Page:Difficulties Between Mexico and Guatemala.djvu/28

 order of a prefect of that nation, from invading his lands within the Mexican territory, destroying his property, carrying away prisoner one of his employees, and maltreating others. In November, 1875, a complaint was presented to the Government of Guatemala for this act, but hitherto no reply has been made. On the other hand, that government has imputed to Señor Romero conflagrations and other crimes within the territory of Guatemala—charges entirely improbable, and which that gentleman has, moreover, refuted at length.

In the same month and year the engineer Don Alejandro Prieto, secretary of the Mexican legation in Guatemala, made a survey of the frontier by direction of Señor Garza, then Mexican minister to that government. He made the journey and the survey in company with General Barrios, President of Guatemala, as was stated by Señor Garza in a letter addressed to Señor Lafragua, and by the Government of Chiapas in a dispatch dated November 26, 1875. From this visit originated the sketch-map drawn up by Prieto, which may be found in this ministry, and which, as well from having been prepared under the inspection of President Barrios as for other reasons, can not be an object of suspicion to Guatemala. Upon it is marked the line which is the boundary in fact, and on it are also marked the points in dispute. To this line, then, must be referred the statu quo stipulated in the Convention of 1877. Now, the very notes of the Minister of Guatemala prove that his Government, far from having respected it, has violated it at Tonintaná, at Las Chicharras, Cuilco Viejo, and other points.

That Government has gone so far as to defend the misdeeds of the Alcalde Meoño, who attempted to