held and Juarez was again chosen for four years. When his term approached the end, his personal adherents insisted that the Reform Movement still required him at the head of the Government. I was once dining with a humorous Mexican friend. In due course the olla podrida was served, a very savory and popular dish composed of various stewed meats, vegetables, and fruits, universally a part of Mexican diimers. When it came to the table he said : "You know we call this el plato Juarez." I expressed surprise and asked for an explanation. 74: DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS "0 ! yes; el plato Jvarez, for we have Don Benito with us always." A large party in the country opposed the reelection of Juarez in 1867, and supported the candidacy of General Porfirio Diaz, who had gained great popularity in the late war against the French. When the candidacy of Juarez was again annoxmced in 1871 the partisans of Diaz loudly pro- tested against it ; and Lerdo, who had been Juarez' Minister for Foreign Affairs and was then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and ex-ofjicio Vice-President, also declared his opposi- tion. In the election none of the three candidates, Juarez, Diaz, or Lerdo, had a majority upon the returns, and the choice devolved upon the Congress, which declared Juarez President. The most fruitful source of the revolutions which have marked the independent existence of the Latin-American States has been the effort of the public men of those countries to continue themselves in power or to attain the Presidency by other than peaceful and constitutional methods. This has been preeminently the case in the history of Mexico, and proved true in the epoch imder review. The re-inauguration of Juarez was followed by a pronunciamento by Diaz, de- claring his election illegal and void, because he had prevented a fair expression of the popular will by force and official intimidation, tod he took up arms, with the battle-cry of "no reelection." Lerdo's partisans in various parts of the country followed the example of Diaz, but Lerdo himself did not leave the Capital and took no open part in the revolt. The whole nation was soon turned into an armed camp, and bloody battles occurred between the Government troops and the revolutionists in many sections of the country. The situation indicated the triumph of Diaz, when on July 18, 1872, Juarez died suddenly of an attack of apoplexy. The angel of death proved to be the messenger of peace. Lerdo, as Vice-President, assumed the Presidency, Diaz REVOLUTIONARY MEXICO 75 acquiesced in the act, and an election resulted in the choice of Lerdo for the constitutional term of four years. A general proclamation of amnesty was issued, and there seemed the promise of an era of peace for the country. Diaz came quietly to the Capital after the election, and lived in retire- ment, manifesting little interest in pohtical affairs, although he had been elected a member of Congress. It was said that the Administration made overtures to him to accept a foreign mission, which he declined. When it became apparent that President Lerdo would seek a reelection Diaz left the Capital and went to his native State of Oaxaca. Meanwhile discon- tent was manifesting itself in various parts of the country and local uprisings were frequent. As early as May, 1875, Congress conferred on the President what are termed "extraordinary faculties." This is a species of legislation quite common in the system of government of Mexico and other Latin-American States, but is never re- sorted to except in the face of an alarming revolution, or at least under the pretext of great danger to the nation. Its objectionable features, in a republican point of view, are that it suspends the legislative power and makes the Executive a dictator. This action of Congress satisfied the partisans of Diaz that their candidate would stand no chance of obtaining a free expression of the popular will at the coming presidential elec- tion, and they resolved again to appeal to arms. In January, 1876, the "Plan of Tuxtepec" was proclaimed in one of the mountain towns of Oaxaca from which it took its name, denouncing the reelection of Lerdo, and naming Diaz as the regenerator of the country. Oaxaca and the neighboring States were soon in revolt, but the Government sent large masses of troops into that region, and Diaz transferred his operations to the Rio Grande frontier. The entire country was again in the throes of a revolution even more widespread than that of 1871 against Juarez, and early in the year we 76 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS began to feel its effects in the Capital. In April, 1876, 1 re- ported to the Department of State that in almost aU the important States martial law had been proclaimed and they were in a "state of siege" ; that the President was resorting to "forced loans" to replenish the treasury and put down the rebelhon ; that the railroad to Vera Cruz had been de- stroyed at different points by the revolutionists and traffic suspended for more than a month past ; that mail communi- cation with the seaport and with the interior was xmcertain and difficult ; that the diligences were detained and robbed in all directions; and that travel throughout the country was greatly interrupted and dangerous. The revolutionists never invested the Capital, although they made incursions into the Valley, and we were practically shut up to the city and its immediate environs. The greatest inconvenience suffered by us was in having our rail commun- ication with Vera Cruz and the outer world cut off. In those days it was the practice of foreign visitors to come to the Capital during the winter and early spring months, but they were always desirous of departing before the yellow fever began its ravages at Vera Cruz, where it was a regular sum- mer visitant. In 1876, however, because of the destruction of railroad bridges by the insurgents, a large number were detained in the city and it began to be feared that they would not be able to get through Vera Cruz without exposure to the much-dreaded scourge. I also had planned to have my family return to the United States and visit the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia. Besides, a larger number than usual of the wealthy Mexican families were desirous of going abroad because of the disturbed condition of the country. I was quietly informed by the manager of the Vera Cruz Railway, an English company, that the Government was furnishing them a strong guard of soldiers to put the rail- road again in order, and that when all was in readiness they would run through a special train to take away the plethora REVOLUTIONARY MEXICO 77 of travelers shut up in the Capital, but that it must be done without pubhc announcement, lest the revolutionists should arrange to capture the train, as they had done repeatedly. He also expressed the wish that I should accompany them, as he thought the presence of the American Minister might give greater security in case of an attack on the train. This I promised to do, as I had expected to go with my family as far as Vera Cruz in any case. When all was in readiness the passengers were assembled at the station, and the unusually long train started at mid- night in order to pass over the mountainous and dangerous part of the road in dayhght. The manager placed American flags on the front and rear of the train, as he said, in honor of my presence, but really to deter any revolutionary band that might be inchned to stop our progress. The passengers traveled with much foreboding and were constantly on the lookout for danger ; but we reached Vera Cruz in safety and without any mishap, and they were glad to find the steamer ready to take them out of the distracted country. It was generally believed that I had communicated with the revo- lutionists and secured an assurance of free passage of the train, but there was no foundation for such a belief. I well remember the conversation I had on the steamer with a passenger, one of the wealthiest and most respected of Mexican citizens. On taking leave of me, he- expressed his thanks for my part in getting him and his family safely out of the Capital, and he then proceeded to say that my Government was in large measure responsible for the present wretched condition of his country ; that he, in union with the greater part of the responsible citizens and property interests of the country, had encouraged the coming of Maximilian, and that under him there was the prospect of a stable Gov- ernment, but that the United States had been the means of its overthrow. Hence, he declared, it was the duty of my Government to occupy the country, restore order, and give 78 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS to it the same security, stability, and prosperity which our people enjoyed ; there was no other solution to the existing conditions. He took leave of me sadly, saying he never ex- pected to return to his country. Soon after he died in Eiu-ope, but his children are still living in Mexico, and have greatly benefited in their father's estate by the era of protection and prosperity of the Diaz regime. The railroad officials, having no confidence in their ability to keep the road open, advised me to return as soon as pos- sible ; and on the evening of the day of my arrival I left Vera Cruz for the Capital on a special train. The regular train which left the next morning was thrown from the track by a guerrilla band, claiming to be partisans of Diaz, the pass- engers were stripped of their arms and valuables, the train burned, and the road torn up. For weeks afterwards the traffic was suspended, until the track was put in order under military protection, only to be again interrupted. During this period, in order to keep the Government at Washington informed of affairs, I had to employ a private courier to carry my dispatches to Vera Cruz. After the arrival of General Diaz on the Rio Grande fron- tier, he made his headquarters at Brownsville, on the Ameri- can side of the river, until his supporters were in condition to assume hostilities. The Lerdo Government made com- plaint of this at Washington as an infringement of hospitality and an abuse of American territory, but no open violation of the neutrality laws was estabhshed. In a short time Diaz joined his partisans in the State of TamauUpas, but he was defeated by the Government forces, his adherents dispersed, and he again took refuge on American territory. He had had startling experiences and escapes during the French inter- vention, but he was now to pass through an adventure which ecUpsed all the other experiences which had given him such a reputation for daring. He resolved to return to his home in Oaxaca and there REVOLUTIONAEY MEXICO 79 again raise the standard which the Lerdo forces had over- thrown. He went to New Orleans and took passage, in dis- guise and under an assumed name, on the American mail steamer for Vera Cruz. En route the steamer called at Tam- pico, but owing to the bar it anchored two or three miles out at sea. Here a number of officers of the regular Mexican army, who were well acquainted with Diaz, embarked for Vera Cruz, and the latter felt sure they recognized him. If so his captm-e at Vera Cruz and execution seemed certaia. That night he threw himself into the sea, which is usually alive with sharks, feeUng able to swim ashore, being athletic and a good swimmer. But the cry "man overboard" was sounded by the watch, a boat was lowered, and he was brought back to the steamer in the sight of many passengers. The purser of the ship, beiag in the secret of his voyage, at once took him ia charge, spirited him away, and he was not seen again. On arrival of the vessel at Vera Cruz the Government officials were informed of his presence aboard, and a thorough search was made by the port guard, but Diaz was not found. In a way which has never been made pubhc he reached the shore in safety, and was soon again among his faithful ad- herents in the mountain fastnesses of his native State. After the triumph of his cause and Diaz was seated in the presi- dency, the purser of the steamer, though an American citizen, was appointed to the lucrative post of Consul-General at San Francisco, which he held for many years. The presence in their midst of their favorite chieftain soon revived the waning fortimesof the revolutionists, and the mountaineers flocked to the Diaz standard; Alatorre, the ablest of the Lerdist generals, was driven out of Oaxaca, and on November 16, in a decisive battle at Tecoac, about seventy-five miles across the mountains east of the Capital, the Diaz forces were completely victorious over the main army of the Government. When the news reached the city it spread consternation 80 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS in Administrative circles, as Lerdo had been made to believe that his generals would be able to drive Diaz back into Oaxaca. Nevertheless preparations were made for a defense of the city by fortifying the gates and concentrating troops, but on the 20th, after details of Alatorre's complete rout were received, aU these preparations were abandoned, the Minister of War presented himself before the Congress, and, in the name of the President, stated that the Council of Ministers had decided that it was the duty of the President to maintain to the utmost the standard of legitimate and constitutional government, and that, following the example of Juarez, if forced to leave the Capital, he would, if neces- sary, sustain it in the remotest comer of the Republic. This was accepted as an announcement that President Lerdo would abandon the Capital, and all classes were in a state of intense excitement. General Diaz, after the battle on the 16th, not reaHzing the completeness of his triumph, had marched to Puebla to reorganize his army preparatory to an advance on the Capital. If Lerdo and his forces aban- doned it, there would be an interregnum of some days before Diaz could assume the Government, and in the mean time it was feared that the city might be given over to the rioting of the lawless elements. Banks and commercial houses would then be exposed to pillage. The leading bankiag- house of the city was next-door neighbor to my Legation, and alarmed at the situation my friend, the manager, asked that he might transfer the contents of his vaults to an ad- joining room of the Legation, which could be done unob- served by making an inside opening ia the wall; the idea being entertained that a wholesome respect for the American flag would deter a mob of pillagers from entering the Lega- tion premises. Darkness fell upon the city the night of the 20th with a feeling of gloom and fear pervading the inhabitants, as it was generally known that the Government was preparing to REVOLUTIONARY MEXICO 81 evacuate. I invited a few of my countiymen to come to the Legation that night, and with them the bank officials and the members of the Legation staff. All of them saw fit to come armed. There was no slmnber for that company, but we were a cheerful party, passing the time at whist or other games, with a supper at a late hour of the night, or rather an early one of the morning. There were many such gatherings in the banking and commercial houses of the Capital that night. Our vigU passed with only two interruptions. A Senator called at an early hour to ask if he might become my tem- porary guest. He had been a champion in Congress of the Lerdo regime and showed much bitterness towards the Diaz movement, and feared that he might be exposed to insult, if not danger, from excited partisans of Diaz before order was estabhshed. He was my personal friend and I was glad to give him a room in my house. In the early hours of the morning General , a gallant old soldier, a former Minis- ter of War, my near neighbor, for a similar reason also asked to become my guest, and brought with him his favorite war- horse, the companion of many campaigns, a noble animal. I gave the General my best chamber and quartered the charger in the Legation patio. My two distinguished guests remained with me for forty-eight hours only, but an amusing and somewhat embarrassing condition was developed. These two gentlemen, while both hostile to the Diaz movement, were bitter personal enemies, and could not be brought together at my table or in my family circle. So they were voluntary recluses in their own apartments during their stay. The practice of resort by public men to legation asylum is quite common in the Latin-American States in time of dis- order and revolution, but my experience in this instance was unique, in that the Legation at one and the same time afforded protection to public men, bank treasures, and war- horses. 