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208 of the so-called convention Government of Mexico in April, 1916, urged the First Chief, as a means of preserving the sovereignty of the country to provide for a national election at the earliest possible moment. The letter, signed by R. Gonzales Garza, former Convention President of the Republic; Enrique C. Llorente, former head of the Villa confidential movement in Washington; and F. Gonzales Garza, who was captured and imprisoned with President Madero and Vice-President Pino Suarez at the time of the Diaz-Huerta movement. These statesmen, who are now residing in New York, disavow all selfish motives in writing the letter, and assert their willingness to live permanently in exile if they can best serve the interests of Mexico by doing so. They address the First Chief, "with words of peace and concord," because tendencies are operative both within and without Mexico which will sooner or later destroy the independence of the country unless steps are taken to give it a de jure instead of a de facto government. As their memorial is of interest as coming from Mexicans who are fully aware concerning both the internal conditions of their country and its relations with foreign powers, we quote it at some length. The hope is expressed that the First Chief will consider the proposal favourably, because it is in line with the purposes which actuated the Constitutionalist movement, in which they were united to him until the time of the Aguas Calientes convention. They recall the circumstance that Carranza promised to provide general elections within a "reasonable time." A reasonable time, they believe, has now passed.

The international factors which are dangerous to Mexico, and which would be at least mitigated by placing the Government on a constitutional basis, are, according to the memorial, the following—

1. "A possible change of administration in the United States; because, in spite of the grave incidents which we have had with the present administration, there is no room