disorder, devastation and confusion, seem to threaten to become the
settled fortune of the distracted country. As friends we could wait no
longer for a solution which every week seemed further away. It was our
duty at least to volunteer our good offices--to offer to assist, if we
might, in effecting some arrangement which would bring relief and peace
and set up a universally acknowledged political authority there.

Accordingly, I took the liberty of sending the Hon. John Lind, formerly
governor of Minnesota, as my personal spokesman and representative, to
the City of Mexico, with _the following instructions_:

Press very earnestly upon the attention of those who are now
exercising authority or wielding influence in Mexico the following
considerations and advice:

The Government of the United States does not feel at liberty any
longer to stand inactively by while it becomes daily more and more
evident that no real progress is being made towards the
establishment of a government at the City of Mexico which the
country will obey and respect.

The Government of the United States does not stand in the same case
with the other great Governments of the world in respect of what is
happening or what is likely to happen in Mexico. We offer our good
offices, not only because of our genuine desire to play the part of
a friend, but also because we are expected by the powers of the
world to act as Mexico's nearest friend.

We wish to act in these circumstances in the spirit of the most
earnest and disinterested friendship. It is our purpose in whatever