82 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS On the morning of the 21st it was learned that President Lerdo, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and three other members of his Cabinet, had left the city at two o'clock in the morning. He was also accompanied by several Senators and Deputies of Congress, the Governor of the Fed- eral District, and a niomber of personal and political friends, and escorted by a force of one thousand cavalry, taking the road leading to Toluca, the Capital of the State of Mexico, sixteen leagues to the west. The garrison of the Capital remained in the city under its commander. Immediately upon the departure of Senor Lerdo the government of the city was assumed by a person named in advance as provisional governor by General Diaz. The municipal police, guards, and the federal garrison at once acknowledged his authority, and civil affairs went on as usual, without any apparent break or disturbance in govern- ment. During the two and a half days in which the city was in this interregnum, as I have noted, a general feeling of in- security and apprehension of disorder pervaded commercial and social circles, but, greatly to the credit of the inhabitants, peace and order remained imdisturbed, and the various poUce duties and municipal administration of affairs were enforced as thoroughly as under the most rigid and respon- sible government. CHAPTER VIII THE TKIUMPH OF DIAZ Notice was sent immediately to General Diaz of the aban- donment of the city by President Lerdo. He was then at Puebla, and the railroad not being in working order he, with a small escort, came over the mountains with all speed, but did not make his entry into the city till the afternoon of November 23, 1876, when he was received by an immense concourse of people with hearty demonstrations of enthusiasm. He was verily the hero of the hour, and he proved the paci- ficator of the country. For a generation to come Mexico was destined to enjoy an unexampled era of peace, security, and prosperity. Lerdo had fled, but a new source of trouble was encoun- tered by General Diaz. Under the Mexican Constitution the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was ex-ofjicio Vice- President, and it was made his duty in case of a vacancy in the Presidency to assume the duties. A month before the fall of Lerdo, Mr. Iglesias, the Chief Justice, left the Capital, and from the city of Guanajuato issued a proclamation to the people, declaring that Lerdo's election as President was imconstitutional and void, and by his illegal acts he had forfeited the office, which Iglesias assumed temporarily imtil a new election could be held. A number of the interior States supported Iglesias, and an army was being collected to en- force his claims. He refused to recognize the revolutionary movement of Diaz, and the latter, immediately after his occupation of the Capital, marched against him. But no further fighting was necessary. The country recog- 84 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS nized Diaz as the nation's chieftain. Besides his qualities as a dashing and successful general, he possessed a reputation for honesty and sincerity which inspired public confidence, and it was felt not only that he had been unjustly debarred from the Presidency, but that under his rule the Republic might enjoy an era of peace for which the substantial interests of the country so greatly longed. The forces of Iglesias melted away, nor could Lerdo find supporters in the west. Both took refuge in the United States and left Diaz in undisputed possession of power. Sefior Lerdo took up his residence in New York City, from which place he awaited the result of efforts being made on the Rio Grande frontier by his Minister of War and other ad- herents to restore him to power. But all these efforts came to naught, and he remained in that city up to his death. He claimed that he was the constitutional President of the na- tion, and that as the oflBcial exponent of a legitimate gov- ernment he could not return to the country and resume his citizenship without a tacit recognition of the revolutionary regime of General Diaz, which he was determined never to make. He therefore became a voluntary exile from his country, which he had served so long and with so much distinction and to which he was greatly attached. There was no interdict against his return and no confis- cation of his estate, the income of which was regularly sent to him in New York. He lived there a quiet, almost obscure life, but at his death his remains were taken to the Gty of Mexico and buried with marked honors in the National Cemetery, among the " Immortals." He was a gentleman of culture, an able lawyer, and one of the most useful of Mexico's public men, having rendered important services during the War of the Reform and the French Intervention. His great mistake was in seeking a reelection to the Presidency, after he had denounced the practice and opposed the reelection of Juarez. My personal relations with him in Mexico were very PORFIRIO DIAZ President of Mexico THE TRIUMPH OF DIAZ 85 cordial, and the visits which I made to him in his retirement in New York seemed very grateful to him. General Diaz, having received the adhesion of the Iglesias army and of all the States, proceeded to estabUsh himself in authority, as the decree announced, according to the terms of the Constitution by calling for elections to choose a Presi- dent, members of the Supreme Court, and the Congress. The decree, however, excluded from candidature aU persons who in civil or military grades had done anything to recognize the reelection of Seiior Lerdo, who had participated in what were termed the electoral frauds, or who had voted in favor of the "extraordinary faculties." These prohibitions excluded from office more than three fourths of the members of the last two Congresses, and of the Supreme Court, and a vast number of civil and military officials, among the most ex- perienced and able of the prominent citizens of the Republic. The persons elected were required to take an oath to support the Constitution and the "Plan of Tuxtepec," by which latter provision all successful candidates would have to recog- nize the principles and practice of revolution as established by General Diaz. These conditions were declared by the Opposition press to be more odious, illiberal, and exclusive than the electoral methods of the Lerdo Government. In the election held only a few months before, Lerdo had been declared to be chosen President by a practically unani- mous vote. As may be anticipated, none but the "Porfiris- tas" (the term applied to the partisans of Diaz) participated in the new election, Diaz was declared to be chosen President by the imanimous vote of the nation, and the members elected to the Supreme Court and to Congress were all of his party, not a single Opposition member being chosen to Congress. General Diaz returned to the Capital from his expedition against Iglesias on February 15, 1877, and resumed the exec- utive duties, those having been discharged during his ab~ 86 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS sence by one of his trusted generals. His first desire, in his foreign relations, was to secure the recognition of his Govern- ment by the United States and I was confronted with this question immediately after his return. By the terms of the Claims Treaty of 1868, Mexico was to make the first payment of $300,000 to the United States on the awards of the Claims Commission on January 31, 1877. When Diaz entered the Capital on November 23 he found the Federal Treasury empty, and his first act was to borrow from the bankers a sum sufiicient to meet this payment, on which loan he obligated his Government to pay twelve per cent interest. The acceptance of this payment from the Diaz Government would constitute a recognition of it on the part of the United States, and the policy of the latter was not to be hasty in recognizing a revolutionary party established on the overthrow of the constitutional Government. I was authorized, however, by Secretary Fish to make the recog- nition, if it became necessary in order to enable Mexico to comply with the treaty and make the payment. But the Diaz Government, reaUzing this situation, agreed to make the payment through Senor Mariscal, the Mexican Minister in Washington accredited by the Lerdo Administration, and through the accommodating spirit of the Diaz Government that question was for the occasion avoided. Still it was manifest that Diaz had created a de facto gov- ernment which was recognized throughout the Republic, and it was the only government with which I could hold relations to protect American interests. I therefore determined to assume the responsibility of establishing imofficial relations with it, and to postpone the formal and official recognition imtil after the elections had been held and Diaz installed as constitutional President. On consultation with my diplo- matic colleagues, they agreed to pursue the same course. Accordingly, without making any written communication on the subject, I made a formal call upon General Diaz and THE TRIUMPH OF DIAZ 87 each member of his Cabinet, which was promptly recipro- cated by a return call upon me at the Legation by each of them ; and, though I continued to transact business with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, my written communications were always marked "imofficial." General Diaz was greatly relieved and gratified at my action, and I at once entered into very friendly personal relations with him. When he came to the Capital he estab- lished himself in very modest and contracted quarters ia a part of the National Palace, or Federal Building, where I was a frequent visitor. He manifested none of the boastful spirit of the victorious general, but was modest ia the assump- tion of civil executive duties, plainly showed that he was walking in an untried path, and welcomed coimsel and en- couragement ia the establishment of a government of law and order. The elections in February, 1877, having resulted in the choice of Diaz as President, and of a new Congress and Su- preme Court, steps were at once taken to have the revolu- tionary government assume the character of a constitutional one. After the new judiciary was established and the Con- gress organized, on May 5 General Diaz was inaugurated President with much pomp, and took the prescribed oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. I promptly advised the Government at Washiogton of this event by telegraph, and solicited its iastructions as to the course I should pursue. As early as January I had advised my Government that, upon the establishment of a constitu- tional form, the Government of Diaz should be officially recogoized; but six weeks elapsed before the instructions asked for were received. Meanwhile, and ever since the elections in February, the Mexican Minister for Foreign Affairs manifested much anxiety and even impatience as to the action of the United States respecting recognition. Gen- eral Diaz, after the formal assumption of power in February, 88 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS had addressed an autograph letter to the President of the United States and the other heads of governments with which Mexico had diplomatic relations, informing them of that event. To this letter no reply had been received from the President of the United States. To aggravate the situation, all the other governments made formal recognition through their Ministers soon after the constitutional inauguration. The delay on the part of the United States, besides being a great disappointment, was a source of much embarrassment to the new Administra- tion iu Mexico. At an early day after the Diaz Revolutionary Government was installed in the Capital, Senor Jos6 M, Mata, a man of large experience in public affairs, a good English scholar, and an estimable gentleman, had been commissioned as Minister to the United States ; but on his arrival in Wash- ington he found that he would not be received. This left the Minister of the Lerdo Administration (Sr. Mariscal) in charge of the Mexican Legation in Washington, and all the Lerdist Consuls also in oflSce throughout the United States, whilst Lerdo 's partisans were seeking to set on foot a counter- revolution to restore their leader to power. Another event occurred about this time which threatened to cause an irreparable breach between the two countries. For a number of years previous to this time the condition of affairs on the land frontier had been very unsatisfactory. Uncivilized Indians were living on both sides of and not far from the international boundary. Indians made incursions from one side and the other, and it was charged that the local authorities were not vigUant to prevent these depredations. But the chief locality of the trouble was on the Rio Grande frontier, where not only the Indians but smugglers and revo- lutionists were constantly disturbing the peace. The citizens and authorities of Texas were continually sending their com- plaints to Washington and clamoring for protection and redress. THE TRIUMPH OF DIAZ 89 Early in the Administration of President Lerdo, the Gov- ernment of the United States directed its Minister to give notice to the Mexican Government that unless these dis- orders were suppressed, instructions would be given to the American troops to follow the marauders across the bor- der into Mexico and punish them. Later, permission was asked of the Mexican Government for this purpose, but it was not granted, the latter undertaking to make more vigorous effort to suppress the disorders. It deplored the situation and doubtless was actuated by a sincere desire to put an end to the troubles, but there were three obstacles which stood in the way of efficient measures on its part. First, the straitened circumstances of the Treas- ury prevented the maintenance of a large federal force in that distant locality ; second, the soldiers, who were conscripts, took advantage of the nearness of the frontier to desert; and, third, the revolutionary state of the coimtry caused more pressing need for the army elsewhere. This situation led the American federal forces to cross the frontier in hot pursuit of raiders more than once in President Lerdo's time, but such acts were followed by vigorous protests on the part of Mexico. For some time after the accession of General Diaz, he was too busy with securing the consolidation of his Administra- tion to give much attention to the Rio Grande frontier, with the result that the outlaws and smugglers had a free hand. Added to this disorder, General Escabedo, Lerdo's Minister of War, had established himself in Texas near the border, and his adherents were seeking to organize a counter-revolution. This brought about conflicts with the Diaz authorities, who in more than one instance pursued the revolutionists across the river into Texas. In view of the turbulent condition of affairs, the Secretary of War of the United States on June 1, 1877, issued an order to General Ord, commanding in Texas, authorizing the federal troops, where in his judgment it 90 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS became necessary, to pursue Mexican marauders across th6 frontier and arrest or punish them on Mexican soil. This order when published in Mexico created the most intense excitement, and both the Opposition and the Admin- istration newspapers denounced it as a gross disregard of Mexican sovereignty and an insult to the whole nation. General Diaz, under the impulse of the popular demand, caused instructions to be sent to the general in command, directing him to put himself in communication with the American commander on the frontier and offer his coopera- tion for the suppression of outlawry and disorder, but should the American troops enter Mexican territory and exercise jurisdiction, he should "repel with force the insult that is sought to be inflicted on Mexico by the invasion of her terri- tory." The day before the order to the Mexican commander was issued, I had a notable interview with Seiior Vallarta, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The instructions which I had so impatiently awaited from the Government at Washington respecting the recognition of the Diaz Government had finally reached me and I was directed to communicate them to him. They were disappointing to me, and I knew they would create a serious condition of affairs with Mexico. I was informed that the Government of the United States would wait before recognizing General Diaz as the President of Mexico imtU it was assured that his election was approved by the Mexican people, and that his Administration possessed stability to endure and a disposition to comply with the rules of international comity and the obligations of treaties. The dispatch embodjdng these instructions contained a re- view of the Rio Grande border troubles, the injuries sus- tained by American citizens through unjust exactions, the imprisonment of a Consul, and various other causes of com- plaint, and stated that some adjustment of these matters should precede recognition, as the United States, while it THE TRIUMPH OF DIAZ 91 sought amity and cordial relations with the sister Republic, preferred to await some evidence that its friendship would be reciprocated. After reading the dispatch a lengthy conversation followed. Sefior Vallarta insisted that the Government of General Diaz possessed all the conditions of recognition required by in- ternational law and practice, and he cited the recognition already made by all the other nations with which Mexico had diplomatic relations. So far as concerned the complaints of the United States and the claims of its citizens, he said their adjustment properly should follow recognition, espe- cially as some of them required treaty or diplomatic agree- ments. He then charged that a change had taken place in the policy of the Government of the United States with the advent of President Hayes ; for while Mr. Fish was Secretary of State, a disposition had been manifested that, with the inauguration of General Diaz as constitutional President, he would be recognized as such. He claimed to have private advices from New York and Washington that a scheme had been concocted to bring about a war and annexation of Mexican territory; and that the order to General Ord, who was an annexationist, was designed to accomplish this. He inveighed bitterly against the military order of June 1, de- claring that it had disregarded all the rules of international law and the practices of civilized nations, and treated the Mexicans as savages, as Kaffirs of Africa ; that an absolute declaration of war would have been more considerate ; and that no Government could stand in Mexico for a moment against the popular indignation, if it did not repel the in- vasion of its territory by force of arms. The report of this interview and the documents connected with the order of June 1 have been published, and I do not reproduce here my answer to the foregoing, in which I sought to maintain the justice of the position of our Government. 