Colville Barclay to William Jennings Bryan

Sir Edward Grey has received a telegram from Sir Lionel Carden, the purport of which I am instructed to communicate to you.
Sir Lionel has had an interview with General Huerta in which he informed him that, according to his understanding, the President of the United States desired three things, namely: –

(1). That General Huerta should retire from the Presidency.

(2). That he should reassemble the late Congress, which the Government of the United States considered the only legal one.

(3). That he should proclaim a general amnesty so that the northern contingents might participate in the new Presidential election.After considerable discussion General Huerta authorized Sir Lionel to make the following statement: –

(1). Congress will at once proceed to the revision of the returns of the Presidential election. The election will certainly be nullified and a new election convoked. General Huerta will then retire from the Presidency, will appoint a substitute who will offer the necessary guarantees, and will devote himself entirely to the pacification of the country.

(2). General Huerta stated that the late Congress could not possible be recalled since many of its members were so hostile to the Administration that they had conspired with the Northern rebels and had rendered government impossible. He went on to say that after all he was bound to maintain his Government which was the only one in the country and the downfall of which would result in chaos. He did not wish to act unconstitutionally but had been forced for these reasons to convoke a new Congress.

(3). General Huerta said the general amnesty to the rebels was impracticable for many of them had committed atrocious crimes against foreign subjects as well as Mexicans and that he could not take on himself the responsibility to foreign Powers of a general amnesty. A cessation of hostilities which would be regarded by the rebels as a sign of weakness was equally impossible, but if the States in revolution would take part in the election he was prepared to suspend operations so far as to enable them to do so, and also to discuss means whereby the rebel leaders might be informed of this offer.In reporting this conversation Sir Lionel says that if the above is regarded as affording a satisfactory basis for arrangement he has no doubt that the details can also be arranged to the satisfaction of the President of the United States provided that he is willing to consent to their being arranged, not in a direct agreement with the Government of the United States, but in a declaration of intention by General Huerta conveyed through Sir Edward Grey.
Sir Lionel also expresses the opinion that a prompt and satisfactory settlement would be facilitated by the withdrawal of some of the United States ships now at Vera Cruz.
In communicating to you, dear Mr. Secretary, these last twoparagraphs which embody Sir Lionel’s views, I am directed by Sir Edward Grey to say that he thinks it right to communicate them to you most confidentially for your information since they evidently convey the impressions created in Sir Lionel’s mind during his conversation with General Huerta, but that Sir Edward Grey does not feel at liberty to endorse any suggestion that United States ships should withdraw from Mexican waters at a moment like the present when there is reason to fear that danger to the life and property of foreigners might occur suddenly and force foreigners to take refuge rat the ports, and when His Majesty’s Government have already asked United States ships to give protection, if necessary, and have themselves sent two British ships to Mexican ports.