92 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS My report of Senor Vallarta's statements falls far short of conveying a fair idea of the intensity of his feelings. There is no doubt of the correctness of his statement that there had been a change of policy as to recognition after the inauguration of President Hayes, and there was some foun- dation for his charge that a scheme had been formed to bring on a war through the Texas troubles. Some months later when I visited Washington I was informed on good authority that certain gentlemen, whose names were given me and who were especially interested in the success of the Adminis- tration of President Hayes, had conceived the idea that, in view of the tension in the public mind created by the parti- sans of Mr. Tilden and of the disturbed condition of affairs in the Southern States, it would divert attention from pend- ing issues and tend greatly to consolidate the new Admin- istration, if a war could be brought on with Mexico and another slice of its territory added to the Union. The change of policy as to recognition of the Diaz Govern- ment and the vigorous policy as to the Rio Grande frontier indicated in the order of June 1, authorizing the crossing into Mexico of American troops, may be explained by the exist- ence of such a scheme. There was other evidence pointing in that direction. In the same month of June, about the time of my interview with Senor VaUarta, two gentlemen arrived in Mexico bringing letters to me from Mr. Evarts, Secretary of State. One of these was Senor Vallejo, a resident of Cali- fornia at the time of its annexation to the United States, and then a Mexican citizen of Spanish descent, at that time a large landowner and prominent in the early history of that State. He was accompanied by his son-in-law. General John B. Frisbie, an American, of pleasing address and energetic spirit, but of a visionary temperament. Before coming to Mexico they visited "Washington and laid before Mr. Evarts and others prominent in Administration circles their plan, which was to put such pressure upon THE TRIUMPH OF DIAZ 93 Mexico as would present to it the alternative of hostilities or the sale of some of the northern States of that Republic. They claimed that as Mexico was hard-pushed financially, rather than run the risk of a war with the United States, and his overthrow by the Lerdist party, General Diaz for a large sum of money would consent to part with the territory. They, with a knowledge of the language and of the Mexican character, were to be the intermediaries through whom Diaz was to be approached and the terms of purchase to be in- formally agreed upon, after which the official negotiations were to be conducted. Strange to say, their scheme was so far entertained that they were empowered in a purely unofficial way to approach Diaz on the subject. There never was the remotest chance of success, but even the ghost of a chance was destroyed by their own conduct. Too many persons in Washington were in the secret, Senor Vallejo was a garrulous old man, and both he and his son-in-law were so greatly elated with the im- portance of their mission that it was very faintly concealed. The Washington correspondents got into the secret, and while the emissaries were en route their plans were published to the world. The Mexican Government indignantly denied that it ever had been approached or that it would for a mo- ment entertain any such unpatriotic proposal, and Messrs. Vallejo and Frisbie had nothing left them on arrival in Mexico but to disavow their mission. Other incidents occurred still further to complicate the relations between the two Governments. Senor Mata grew restive and weary under his position at Washington, and asked to be relieved. Senor Zamacona, a justice of the Su- preme Court, a man of high ability, and familiar with the United States, was sent to replace him; but he shared the same fate, and was unable to change the attitude of Secretary Evarts as to recognition. Senor Mata on his return reported to his Government and said to me that he had little hope of a 94 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS peaceftJ settlement of our difficulties. About the same time, in my dispatches to the Department of State, I stated that with the public and in ofl&cial circles there was a growing restiveness and bitterness of feeling on account of the delay in recognition; that there was a wide-spread feeling in the country that our Government was inspired with its "mani- fest destiny" sooner or later to absorb the whole of Mexico; and that every positive act on our part was interpreted as a deliberate plan to provoke a conflict and acquire terri- tory. I had been directed by Secretary Evarts and empowered by the President to negotiate with Mexico a treaty to cover all the matters of difference, to regulate the frontier ques- tions, to adjust the outstanding claims, to protect American citizens from forced loans and revolutionary exactions, and to put our commercial intercourse on a better footing. In various interviews with Senor Vallarta I had urged these subjects upon his attention, and we had examined the differ- ent matters in detail, but little progress had been made. Finally, acting upon Secretary Evarts's instructions I pressed for a treaty. Senor Vallarta laid the matter before President Diaz, and, after a Cabinet consultation, he informed me that it had been determined that no treaty should be agreed upon nor any of the pending questions further considered until after his Government had been officially recognized ; that this act was demanded as a right and that no condition precedent should be made ; as it was neither respectable nor honorable to beg recognition. Being satisfied that the Government at Washington mis- apprehended the situation in Mexico and the spirit of the Diaz Government, during the summer of 1877 I asked leave to visit Washington to confer with the President and Secre- tary of State ; but Secretary Evarts did not think it best for me to leave my post. The autimm wore away into the winter without any clash on the Rio Grande frontier, but with no THE TRIUMPH OF DIAZ 95 further progress made towards a relief of the strained rela- tions between the two Governments. An ineffectual effort had been put forth to secure some action of the Congress of the United States in support of the Administration's attitude respecting Mexican affairs, but a committee of the House of Representatives was engaged in making an investigation of conditions on the Rio Grande frontier, with a member of the House from Texas as chairman who was in sympathy with the attitude of the Administra- tion. In January, 1878, I was summoned to appear before that committee, and under the instructions of the Secretary of State, I went to Washington, and gave my testimony before the committee respecting the situation on the frontier, the stability of the Diaz Govermnent, and its disposition towards American citizens and enterprises. The President and Secretary Evarts became satisfied from my representations that it would be better not to delay further the recognition, and I carried back with me to Mexico authority to place myself in official relations with the Mexi- can Government. This I did by communicating to the Min- ister of Foreign Affairs a copy of my instructions to that end on April 11, 1878, sixteen months after General Diaz had entered the Capital and taken possession of the Government, and nearly a year after he had been recognized by the other Powers. This period had been one of intense anxiety to the Diaz Administration, and of great embarrassment to me personally, as it was my duty loyally to support my Govern- ment, and I could not intimate to the Mexicans that the policy as to recognition was contrary to my recommendation and advice. Immediately after the recognition I was invited by the President to a banquet given in my honor in the National Palace to celebrate the gratifying event, at which there were present the Cabinet and leading Government ofl&cials; and the week following the President accepted an invitation to 96 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS a dinner at the Legation attended by the Cabinet, the Diplo- matic Corps, and other high officials. The utmost cordiality- prevailed and the hope was entertained that the two neighboring Republics had entered upon a new era of mutual confidence and friendly relations. CHAPTER IX MEXICO UNDER DIAZ Upon receipt by the Department of State of my notification that official relations had been reestabHshed with the Mexi- can Government, on May 7 Senor Zamacona was received by President Hayes and deUvered his credentials, which he had been waiting in Washington six months to present. In order not to leave the Mexican Government without official relations pending recognition of General Diaz, Senor Ignacio Mariscal, the accredited Minister under President Lerdo, remained at his post and discharged his delicate duties with impartiality. He had resided many years in the United States, first as Secretary and afterwards as Minister. Senor Mariscal returned to Mexico in April, 1878, and re- mained in private life for a short time only, as President Diaz knew too well his ability and experience to allow the country to be deprived of his services. He was a member of the Constituent Congress and signed the Constitution of 1857 which inaugurated the Reform Movement and which stiU continues to be the fundamental law of Mexico. Presi- dent Diaz made him a member of his Cabinet in 1879, and the following year he assumed the duties of Secretary of Foreign Affairs, which post he has continued to hold, with a short interval as Minister to Great Britain. His career as a diplo- matist has not been equaled in length of service by any one of his generation, and few public men of any country have had to do with such weighty questions or discharged their duties with such signal success. He has remained continu- ously the Prime Minister of the Diaz Government, and to him is due a large share of the credit for its achievements. 98 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS Another instance of the discernment of General Diaz in availing his Administration of the services of the adherents of his former antagonist, Lerdo, was his treatment of Manuel Romero Rubio. The latter as a Senator unsparingly de- nounced the revolutionary proceeding of Diaz and ably contended for the maintenance of the constitutional methods of government. A short time before his fall, President Lerdo made him his Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and he accom- panied his defeated chief into exile, and remained with him for some time in New York awaiting the result of General Escobedo's efforts to create a reaction against Diaz. When those efforts failed, Romero Rubio's longing for his native land, the comforts of his palatial home, and the endearments of his charming family were too strong to be longer resisted, and he quietly returned to Mexico and resumed his residence as a private citizen. He had a large circle of influential friends and was one of the most forceful politicians in the country, and it was not a great while before President Diaz offered him a place in his Cabinet. There is a romance connected with the Romero Rubio family, in which the American Legation played an important part and which resulted in lasting and beneficent influence upon the destinies of the Repubhc. This was one of the first of the Mexican families with whom Mrs. Foster and I estab- hshed intimate social relations, and our children were much together in the seven years of our residence there. "When Sefior Manuel Romero Rubio fled from the Capital with President Lerdo on that gloomy November night, in taking leave of me he commended to my care his wife and children, in case they should need protection from the anticipated Diaz uprising in the city. Happily no such danger threatened them, and on a visit to their residence the next morning I found them assured of safety. On the return of Senor Romero Rubio, he, his wife, and eldest daughter were often visitors at the Legation on our MEXICO UNDER DIAZ 99 informal Tuesday night receptions. On one of these nights President Diaz honored us with his presence. His attention was attracted to the beautiful and charming daughter of his implacable foe, the former Senator and Cabinet Minister, and he asked Mrs. Foster to present him to her, which she did with some trepidation, knowing the existing political antipathy. This acquaintance later ripened into a matri- monial engagement, and the winsome daughter of the Lerdist chief became "the first lady" of the land. It proved to be an alhance of prime importance for the country. General Diaz was not without education and cul- ture, as he had passed through the collegiate school of his native State and was engaged in his course of study for the law when the American invasion of 1847 occurred, which led him into the army. Thenceforth his whole life was that of a soldier, and he needed the gentle nature of a woman of refine- ment to soften the asperities acquired in the camp and -field. Mrs. Diaz was an accomplished English and French scholar, vivacious and attractive in conversation, and the President's residence easily became the leading centre of Mexican society. She was also a devout Catholic and active in church enter- prises and charities. As the head of the Government, as well as a conspicuous leader in the Reform Movement, President Diaz had to see to the enforcement of the rigorous laws against the Catholic Church ; but the gentle influence of Mrs. Diaz made them appear less harsh to the hierarchy. With the affectionate familiarity characteristic of the Spanish race, the people called her by the endearing title of "Carmencita," and she became the idol of the nation. The friendly feeling and cordiality manifested at the time of the recognition by the United States of the Diaz Govern- ment in April, 1878, was tmfortunately of short duration. The ground upon which Secretary Evarts based his instruc- tion to me to make the recognition was that the Government of General Diaz foimd itself embarrassed in the discussion of 100 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS pending matters of difference between the two nations, and placed under constraint in reaching a satisfactory settlement of these matters by the absence of recognition, I was in- structed to follow up the recognition by insisting upon some permanent measures for the preservation of peace and the pmiishment of outlawry on the frontier, the better protection of American citizens and their interests in Mexico, and the settlement of the various matters of complaint already presented. I accordingly entered with the Minister of Foreign Affairs upon a consideration of these matters, and was encountering the delays incident to diplomatic negotiations with a new government not strongly intrenched in power and with a scant treasury, when compUcations arose which made the negotiations stiU more difficult. Escobedo, the Lerdist gen- eral, had again visited Texas and was engaged iu the effort to start another revolution in the frontier Mexican States. Dis- order and outlawry were again rampant, and during the spring and summer of 1878 the American troops several times crossed into Mexico in pursuit of or to punish marauders. This threw the public press of the Capital into a state of more or less frantic excitement. The old reports were circu- lated anew that the Government of the United States was inspired by a hostile spirit, and was seeking to bring about annexation or a protectorate over Mexico. The Diaz Govern- ment, influenced in some degree by the public clamor, brought the negotiations to a standstill, and demanded that the order of June 1 authorizing the crossing of the frontier by American troops should be withdrawn. Seiior Zamacona, the Mexican Minister to the United States, ineffective in his efforts with Secretary Evarts, sought, with some diplomatic circumspection, to create a pubHc sen- timent in the country favorable to Mexico. His address be- fore a commercial convention at Chicago was interpreted as an appeal from the Government to the people of the United MRS. PORFIRIO DIAZ MEXICO UNDER DIAZ 101 States and the Diaz oflBcial organ in Mexico City, in its report of the meeting said that "strong condemnation was uttered by distinguished persons against the annexation intrigue, which was so greatly disturbing the serenity of the relations between the two Republics." Senor Matias Romero, so long the able Mexican represent- ative in Wa'shington, in a semi-official paper which he pub- hshed at this crisis stated as a fact that "the Government of the United States entertained sentiments of hostihty towards Mexico, and was looking for motives or pretexts for creating difficulties between the two nations." Nothing could be more significant of the state of public sentiment in the country than such an utterance from the one man who knew best the American Government and people from long residence and friendly feefing. A few years later Senor Romero again be- came the diplomatic representative in Washington, in which post he continued for sixteen years up to the time of his death. In October, 1878, I reported to the Department of State that the prevailing behef in Mexico was that the situation would result in war. An incident had occurred the month previous in which I was an unintentional participant that afforded the press an opporttmity to circulate more alarming rumors. It is the custom in Mexico to celebrate the anniver- sary of National Independence by a public celebration on the night of September 15, a part of the exercises being a meeting usually held in one of the largest theatres of the Capital, at which the President of the Republic presides, accompanied by his Cabinet and other high officials. On the occasion an oration is delivered, a poem recited, with patriotic songs and national airs, concluding with "El Grito de Hidalgo" for liberty and independence. To the anniversary celebration of that year I was invited with my family and suite, and a prominent box reserved for our use. In view of the bitterness of feeling existing in the 102 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS country against my Government I feared that my absence might be misconstrued, and I attended the celebration with the Secretary of Legation and members of my family. The poem proved to be a fierce diatribe against the Government of the United States and its attitude on the questions then disturbing the public, read in a most excited manner, and it did not fail to stir up the audience to a state almost of frenzy. The cry of "Death to the Yankees" shouted from every part of the house, mingled with groans and cat-calls, fixed the at- tention of the entire audience upon the box of the American Minister. I remained impassive in my seat till the excitement subsided, and after the exercises were again in progress I quietly withdrew with my family, leaving the Secretary in the box. The event gave occasion to various wild rumors in the press and political circles. One was that I had demanded my passports and was preparing to leave the country, thus breaking off diplomatic relations ; another, that I had ceased to be persona grata and that the Mexican Government had asked for my recall. The matter was being so freely discussed in the newspapers and even noticed in the "Official Journal," that I felt it necessary to write a personal note to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, stating that I had never for a moment con- sidered the federal authorities in any way responsible for whatever had occurred in the national festival improper or discourteous to my country or Government, and that the demonstration could only be regarded as the unpremeditated expression of a miscellaneous audience in a time of popular excitement. The Minister responded that my note had given the President much pleasure, but that he had never thought that I had given the matter any importance, "as he knew so well your [my] high intelligence." The correspondence was published in the "OfBcial Journal," and it put an end to the exciting rumors. It is due to the Mexican press to say that it was unanimous in expressing condenmation of the author of MEXICO UNDER DIAZ 103 the poem and of the demonstration as wanting in elementary- courtesy and hospitality. The same press, however, was united in condemning what it charged was the policy of the United States in seeking to bring about hostihties with a view to annexation or the estab- lishment of a protectorate. A few extracts from one of the leading and most temperate of the newspapers of the Capital will show the spirit which animated the press at that time. It adds to the interest of the article from which the quota- tions are made when I state that the writer had traveled much in Europe and America, was familiar with our lan- guage, and had spent several months in the United States during the Hayes-Tilden campaign of 1876. It was in part as follows : — A Philadelphia paper, with audacity truly American, has asserted that our nation knocks at the door of the United States, demanding protection against the bandits who at the present time despoil it of its rich inheritance. It adds that if the public sentiment were consulted by means of the ballot, a verdict in favor of a protectorate of the American Govern- ment would be unanimous. This is a falsehood. The protection of honor and good faith we do not solicit — still less will we accept the annexa- tion which is masked as a protectorate. Whatever may be our misfortunes, we resign ourselves to them at once. This is the sentiment which prevails throughout Mexico. There are no allies on this side of the Rio Grande. In case of war, there would be only enemies who would spring up from our rich soil. The cUmate also would be our ally. The national sentiment would, in addition, fortify itself in the antipathy of races, the difference of customs, and even in religious hatred. Another campaign like that of 1847 and 1848 cannot be re- peated successfully. The times of Santa Anna have passed. 104 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS The Mexicans have progressed. To-day they know that the American does not civilize — he exterminates. It is then a dream, a real nightmare, this project of annexation. . . , Concerning public safety, in the United States it is as im- perfect as in Mexico, and in certain places it absolutely does not exist. Trains are often thrown from the track, detained and robbed by parties of bandits, as in Missouri ; the banks are assaulted by bands of armed men, as in St. Paul. In New York frequently in the commercial quarter warehouses are emptied in a single night by daring thieves. Not a day passes that ladies are not robbed in the streets. The same happens to men, with the difference that it is customary to assault or strangle them. Assassinations with knife and revolver are the order of the day. All these occurrences occupy columns daily in the newspapers. The well-organized police of New York is impotent against the rogues, burglars, and pick- pockets. Concerning the immorality of administration we will sim- ply say that it has not a parallel in any other nation. The whiskey frauds, the trial of Babcock, that of ex-Secretary Belknap, that of Tweed, Mayor of New York ; and in foreign countries, the Fremont bond affair and the Emma Mine by Minister Schenck, are shameless acts, which have overthrown the good credit of the United States. . . . Here neither property nor the individual is guaranteed; neither are they in the United States. We had a corrupt and immoral administration ; the people overthrew it, and at the present time are attempting their regeneration. The inter- vention of force in the elections disannuls the pubUc vote, corrupts the institutions, and provokes civil war among the Mexicans. Official pressure, money lavished by handfuls upon electors, and the intervention of force also provoke deplorable disorders among the Americans. We are far from excusing faults which we denounce daily before the tribunal of public opinion, endeavoring to correct MEXICO UNDER DIAZ 105 them; but when our elders in experience, our superiors in constitutional practice and in the administrative service can- not avoid them, can we correct ours instantaneously? How can they give us their protection, when they need regenerat- ing themselves? The want of agreement between the Governments of the United States and of Mexico and a certain tension in their re- lations continued through the autumn and winter of 1878-9. The Administration at Washington declined to recall the order of June 1, but with the better guarding of the frontier by Mexico, the crossing of American troops ceased, and happily no conflict occurred between the federal forces of the two Governments, and that only could lead to hostilities. With the passage of time without any successful counter- revolution. President Diaz was enabled more and more to strengthen his hold upon power and improve his Administra- tion. The customs and excise were more honestly accounted for and the financial credit of the Government improved. This fact and the general prevalence of order gave the Pre- sident greater abiUty to meet the expectations of the Wash- ington Administration, gradually a better state of relations resulted, the order for crossing of American troops was with- drawn, and the differences assumed a more satisfactory dip- lomatic footing. Before Diaz's first four-years' term expired the relations between the two Governments had become quite cordial. We have seen that in organizing his revolution against Juarez and later against Lerdo, General Diaz made "no reelection" his battle-cry. In establishing his Government after the expulsion of Lerdo from the country, he submitted to the States of the Republic an amendment to the Federal Constitution prohibiting the reelection of the President of the Republic or the Governors of the States for the next succeeding term. This amendment was unanimously ap- 106 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS proved by the States and the Federal Congress, and duly- proclaimed by President Diaz in 1878. True to his professions, General Diaz retired from office at the expiration of his first four-years' term in 1880, and one of his favorite lieutenants was chosen as his successor ; but the Administration of the latter proved so inefficient and corrupt that there was a imiversal demand from the country that Diaz should again resume the Presidency, which he did. This he could do without inconsistency, as a four-years' term had intervened since he had left the position. But during his sec- ond term, under his wise and successful management of af- fairs the coimtry was so peaceful and prosperous that there arose again a imiversal demand that he should continue in office. This could only be done constitutionally by a repeal of the amendment adopted in 1878, and the States with alac- rity took the necessary action. Under such conditions Gen- eral Diaz will have remained at the end of his present term continuously in the Presidency for twenty-six years. During those years the country has enjoyed unparalleled prosperity, and it was natural that the inhabitants who had been so greatly benefited by his administration should wish to continue him in power. But I regard it as mistaken states- manship to have so long yielded to their desire. In reviewing the history of Mexico and the other independent Spanish- American States we have seen that the chief cause of their frequent revolutions has been the effort to change their presidents. The transfer of the administration by the peace- ful and constitutional methods has proved in many instances a failure. This has been the case particularly in Mexico. It would have been a wise and patriotic act for General Diaz to have retired from the Presidency at the end of his second term, leaving the prohibitive clause of the Constitu- tion in force. He would then have been in a position to guar- antee a peaceful election of a successor and a continuance of the good order and prosperity which he had estabhshed. The MEXICO UNDER DIAZ 107 people also might have had an opportunity to test their abil- ity to conduct a government by means of a free and untram- meled exercise of the electoral franchise, a condition as yet unknown in Mexico. The benevolent autocracy under his administration has resulted in great prosperity for the coun- try, but it has done little to educate the masses of the people in their duties under a repubhcan government. The biographer of Pericles, the greatest of the republican rulers of Athens, in describing the disorders which followed his death, makes these comments: "In his determination to be the foremost man in the city, he left no room for a second. . . . Under his shadow no fresh shoots sprang. He taught the people to follow him as leader, and left no one behind to lead them ; he destroyed their independence — or at least the mutual play of opposite forces — and when he died came 'the deluge.' There was no one who could succeed him. A democracy without great men is a dangerous democracy." Let us hope this will not be the experience of Mexico fol- lowing the death of President Diaz. CHAPTER X COMMERCE AND RAILROADS During my Mexican mission I devoted much time and thought to the improvement of the colnmercial relations be- tween the two countries. At that time the foreign trade of Mexico was small and was chiefly with Europe. The smaU- ness of the trade with the United States was due mainly to two causes, — first, the want of communication, and, second, the revolutionary character of the country. With the ap- proval of our Government, I sought to negotiate a treaty of commercial reciprocity, but I soon found it impracticable. To estabhsh commercial reciprocity the means of communi- cation should be cheap and frequent. At first the only reg- ular communication was by a steamer from New York once in three weeks, and later a steamer twice a month from New Orleans. A smaU subsidy was granted this line by Mexico, but no aid was given by the Government of the United States. It will be seen in my notice of railroad legislation at that period that intercourse by that method was not greatly favored in Mexico. The revolutionary character of the country, the changes of customs officials at the ports, and the irregular and oppress- ive acts of those officials greatly obstructed free commerce by sea. A large part of my time was taken up with laying before the Mexican Government the complaints of American merchants and vessels, and those of other nations whose interests were imder my care, for onerous exactions and injustice at the custom-houses. Besides, the constant dis- orders and insecurity in the country prevented the free devel- . opment of its resources and tended to restrain commerce. COMMERCE AND RAILROADS 109 While I was Minister two commercial delegations visited the City of Mexico. The first of these came from New Orleans in commemoration of the establishment of the steamship line between that city and Vera Cruz. Their visit was on invita- tion of the "Lonja Mercantil " of the Capital ; they received marked attention and hospitality from the mercantile organ- izations and prominent private citizens; and they were entertained with a dinner in the National Palace by the President, at which time he expressed the deep interest he felt in the development and enlargement of the commercial relations of the two countries. But their visit did not ma- terially increase the trade. In January, 1879, an excursion party, organized in Chicago with the avowed object of promoting more intimate com- mercial intercourse, visited the Capital. It was made up largely of tourists, but contained a number of representatives of manufacturing and commercial houses. The Government furnished them a suitable building in which to exhibit sam- ples of their products and merchandise, and they were enter- tained with excursions, dinners, a ball, and other civilities. But this visit also had little influence upon the existing trade conditions. It is fitting to note, in this connection, the history of the railroad communication between the two countries, as its estabUshment has greatly influenced the improved and en- larged commercial relations. Communication between the twoRepubUcs by an improved land route, which would afford free intercourse and trade, had always been a favorite meas- ure with the Government of the United States. In the instruc- tions which accompanied the appointment in 1825 of our first Minister to Mexico, Mr. Poinsett, which were written by the then Secretary of State, Henry Clay, our representative was particularly instructed to exert himself to secure the cooperation of the Mexican Government in the construction of a projected road to connect the two nations, from St. 110 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS Louis through the Indian Country, via Santa Fe ; and similar instructions were given by the succeeding Secretary of State, Martin Van Buren. Nothing came of these projects for many years, mainly owing to the revolutionary conditions in Mexico. On my arrival in the country the only raihoad in operation, as al- ready noticed, was that from the seaport of Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, and it had required about twenty years for its construction, because of the disturbed state of the country and the poverty of its treasury. The first serious step taken towards railroad communication with the United States was in 1874 in the celebration of a contract by the Lerdo Admin- istration with Mr. E. L. Plumb, representing the Texas raihoad system and New York capitahsts. The approval of this contract was bitterly opposed in Congress, on the ground that it was unsafe to intrust railroad construction in the Re- pubHc to an American company, and that it was dangerous to its interests to have the railroad system of the United States extended into Mexican territory, as it would be used to faciUtate another invasion of the country. Mr. Plumb had not succeeded in securing the approval of his contract by the Congress and perfecting its terms when the Diaz revolution occurred, a part of the announced plan of which was the nullification of various of the contracts made by the Lerdo Administration. Mr. Plumb thereupon withdrew from the country, and the capitahsts represented by him made no further efforts to secure a concession. In 1877 a contract was made by the Diaz Government with a company represented by General W. J. Palmer for a system of railroads to connect the City of Mexico with the United States and with the Pacific Coast. This contract met with strong opposition in the Congress based upon much the same ground as that taken in resisting the Plumb contract. The leading opponent was Hon. Alfredo Chavero, a prominent pubhc man, a supporter of the Diaz Administration, and COMMERCE AND RAILROADS 111 Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. He contended that "it is very poor policy, very injudicious to establish within our country a powerful American company; ... we should always fear the United States"; and he said the contract should be rejected because it was "a danger for the independ- ence and the future of the country." The climax of his argu- ment was the following metaphor: "Go and propose to the lion of the desert to exchange his cave of rocks for a golden cage, and the lion of the desert wiU reply to you with a roar of liberty." It is due to Senor Chavero and his associates of the Con- gress which refused to approve the contract to say that their action was taken at the time which I have described, when the country was in a frenzy of excitement over the Rio Grande troubles and the supposed hostile attitude of the Government of the United States. He Uved to make frequent visits over the railroads to the United States, with whose people and authorities he established a most cordial friend- ship. With the restoration of amicable relations and good win between the two Governments, the opposition to international railroad communication ceased, and in 1880 contracts were made with American companies which have resulted in the present system of lines between the two Republics. These lines have contributed greatly towards the solution of the commercial questions. Since their construction two unsuccessful efforts have been made to negotiate reciprocity treaties. In 1883 General Grant and Mr. Trescot, on the part of the United States, and Minister Romero, for Mexico, negotiated such a treaty, which was ratified by the Senate and proclaimed by the President ; but owing to the opposi- tion of specially protected interests in our country, it was never possible to secure the legislation of Congress to put it into operation. In 1891 I was empowered by President Harrison to negotiate a reciprocity arrangement with Mexico 112 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS under the McKinley Tariff of 1890, but the same interests which defeated the Grant-Romero Treaty stood in the way of any satisfactory agreement. The establishment and mul- tiplication of international railroad commimications has largely supplanted the need of reciprocity treaties, as they more than any other one influence have revolutionized the commercial conditions and given to the United States its present great predominance in the trade of Mexico, which both in exports and imports is larger than that of all other coimtries combined, and many times greater than that of the next leading foreign country. Diplomatic questions were not the only ones which occu- pied my attention during my residence in Mexico, and I found the leisure and opportunity to study other subjects of more or less pubhc importance. I took a special interest in the cultivation of coffee, to which a large area of the country is well adapted, and I sought to learn why it had not assumed greater proportions as an article of export. I visited Vera Cruz, Michoacan, and Colima, the States where it is most grown, in pursuit of my inquiries, and I sent a report of my investigation to my Government, which was published in the reports of the Department of Agriculture and as a Congres- sional Document, reproduced by the press, and translated and published with favorable comments in Mexico. I also made a report upon ■s^eat cultivation. The staple product for the bread of the country is Indian com or maize, which is grown in all parts of the Republic, but a considerable portion of the tablelands is adapted to the cultivation of wheat. Agriculture there in my day was followed after the most primitive methods and with rudimentary implements. Some of the more enterprising hacendados (planters) were seeking to increase the acreage of wheat cultivation and to introduce American machinery and implements. I visited some of the haciendas, and made a report on the subject, which attracted considerable attention in the United States. COMMERCE AND RAILROADS 113 It may be remarked in passing that the raiboad system has been a real blessing from an agricultural standpoint. The great mesa, or tableland, is dependent for its supply of food products on the annual rainfall. Since the Spanish Conquest there have been repeated famines, in which tens of thousands of people have perished. At other times there were product- ive years of such superabundance that the food products could not be sold and the hacendados were nearly ruined. There are no navigable rivers in Mexico and the mountainous character of the country made transportation difficult and costly. Hence there was often abundance in one section and famine in another. The railroads have been a great relief in these respects and have made famines impossible. Among my other studies, I was called upon by the Ameri- can Social Science Association for a report on the judiciary and bar of Mexico. Its judicial, like its political, system is very similar to that of the United States. The members of the Supreme Court, however, are elected by popular vote, for a period of six years. The President of the Supreme Court was made by the Constitution ex-ofjicio Vice-President of the nation, but the experience of General Diaz with Senor Igle- sias in 1876, which I have related in my account of his revo- lution, led to a change in this respect. The subordinate Fed- eral judges are appointed by the President. There is, as in the United States, only one class of lawyers. The bar of the Capital are aU educated men ; after their collegiate studies, they are required to pursue a six-years' course in the National School of Law before they enter upon the practice ; and a similar course is followed in the States. The Supreme Court commands high respect throughout the country. With its members and with the bar of the Capital I had much social intercourse, and I found them relatively of as high character as the profession in the United States. I made a thorough study of the Mexican foreign debt, which seemed to be at that time in hopeless confusion, and 114 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS I sent two lengthy reports to Washington on the subject, which were published. The chief mdebtedness had been con- tracted in London as early as 1823, to which there had been added from time to time various kinds of indebtedness in France, Spain, and the United States. The history of these foreign debts was one of brief intervals of interest payments, brought about by spasmodic efforts to reestabUsh its lost credit or by the constraint of some foreign Power, and suc- ceeding these intervals long periods of suspended payments and wrangles with the creditors, resulting in new arrangements and funding of accumulated interest, and these new arrange- ments soon followed by new suspensions of interest pay- ments. Most of these suspensions and failures are directly traceable to the disorders and bankruptcy of the Treasury occasioned by repeated revolutions, rather than to the de- liberate bad faith of the Government. It was the public indebtedness which afforded the pretext for the tripartite intervention of 1861 leading to the Maximilian Empire. When Diaz assumed control of affairs, the financial situ- ation of the coimtry could hardly have been more desperate. No interest on its public debt had been paid for many years. Its bonds had no value at home or abroad, and were not quoted in the money-market of a single city of the world. But the financial improvement which Diaz inaugurated soon began to create confidence among foreign capitalists, and the rapidly growing revenues finally enabled Senor Limantour, the able Secretary of Finance, to reestablish the Government credit. The foreign indebtedness of every character, whose legitimacy could be shown, was funded, first into gold bonds at six per cent, afterwards at five per cent, and later at four per cent, until the credit of Mexico became equal to that of some of the first Powers of Europe and much above that of any other of the Latin-American Republics. My action on subjects of an unofiicial character, which at- tracted most attention both in the United States and Mexico, COMMERCE AND RAILROADS 115 was a letter which I addressed to the president of a manu- facturers' association of Chicago. It was before this body that Minister Zamacona delivered the address to which I have referred, and which was understood to be an appeal to the American people from the policy then being pursued by our Government. I had been invited to give them any views I might have gained during my residence in Mexico respect- ing the development of commercial relations between the two countries . In the letter I discussed especially the impediments to such freer relations, which I found in the revolutionary character of the country, the want of protection to American citizens and capital, and the opposition manifested to railroad connection with the United States. My letter was sent to the Department of State, with re- quest that, if approved by the Secretary of State, it be for- warded to the association, which was done. It was published in full in the Chicago papers, was reproduced in the annual volume of diplomatic correspondence, and by resolution of Congress it was printed as a public document. It thus had a wide circulation in the United States and was commended or criticised according to the views entertained as to the Mexican policy of our Government. It reached Mexico at a time when the political excitement against the United States was at its height, and the criticism of the press was almost universally unfavorable. So much importance was attached to it by the Government that Sefior Matias Romero was employed to write a refutation, sections of which appeared daily for several weeks in the "Official Journal," and it was printed in book-form, filling three hun- dred and fifty double-column full foUo pages. It was an able document, abounding in valuable statistics, but lost much of its usefulness for the purpose of its compilation by its proHxity. Senor Romero's indefatigable industry and min- uteness in details is illustrated by a remark made to me by Senor Mariscal, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in one of 116 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS my visits in later years to Mexico. The Government was having a Legation building erected in Washington, and he asked me how the building was progressing, remarking that he hoped it was near completion, as the volumes and tons of dispatches Senor Romero was sending him respecting it were sufficient to construct the building with the paper used ! In spite of all our prognostications as to commercial mat- ters, based upon the past and then existing conditions, Presi- dent Diaz was able, through his successful administration of affairs, to accomplish that which at that time seemed hope- less. He gave the country a long era of peace and order. He forced Congress to grant liberal concessions for railroads connecting with the United States. He estabUshed protection and security to Ufe and property. He restored public con- fidence. He brought about a great development of the re- sources of the country. Under his regime, commerce, internal and foreign, flourished beyond the dream of the most hopeful. Various other duties and experiences in addition to those herein related are a part of a diplomat's Ufe. Marriages were occasionally celebrated in our Legation in Mexico. It adds nothing to the legality or binding force of the union to have the ceremony performed in a Legation. It is just as valid if it takes place in a residence or hotel, but in the minds of enchanted lovers it gives to the act an air of romance and patriotism. One of the most noted of these dming my in- cumbency was the marriage of the son of Charles Kingsley, the well-known divine and author, who came to Mexico in quest of adventure and a fortune, and met his fate in the per- son of an attractive and accomplished young American woman temporarily residing in the Capital. The event brought to- gether around the Legation table a large company of the American and British colonies to witness the ceremony and drink to the health and blessing of the happy pair. The private claims and demands of American citizens for the services or aid of their coimtry's representative is more COMMERCE AND RAILROADS 117 or less frequent in all oiir embassies and legations abroad, but in few of them are the calls more numerous than in Mex- ico. I made it a rule to answer all letters and give attention to all such calls so far as I cotdd do so consistently with my official duties. In order to give some idea of the peculiar and strange nature which sometimes characterizes these calls I give a textual copy of a letter received by me, as follows : — Denter Colorado, Aug. 11th 78. John W. Foster U S Minister Dear Sir I have Some thing to tell you which May interest you Some as there is quite a Sum of Money in it or at least I think there is My reason for thinking so are this in 1849 there was two Soldiers of our Army then in Old Mexico that got hold of about $65,000 in order to keep it they Buryed it the next morning after So their Regiment was ordered to Very Cruz there they took the Steamer for New Orleans on Board the Steamer one of the parties died the other was taken North to Indiana there mustered out and as he lived in that State he thought he would go home before he went Back after his money when he got home he found his wife Sick She lingered a long Some time and finally died leaving him with a little family on his hands with not Much to do with he could not leave very well then to go after this so he kept put- ting it off xmtil finaly our last war Broke out he thin enlisted with the Calculation of getting South thin going for his pile but before he could well do as he expected he was taken sick and died I waited on him a good deal during his Sickness and just before he died he told Me all about this giving me the ex- act locality of the Money and telling me to go and get it as he Never would want it well when our war closed the troubles commenced then between the French and Mexicans So I thought I would wait for More Settled times I have kept 118 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS putting it off for one reason and another until Now and Now I have not the Money to go with so I send you the Exact locaUty of where it is as he gave it to me trusting that if you get it you will be honerable enough to divide with Me hoping that I May hear from you Soon as convenient I am with Respect Yours &c p. s. the Money is in Gold mostly "U 3fr*^ 9. Do, \. ■%. ^ \ % ** this the Exact location as he gave it to me it will do no harm to see if it is as he said the Money will belong to who ever finds it as there is no one Now that knows who it Belonged to before it was Buried Now I trust to your honor to deal on the squaire with me Although this alleged buried treasure, if it existed, must have been the loot of American soldiers, I decided to ascer- tain if it could be located. To this end I sent the letter to a reputable American citizen hving at Jalapa, which was evi- dently the locality intended to be described. In due time he reported to me that he had made an effort to find the place indicated in the letter, but that it was impossible to do so, as with the long lapse of time the ancient landmarks had all been changed. I so advised the writer of the letter. COMMERCE AND RAILROADS 119 The American Consuls in Mexico were as a rule a creditable body of men, attentive to their duties and patriotic repre- sentatives of their country. During my seven years' resi- dence I only once had occasion to recommend to the Depart- ment a change. The chief consular post in those days was the port of Vera Cruz, and it was filled by Dr. S. T. Trowbridge, who had an honorable record of service in the Civil War and was an estimable gentleman. He had an interesting family of six children, one son and five daughters. They were all musically inclined, each one of them playing some instru- ment, and the Consulate was thus a merry meeting-place for Americans. Dr. Trowbridge, for the diversion of his children, purchased a private printing-press and its equipment of type, etc. They issued at odd times a paper called "Leisure Hours." He wrote a sketch of his life, which was all set up, printed, and bound in his house by his daughters, and made quite a respectable volume. He claimed that such work was a good education for his girls in a locality where there were no Eng- lish schools. The leading industry of Mexico has been for centuries and still continues to be silver-mining. From it the great fortimes of the country were accumulated. In my time it was even more than to-day the absorbing interest of the country. Almost everybody made investments or ventures in mines. My diplomatic colleagues without exception dabbled in these stocks, and mining was a favorite topic of conversation in our circle. I felt it my duty, however, to abstain absolutely from having any pecuniary interest in the business. There were a considerable number of Americans engaged in different parts of the country in mining, and they were frequently making complaints to me of their treatment by the officials and sub- mitting to me questions as to their property rights. I was in a much better position to aid them when it was known that I had no pecuniary interest whatever in the industry. It is a 120 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS safe rule for a diplomatic representative to have no interests of any business character whatever in the coimtry of his residence, and to avoid personal complications in the claims of his fellow countrymen. The wisdom of such a course for a diplomat had a striking illustration in those days in the case of General Schenck, the American Minister in London, who allowed the use of his name for the prospectus of the "Emma" mine, an American project, in which many Englishmen invested, partly on the strength of General Schenck's name. The mine proved a dis- graceful failure. Schenck was a man of incorruptible in- tegrity and no one charged him with complicity with the management, but his reputation suffered greatly for the in- discretion of allowing the use of his name in connection with the mine. CHAPTER XI A VISIT TO THE INTERIOR MEXICAN STATES During the last year of my residence in Mexico I made a long journey through the interior and some of the Pacific States. I had already visited all the States within easy reach of the Capital and even some of the more distant ones, in- cluding Michoacan, Guerrero, and Oaxaca, and had estab- lished quite a reputation as a traveler. But I desired to be- come better acquainted with the people and resources of the States seldom visited by tourists and little affected by inter- course with the outside world. In my day the only methods of reaching them were by the diligence — the old-fashioned "Concord" stage-coach — and on horseback, and much of the journey by the latter mode. The inconveniences and discomforts of the way were pic- tured to me in the darkest colors, and few of my friends en- couraged me in the undertaking, but my experience in travel through the country satisfied me that the hardships were usually exaggerated. The Federal Government expressed gratification at my project and volunteered all needed pro- tection. And so, well supplied with letters of credit and introduction for the towns and cities en route, I began my journey on September 26. I planned my departure for this date, as the rainy season was just drawing to a close, the roads would be drying out, and vegetation would be fresh and exuberant. I can best describe my experiences by giving extracts from my letters to my wife, written on the way while these ex- periences were fresh in mind. From Queretaro at the end of the second day of the journey, I wrote : — 122 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS After taking the diligence yesterday morning my first business was to make the acquaintance of my traveling com- panions. Fortimately they all proved to be respectable per- sons. First, there was a Tpadre, belonging to the Profesa Church in Mexico, taking a trip into the interior; a fat, jolly fellow, talkative, a good traveling companion, and we were soon quite good friends. Then there was a merchant of Guanajuato, returning from buying goods, a pleasant, in- telligent Mexican, his grandmother an Englishwoman. Lastly an hacendado with his family of five persons, two of them ladies. He gave me much information about farming matters. Before we had gone far the ladies asked permission to light their cigarettes, and then all my companions were puffing away. Although I give my fellow passengers a cred- itable description, when I tell you that every one of them used the tablecloth at meals, although we had napkins, you may not think so highly of their refinement ! . . . The diligence has been well guarded aU the way by ruraks [mounted soldiers], and as we crossed the line into the State of Queretaro, I was met by an officer with a message of wel- come from the Governor ; so you may be assured I shall be taken care of. For a considerable part of the time I have rid- den on the pescante [an outside seat above the driver], and enjoyed the delicious air and the beautiful scenery. As we entered this city just as the sun was setting over the valley, the view was charming. Every attention has been paid me during my one day's stay here. On my arrival a committee received me with a message from the Governor, inviting me to lodge at his house, from which I excused myself with the best grace possible. In the morning the Governor's coach was at the door for my visits, and in the afternoon he accompanied me to see the various public institutions, and after visiting a number of these, where do you suppose we brought up? At the plaza de toros, where a bull-fight was in full progress ; but I must VISIT TO THE INTERIOR OF MEXICO 123 claim credit for staying only to see one bull killed, and was glad to get away. At the end of the fourth day of travel, I wrote from Guana- juato : — I have been agreeably disappointed in the comforts I have found on the road. The meals have all been good, and I have had every night a clean and comfortable bed. Starting very early in the morning and traveling sometimes till 10 p.m., the diligence becomes a little wearisome, but changing from the inside to the pescante at will the monotony is broken. Much of the journey has been through the Bajio, one of the richest agricultural valleys in Mexico, and since the rain it has on its most beautiful dress. . . . On my arrival here I was greatly embarrassed by pressing invitations from the Governor and from three or four mer- chants and mining proprietors, to whom I had letters, to become their guest, but I preferred the hotel, where I would be free to see all kinds of people. My first "swell" dinner was at the house of . According to your direction, I wore my dress-suit, and was the only one of the company who did ! But as it was given in my honor, and, coming from the Capi- tal, I suppose it was not out of place. The seating was a Uttle queer. The host took the head of the table, placed his wife on his right, me on his left, and the Governor next to his wife. When I returned to the hotel I found a second note from Mrs. P., asking me to tea this evening at six. But as I knew what "a tea " means in this country, I answered that as I had to go to the Governor's to dine at one, I hoped she would give me only a cup of tea. Four dinners in two days I feared were too much for me. Among my visits I called on the American Protestant missionary here, who had come to see me at the Legation in Mexico. His wife, a very nice lady, is almost isolated socially. She tells me she has no female companions or visiting acquaintances. The work goes on slowly. 124 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS The visit to Guanajuato was of great interest, with its unique location in the narrow valley, and the study of the mines and the attentions of the Governor and other residents made my stay a busy and profitable one. At the large city of Leon similar attentions were extended. The next import- ant place at which I made a halt was Guadalajara. From the first letter from that city I make some extracts as to experiences by the way : — Passing Silao, the military commander, with a dozen medals of honor on his breast, and the jefe politico [the mayor] were on hand to pay me their respects and receive my orders. But as the diligence only stopped to change mules, I had no orders to give. . . . At Lagos the jefe politico had given the landlord notice to prepare me the best room in the house, and when I came to pay my bill the landlord declined to receive the money, say- ing it was to be settled by the jefe, but I insisted and made him take the money. I don't want the Mexican Government to pay my traveling expenses. . . . As I crossed the line into the State of Jalisco I began to see the effects of my friendship with Vallarta [Diaz' first Secre- tary of Foreign Affairs]. This is his pais [country], and he has evidently given notice of my coming, as the attentions on the way here have been almost overpowering. At the first town we passed I was given quite an ovation, being met at the outskirts by the officials with a band of music and es- corted into town with all the church-bells ringing, a great noise of fireworks, and the whole population out to see el estranjero [the foreigner]. Fortimately we had only to remain long enough for the relay of mules, and I was glad to get away from the din of the bells and fireworks, the gaze of the people, and the attentions of the officials, however well meant. At another town where I underwent a similar recep- tion, and while the relay was being made ready, one of my VISIT TO THE INTERIOE OF MEXICO 125 fellow passengers stepped into a shop for a refresco, and he was asked by the proprietor which of us was the Archbishop. He naturally thought all that bell-ringing of the churches could be for no other than the greatest personage of the hier- archy. Had he known what a heretic he was in whose honor all this noise was raised, doubtless his disgust would have been great ! . . . The night before my arrival in Guadalajara I received a telegram from Mr. Newton, the leading American citizen, stating that the American residents desired to meet me out- side the city, and that he had rooms prepared for me at his house ; and asking to be informed of the probable hour of my arrival. I answered that we would probably arrive late at night, not to wait for me, but for my countrjmaen to call on me the next morning. It proved one of the hardest days of all my journey. I was called at 3 a.m. and in one of the towns at 9 A.M. I had to undergo an official reception and a formal breakfast, with toasts and speeches, which delayed us. The road was bad and we made slow progress ; besides, the dili- gence had been robbed two weeks before and two passengers killed, which led the State and Federal authorities to cumber us with a heavy guard. Thus it was that we did not reach San Pedro, a town one league from Guadalajara, till after 11 P.M., and what was my surprise to find the plaza illumin- ated, a long row of carriages waiting, and not only the entire American colony out, but also the Governor of the State, the general of the Federal forces, the President of the Supreme Court, municipal authorities, etc. Tired and dusty and sleepy as I was, I could not but feel (notwithstanding the compliment, which I highly appreci- ated) that they were a great set of fools to be engaged in that kind of business at that time of the night ; and I would much ' rather have gone quietly to the hotel, and met them all the next morning, after a bath, a change of clothes, and a break- fast. Nothing would do but I must change from the diligence 126 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS to the open carriage and drive into the city with the Gover- nor, the General, and the President of the Court. The author- ities had prepared a house for me, to which the Governor proposed to take me at once, but I begged off in the best man- ner I could, on the ground that I had accepted Mr. Newton's hospitality, which he had arranged for me. Much as I ap- preciate all their attentions, I prefer not to be captured by the Mexican authorities. With all the delays, receptions, etc., it was two o'clock in the morning before I got to bed, twenty- three hours since I left it. But I am up this morning early, fresh as ever, and writing you of my doings. My four days in Guadalajara were very busy and inter- esting ones. It was, next to the City of Mexico, the most important one in the Republic, and the capital of the most powerful State. On the eve of my departure from it, I wrote : — Much of my time here has been taken up in visiting the public institutions, which are more numerous and creditable than in any other place on my journey. I have just returned from a round of such inspection accompanied by the Governor. One of the most important of these is the Alcalde Asylum, named after the bishop who founded it at the beginning of this century. It embraces an orphanage, a hospital, a school for poor boys and girls, old women's home, etc., is very extensive, has twenty-two patios or courts, and is the best maintained institution I have seen in Mexico. This bishop has done an immense good in this State, and his work is a shining evidence that the Catholic clergy were not all greedy of power and riches. . . . I may have mentioned in my letters from Leon that it has struck me as rather strange that in each of these two import- ant cities of the interior, as well as in Guanajuato, the city government was engaged in building a magnificent theatre, VISIT TO THE INTERIOR OF MEXICO 127 spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, while not one of them, so far as I saw, had a decent pubhc common-school building. I did not think it courteous to tell them, though desiring to do so, that in our coimtry the best public build- ings were the school-houses, and that we left the erection of theatres to private enterprise and companies. . . . To-day was the official diimer given me by the Governor, and it proved the most elegant entertainment yet tendered. The Governor called for me in his carriage and drove me to the house which had been fitted up for my entertainment and which I decfined. It is quite a palatial establishment and here the dinner was given. ... As usual there were many toasts and speeches complimentary of our coimtry and its representative. I got off the same speech which I delivered at Guanajuato, with slight modifications to suit the locality. It is the one, you remember, which I prepared before leaving Mexico and had put into pure Castilian. By the time I reach Mazatlan I think I shall be able to recite it quite glibly ! It greatly pleases the Mexicans to hear me praise them in their own tongue. My speech reminds me of the joke told on Nel- son [my predecessor]. He prepared a pretty good campaign speech, which he delivered everywhere in Indiana without any variation. In Washington after the campaign, when pressing for an office, he was boasting that he had delivered 135 speeches in Indiana during the campaign. One of his friends, interrupting, said, "No, Tom, you mean you de- livered one speech 135 times!" . . . I have never been better received than here by everybody and leave with the most agreeable impressions. The Ameri- can colony is small, but quite respectable, and they have been very attentive to me. They have been so much pleased with my visit that it has been worth the journey to gratify them. I made it a point to call upon all the American ladies, in- cluding the wives of the missionaries of the American Board, — very intelligent persons. I fear they have a lonesome time. 128 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS with very little sympathy on the part of the other American residents. Colima, October 16. I am safely here after a three and a half days' journey from Guadalajara, much of it on horse- back, as we had a good deal of mountain climbing and four barrancas to cross. The incidents of the way were much the same as that before reaching Guadalajara — breakfasts or dinners at every large town, with ringing of beUs and fire- works, and kind treatment everywhere. . . . Our views of the volcano of Colima were very attractive. It was not in active eruption as it is sometimes, but from time to time there was a sudden rushing-up of a dense volume of smoke lasting only for a few minutes in force, and followed by a small stream, like that issuing from a chimney, till it ceased alto- gether, but the black cloud would hang over the mountain for an hour or more. . . . On arrival here I find I have to limit my stay to one day, as otherwise I run the risk of missing the mail steamer up the coast. The Governor seemed much distressed at the unex- pected shortness of my stay, as he had hoped to tender me a banquet, and in lieu of it invited me to take a cup of tea in the gubernatorial palace, which turned out to be quite a grand supper for thirty of the leading officials and citizens, with the usual toasts and speech-making. Manzanillo, October 18. Here I am at last on the Pacific Ocean, after three weeks of absence from the Legation and family. The journey yesterday was partly by land and partly by water. The first, eighteen leagues, was made in a light spring- wagon, with Mr. Morrill, the Consul, as a companion. At the lake or lagoon, I was met by Mr. Dickman, the Vice-Consul, with a boat flying a small American flag, a pleasant sight after my long land travel. At 5.30 P.M. we started on the lake. The sun was just dropping behind the hills which separate the lake from the VISIT TO THE INTERIOR OF MEXICO 129 ocean, a fine breeze was blowing, and the smooth, swift mo- tion of the boat was very delightful after the rough jolting in the diligence and my horseback ride across the barrancas. The distance was thirty-five miles, and with four oarsmen we made the run in a little less than five hours. It was sur- prising to see the rowers keep up their work for five hours, making seven miles an hour, without a moment's interrup- tion, except two or three times to take a dram of tequila or light a cigar, a matter of less than a minute. After we had got well out in the lake, Mr. Dickman pro- duced a basket of lunch, — ham, cheese, beer, crackers and apples, — all from California, and I partook of them with a relish. When I grew tired of the enchanting tropical scenery, subdued by the shades of night faintly illuminated by clear starlight and the new moon, a bed was arranged for me in the stem of the boat, where I slept for three hours within three inches of the water, gently rocked by the motion of the oars. On arrival I found comfortable quarters awaiting me in the house of Mr. Dickman, one of the few good ones here, my room facing the bay, with a gentle breeze sweeping through it to temper the heat, which has been somewhat oppressive after my journeying on the tableland and in the mountains. . . . I was much pleased with Mr. and Mrs. Morrill. Mr. M. I highly respect, especially for his consistent Christian life in this land where all the influences tend to neglect of duty or to the Catholic Church, He was raised by Free-Will Baptist parents till he left home at fifteen, but never was a church member. He has read prayers, however, in his family every Sunday morning since he has been in Mexico, — nineteen years, — and, as he says, has tried to live a Christian life. He is now beginning to see its results. As there was no Pro- testant minister in this part of the country, his children were baptized by the Catholic priests. Since they have grown up he has sent them to California to school, and one by one they 130 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS have of their own accord joined Protestant churches there. He spoke very feelingly of their profession of faith. It is about the only bright spot rehgiously I have seen among the American or foreign famiUes of the Protestant faith since I left the Capital. They are usually cases of indifference or of joining the CathoHc Church, to marry their wives or for business considerations. Mazatlan, October 24. I came up here on the Pacific mail steamer, and was so heartily received and entertained by all the officers of the ship and passengers, with its American comforts and ways, I felt as if I was back in my own country again. I was met here as the ship anchored by our Consul and by Mr. Kelly, who (you remember) visited us in Mexico. His firm is one of the oldest English establishments here, and he insisted on taking me at once to his house, where I am very comfortably, even luxuriously, cared for. I expect to take a trip of three days with him in the morning to the Rosario mining district. October 27. On our return this morning from the mines, I found the whole town in a great state of excitement. Night before last a small band of pronunciados [revolutionists] made an assault on this city and nearly succeeded in captur- ing it. A General Ramirez, who had been one of the leading Diaz chiefs, had become dissatisfied and had gathered the force which attacked this town. Had he been successful it would have given him the most important seaport on the Pacific, with one gunboat and two steam tugs, and a full- blown revolution would have been in progress. Knowing I had planned to continue my travels in the morning, the general in command of the Federal forces called on me to say he did not think it prudent for me to start for Durango, as he had advices that a strong band of pronuncior dos were encamped eight or ten leagues from the city near the road I had to pass ; that the small force of cavalry he had in the city was not a sufiicient escort for me ; that he had or- VISIT TO THE INTERIOR OF MEXICO 131 dered all the cavalry in the district to concentrate here ; and that in four or five days he would have a sufficient force to take me through in safety. I, however, expressed a willingness to go alone without an escort, against which he strongly protested; but I told him I would free him and the Mexican Government from all responsibility, and take the risk upon myself. I did not want to lose the time, and, besides, if there was to be any fighting I preferred not to be about when it was going on. So I am preparing to leave in the morning for my long trip of seven or eight days across the great Sierra Madre Range to Durango. La Civdad, November 1. We have at last reached the top of the Sierra Madre, nine thousand feet above the sea, and are taking a day's rest. I was fortunate in finding at Mazatlan a pleasant traveling companion in Captain L., a Norwegian who has been commanding one of the Mexican gunboats and is under orders to report himself at the Capital. He speaks English and Spanish, and has relieved me of much of the trouble about lodgings, meals, etc. In leaving Mazatlan we came fourteen leagues in a country hack, and then took to our mules. Each of us had a riding-mule, a pack-mule, and two mounted servants. We had been told we should find no provisions on the road and we took along quite a supply. For lodgings at night we found only a kind of cot, which is a frame set on four legs or posts, covered with strips of raw- hide, with no covering or pillows; and we slept outdoors or tmder a thatched-roof shed, but as the climate was warm we did not suffer, our shawls answering for cover and our over- coats for pillows. We found nothing on the road in the way of food but frijoles and tortillas, sometimes not even those, and only once did we succeed in getting a chicken ; but with the tea, coffee, and provisions we brought with us we fared very well. The route is the roughest and most difficult I have ever traveled over, almost constantly up and down mountains of 132 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS the steepest grade, and the Mazatlan River to ford about a dozen times, with a deep, swift current, and always in fear of getting a ducking. One day we were caught in a heavy rain- storm (the first I have had since I left Mexico), which so swelled the river we had to wait till the next morning to cross. The road is no road at aU, merely a path wide enough for one mule, and at times altogether lost. Often the path was so narrow and the decUvity so precipitous that I would gladly have dismounted, but the guides say that a mule is much surer-footed than a man in such places. The scenery is magnificent beyond description. I think in this respect I have enjoyed the trip more than any other I have made. The Sierra Madre here is composed of a series of mountain ranges, up and down which we have to go, each succeeding one higher than the other, tiU we reach the sum- mit, every succeeding moimtain-top revealing a higher and different view. Such mountain ranges and broken valleys I have never seen before. Mr. A., at whose ranch we are stopping, is a Virginian who went to California many years ago, and came to this out- of-the-way place in 1862, where he has Hved ever since, with var3dng fortune. He is now engaged in mining and owns a farm just on the top of the moimtains where we reach the tablelands. Having heard of my coming, he came down the mountain-side a half-day's journey to meet and accompany me to his house, where he has given me a hearty welcome. Last night after our arrival he gave us, among other good things, corned-beef, American corn-bread, plenty of fresh milk, and the best of butter — real delicacies after our moun- tain experience. It is quite cold here at night, being so much higher and further north than Mexico City. Sitting about a wide-open fireplace, with large blazmg pine logs last night, took me back to old times in Indiana. My travel through the country is giving me more insight than I have ever had before mto the wretched state of society VISIT TO THE INTERIOR OF MEXICO 133 and morals in these secluded parts of the country. With the lower classes it is a common occurrence for the parents of a pretty girl to sell her to some rich man, and after he tires of her she may be taken up by a man of a lower class, or lead a worse life. It is not unusual for army officers, especially in revo-utionary times, in their marches through the country to carry off with them by force any attractive girl or woman of the lower classes to whom they may chance to take a fancy. The state of morals among them and regard for matrimonial relations are most wretched ; and with even the upper classes it is bad enough. The people of the ranch had a fandango, or ball, last night, and we were invited over to it. For the first time I saw the jardbe danced — a not very seemly affair. The journey was resumed the next morning, and the day before we reached Durango we were met by an officer repre- senting the Governor with a cavalry escort, the trip across the mountains from Mazatlan being the only time I have been without a mihtary guard. At Durango I had much the same experience as at the other State Capitals visited ; cordial hospitality from the authorities and citizens; examination of the public institutions ; a formal banquet by the Governor ; and meeting some old friends and making many pleasant new acquaintances. Of my departure for Zacatecas, and the scenes en route, I wrote : — I was to leave Durango in the diligence at 2 o'clock a.m. and my host, Mr. M., arranged a pleasant whist-party to pass the time, with an elegant supper after midnight. It was a long and tiresome ride of thirty-eight leagues to a prettily situated town with the Indian name of Chalchihuites. I was met a league outside of the town by the authorities and a great concourse of citizens in carriages and on horseback, taken from the diligence, and escorted into town by the 134 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS whole company headed by a military band, after having re- ceived an artillery salute. I was lodged at the principal pri- vate house in the town, where a formal dinner followed, with the customary toasts and speeches. During the progress of the dinner I learned that it had been arranged to give a ball m my honor after the dinner. As I had not slept any the night before, had made such an imusually long journey that day, and had to start the next morning at five, this extreme of hospitality was beyond my endurance, so I escaped the ball by showing myself in the room after dinner, and then retiring. I found here two very agreeable and intelligent American families, who manifested great pleasure in seeing me. One of them has resided here since the war of 1848. It has been one of the most pleasing incidents of my tour through the country that it has apparently afforded so much gratification to the American residents. No Minister has ever before visited their localities, and besides forming my personal acquaintance, it has been a source of pride to them to see their country so heartily recognized by the Mexican au- thorities. . . . The State of Zacatecas has outdone all the others thus far in the attentions and demonstrations in my behalf. I suppose the Governor has heard of my reception in the other towns and cities, and his State pride is awakened. Certainly my reception all along the route was most cordial. At one of the towns, after the usual reception and dinner, the jefe politico suggested that as a matter of health, before going to bed, it might be well to take a turn in the plaza, when much to my surprise I found it brilUantly illuminated, including the church walls and tower and all the buildings around the square. The band was discoursing music, and the whole population was out to see Su Excelencia el Senor Ministro Americano. The diligence left at 3 a.m. the next day, as it was a long journey, so I was up at 2.30 a.m. when I found VISIT TO THE INTERIOR OF MEXICO 135 the prominent citizens were on hand to take chocolate with me and say good-bye. The plaza was still illuminated. Whether they had kept it going all night, or it was relighted for my departure, I did not learn ! It would become tedious if I continued the extracts from my letters, giving details of the remainder of my tour. Four days were spent in Zacatecas, with abounding hospitality and honors and in examining that great mining-centre. Thence I passed on to San Luis Potosi, where equal atten- tions were shown me. In this city I accepted the hospitality of the house that had been prepared by the authorities for my lodgment, making it an exception to my action in other State Capitals for reasons not necessary to explain. From there I turned again northward to Saltillo, the Capital of Coahuila; thence to Monterey, the seat of the government of Nuevo Leon ; and at last reached Matamoros, on the Texas frontier, near the mouth of the Rio Grande del Bravo. In all these cities and at the towns en route the same unvarjdng hospitaHty and cordial expression of feeling for our country were extended to me. At Matamoros I met General Ord, an old acquaintance of the Civil War, commander of the Department of Texas, the man who had been the cause of so much indignation on the part of the Mexicans in the past two years because of the occasional crossing of his troops into Mexico in pursuit of raiders or outlaws. The feeling of hostiUty apparently had died away, as he attended the festivities given in my honor by the Mexican authorities and was warmly welcomed. The General was then on a visit to the garrison of Fort Brown, and the citizens of Brownsville, Texas, gave a dinner in our joint honor, followed by a ball at Fort Brown. As there were then no regular passenger steamers touching at the mouth of the Rio Grande for Vera Cruz, the Mexican Government did me the honor to send one of its gunboats to 136 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS bring me from Matamoros to that port. I thus completed my tour of about three thousand miles, occupying nearly three months, without any serious delay or unpleasant experience. Soon after reaching the Capital, President Diaz invited me to a dinner in the National Palace, at which there were present the Diplomatic Corps, the Cabinet, and other high officials, and I had the opportunity, in response to the toast of the President, to make pubUc acknowledgment of the courtesies received from the various authorities and citizens. My excursion was such an unusual one that I gained quite a reputation as a traveler, and my return was the occasion of many notices in the press. The following is an extract from one of the leading papers : — "The tour of Minister Foster through the Republic of Mexico possesses an interest in several respects. No other foreign diplomat ever made a similar tour, and very few tour- ists, if any, have ever traveled over such an extent of terri- tory, visited so many cities and towns, and none have been in such intimate communication with the people or had such intimate intercourse with all classes of Mexican society. With previous excursions, this grand tour makes Mr. Foster one of the best informed persons in Mexican affairs, having visited nearly every State in the RepubUc. " His reception in every locality which he visited shows the high respect in which he is held throughout the country and the desire to cultivate friendly relations with the United States. It was very gratifying to the Mexicans to have him respond to the various addresses and in his social intercourse with the people, in their own language." CHAPTER XII FEOM MEXICO TO KTJSSIA A FEW weeks after my return to the Capital from the excur- sion into the interior Mexican States, intimations reached the city by telegraph that I was to be transferred to the Russian Mission, and on January 19, 1880, President Hayes nomi- nated me to that post. My name was sent to the Senate at the same time that James Russell LoweU was nominated for transfer from Madrid to London, and other important diplomatic changes were made. The appointment came to me as a surprise, as I had made no appUcation for it, and did not know that my promotion to a higher post was contem- plated by the Secretary of State or the President. General U. S. Grant, who had made his tour of the world, was then about to visit Mexico as the guest of the Mexican Government, and I felt that it was my duty to remain at my post at least imtil his arrival in the country, and see that he was properly introduced to the authorities. Accordingly I suggested to the Department of State that it would be well for me to delay my departure, and I promptly received its approval of my suggestion, with permission to remain as long as I should think best. General Grant was recognized in Mexico as one of its best friends. During the French intervention his sympathies were strongly enhsted on the side of Juarez and the republicans, and at the close of our Civil War he was greatly disappointed that he was not permitted to march an army into Mexico, and, in conjunction with that of Juarez, dethrone Maximilian and expel the French soldiers. It was better for us as well as the Mexicans that the more peaceful but equally effective 138 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS method of Secretary Seward's diplomacy should accomplish this result, but the Mexicans knew of General Grant's sympathies and wishes and felt grateful for them. Also as President he had always treated Mexican questions with justice, even with partiality. The Diaz Government had kept informed of the marked honors which had been bestowed upon the General during his tour of the world, and it resolved that his reception in Mexico should not fall below the most distinguished of them. I met him at Vera Cruz and accompanied him to the Capital, being of such service as I could in the various receptions tendered him on the way. In his party were Mrs. Grant, General and Mrs. Phil. Sheridan, Colonel and Mrs. Frederick Grant, a secretary, and one or two other friends. The Govern- ment had taken one of the most commodious and stately of the public buildings and furnished it in appropriate and costly style, and this edifice with all necessary equipment was made their home during their stay of several weeks in the Capital. Every attention which it was possible for them to receive was showered upon the General and his party by the Govern- ment and society. Among the most notable of these was the dinner in his honor tendered by the American residents of the Capital. General Grant's speech on the occasion was so characteristic for its simphcity and brevity that I give it in full. He spoke as foUows : — " Citizens of the United States and neighbors of Mexico : I am very glad to meet you here and see the good feeling that exists between men of the two greatest republics on this con- tinent. I hope it may be emblematical of the perpetual peace that may exist between us. I trust that we may be a benefit to each other as we may well be. " I think I speak the sentiments of the great mass of my own people when I say that we only wish prosperity to this country and that Mexico may improve, as she is capable of FROM MEXICO TO RUSSIA 139 doing, and grow great ; that she may become our rival and move along, side by side with us. We have no jealousy, but are willing to be taught as well as to teach." I remained at my post until General Grant had completed his visit in the country, and we returned together in the same steamer to the United States. My farewell to Mexico was of the most cordial and feeling character. My family and I were the recipients of many demonstrations of esteem and friendship from all classes of society, both official and private. Farewell dinners were extended to us by the President of the Republic, members of the Cabinet, and the Diplomatic Corps, and by our friends of Mexican and foreign circles. Not the least gratifying of these was the demonstration of my fellow countrymen timed to occur on my forty-fourth birthday, and in which was combined a farewell reception, ball, and supper, attended by the entire American colony, prominent officials, and many Mexican and foreign famiUes. Among the company were General Grant and his party, the General in an extemporaneous address referring in very kindly terms to our army acquaintance and to his selection, when President, of me for the Mexican Mission. Among the formal exercises of the occasion were the presentation by the American colony of mementoes of their esteem to Mrs. Foster and myself and a beautifully engrossed and illuminated ad- dress signed by the male members of the colony. My readers will excuse the seeming egotism with which I reproduce the address and my reply to it. The following was the address : — The undersigned American citizens resident in the City of Mexico, in view of the approaching departure of the Honor- able John W. Foster from a post which for seven years he has filled with honor to his country, credit to himself, and bene- ficently for the interests of his countrymen, beg leave to offer this testimonial as a spontaneous expression of the very high 140 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS appreciation which his social qualities and efficient public services have secured for him from all who have enjoyed the privilege of his personal friendship or who have had just occasion to claim his official aid, counsel, or protection. While most heartily approving the well-merited recognition which the Government of the United States has accorded to his fidelity and ability in promoting him to a higher diplo- matic position, their congratulations are mingled with re- grets, deepened by a sense of personal loss, in parting with a gentleman whose house has been so long the centre of social hospitality, and with a national representative whose name has always been a s3nionym of personal honor and irre- proachable official integrity. CiTT OP Mexico, March 2, 1880. My reply to the address was, in part, as follows : — I cannot trust myseK to attempt to respond in fitting words to this demonstration and to the highly complimentary testimonial regarding my public service and social and private relations, to which the Americans in Mexico have sub- scribed their names. I can only assure you that it is one of the most precious experiences of my life, and that it will ever remain fresh and glowing in my memory. It has been my practice to accept no present of any value for any service, while holding an office of influence and importance, but as I have to-day presented to the President of this Republic my letter of recall, and have ceased to hold a position where I could render any recompense for favors received but that of simple gratitude and sincere thanks, I cheerfully receive for my wife and myself these elegant and highly appropriate memorials as mementoes of the approbation of my public service and of my personal conduct by my resident country- men, who have known the manner of my life and have been the daily witnesses of my acts. As such it will be our pride to FROM MEXICO TO RUSSIA 141 hand them down to our children as heirlooms, reminding them that friendship is real and that public duties conscien- tiously discharged receive proper recognition. I wUl not say the sad word "farewell" to-night, as I hope to see you aU in your own homes before my departure. But I beg to express for myself and my wife, for whom I am sure the greatest share of this demonstration is intended, — for she has better earned it than I, — our heartfelt thanks for the multitude of acts of kindness and sympathy which we have received in these happy years we have spent amongst you, and to assure you that neither the gayeties of the Court to which we are sent shall cause us to forget you, nor the snows of a Russian winter chill in the slightest degree the warmth of our affection for our friends in sunny Mexico. Following the American farewell reception, we were in- vited a few days later to meet the English residents in the British Library, and Mrs. Foster and I were presented with souvenirs of their esteem, accompanied by addresses appro- priate to the occasion. While I had unofficially represented a number of foreign governments which did not have diplo- matic relations with Mexico, my chief service was in behalf of British interests, wliich were quite large in the country. There was only a small English colony in the Capital, but they were cultivated and agreeable people, and they added greatly to the social gatherings at the Legation,, where they were treated as our countrymen. I cannot say that my transfer from Mexico was displeasing to me, for the promotion to a higher post was intended as a recognition by my Government of its satisfaction with my official conduct, and it afforded me a gratif3ang opportunity to have some experience in European diplomatic life. But I left Mexico with many regrets and with a feeling of sadness at the separation from so many dear friends to whom we had become greatly attached, and from a Government which had 142 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS been uniformly courteous and considerate of my personal relations. My residence in Mexico of seven years, longer than that of any of my predecessors and much longer than the usual stay of American diplomats in any one post, had en- abled me to become intimately acquainted with its people and customs, to participate in their hospitality, to appreciate their many estimable qualities, and to form attachments which have lasted through the many intervening years. My relations with the Government had not always been pleasant. The claims of Americans for alleged outrages and unjust treatment were numerous, and I had to press them upon an tmwilling Administration. At times there was a strong tension of our friendly intercourse, and open hostil- ities seemed to be the only outcome ; but I never lost the personal esteem of the Mexican authorities, and when I left the coimtry I was possessed of the hearty friendship of the President and his official associates. The construction of the railroads has enabled Mrs. Foster and myself in later years to make several visits to Mexico and to renew the pleasant relations of the olden times, whose memory has remained ever fresh, notwithstanding our resi- dence and experience in many other parts of the globe. No one more than we has rejoiced in the peace and aboimdiag prosperity which have come to this fair land, of whose awak- ening period of new life we were witnesses and htraible par- ticipants. My transfer from Mexico to Russia was notable for myself and family, as it was our first visit to Europe. Coming from Mexico on the same steamer with the Grants, we made a brief visit to our home in Indiana and to Washington and sailed from New York for Liverpool. We made a short stay in London, which was busily spent in sight-seeing and social entertainments. We had many friends in the metropolis whose acquaintance we had formed while they were visitors in Mexico, and they made proffers of hospitality, only a few FROM MEXICO TO RUSSIA 143 of which we could accept on account of the shortness of our visit. I was presented to the Prince of Wales (now Edward VII) at a royal levee in St. James's Palace, held for the Queen ; and had a pleasant interview with the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Earl Granville, who took occasion to repeat the thanks, which had been tendered me in writing before leaving Mexico, for my representation of British interests before the Government of that country. Lord Granville also invited me to dinner, and I had an opportunity to see some- thing of his genial manners, his delightful humor, and his sparkUng wit. Among our other social experiences was attendance at a brilliant reception g[ven by the Lord High Chancellor and Lady Selboume. Mr. Lowell, our Minister, recently transferred from Mad- rid, was absent on account of the fatal illness of his wife, but in later visits to London I met him frequently and formed a friendship with him which lasted to the end of his Ufe. One of the best known Americans whom I met here was Moncure D. Conway. A clergyman by profession, his had been a varied and erratic religious experience ; of liberal and humane views, a strong intellectual character, there was no American of his day who had more friendly intercourse with cultured British society, and through his hospitable attentions on this and subsequent visits I was enabled to meet many of this class of people. My most interesting personal experience in London was a visit which I paid to the British statesman and philanthro- pist, John Bright. The call was arranged through his nephew, who was a member of Parhament, and I thus was afforded opporttmity for a full conversation, which was mainly oc- cupied with reminiscences of our Civil War and his comments on the great prosperity and development of the United States. I had much pleasure in expressing to him the immense debt of gratitude which our people felt for his tmtiring and valu- able service in our behalf in the greatest crisis of our history. 144 DIPLOMATIC MEMOIRS and how desirous they were that he should make a visit to our country in order that they might be afforded an oppor- tunity to demonstrate that gratitude. He feelingly and sadly said he never could undertake the journey, as he was a poor sailor and he was reminded by his physical condition of the growing infirmity of years. He was, of all Englishmen, the most devoted and consistent friend of the Union cause in our great struggle. Gladstone, for instance, a warm admirer of our institutions, failed us in the supreme hour of our need and announced the Union as lost. But Bright never faltered or lost faith. He was a thorough believer in democracy and the dignity of labor, and through the darkest period of the war his eloquent voice in Parliament and before the people was fuU of hope and encouragement. I did not meet Mr. Gladstone socially, but I had the pleasure of hearing him speak in the House of Commons in defense of the Government's conduct on the occupation of Egypt. As an oratorical effort it was a disappointment, but there was little occasion for oratory, and the statement might have been made as well by a mediocre Cabinet Minister. From London we crossed to Paris, that metropolis of taste and pleasure, where my stay was brief, as I was desir- ous of reaching St. Petersburg to present my credentials before the Emperor left the Capital on his summer vacation. The most agreeable incident of my visit to Paris was meeting again my college classmate and intimate friend, Robert R. Hitt, then Secretary of Legation, but soon afterwards called to Washington as Assistant Secretary of State, and for twenty-five years consecutively a member of Congress, the greater part of that time being Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In this latter post he exercised an im- portant influence in our international relations, and was one of the most influential members of Congress. His success and usefulness are evidenced by the unfaltering support through nearly a generation given him by his constituents. Besides '%HJ-X^