Scarce TLS in Spanish, signed “Francisco Villa,” one page, 8.5 x 11, September 3, 1915. Villa writes to his lawyer, “Francisco Lagos Chazaro, Deputized by the Executive Power, Wherever he may be.” The body of the letter is a carbon copy; Villa’s bold signature is in black ink. In part (translated): “I hope that, as in the past, you will continue to have confidence in me, and in all those, civilians and soldiers, who make up the Division of the North…. You will excuse me from giving further explanations that can’t be communicated by telegraph even less at a time like the present, when I’m about to undertake a campaign. I simply beg you to believe that we are working for the good of the country to avoid an armed intervention, and…to achieve pacification by overthrowing the dictatorship of Venustiano Carranza…. Please nominate three representatives with very broad powers for the peace conferences. They should work for the due ratification by the Convention of any accords that will be reached. I just want to add that we are trying to reorganize a government that will be recognized immediately by the government of the United States, and the Latin American republics. The government will immediately proceed to elections to arrive at a constitutional government as soon as possible. If it is physically impossible for your delegates to travel to the site of the conferences, it would be suitable…to make use of some foreign chancellory, to name delegates of persons for here that are worthy of trust. This is evident from the copy I’m sending to you of the letter I am addressing to General Zapata…. I send you an affectionate hug and greet you most cordially and affectionately.” Light intersecting folds (vertical fold between first and last names), otherwise fine, clean condition.
At the time of this writing, most of Villa’s supporters had crossed the border into the United States—presumably the “Division of the North” identified here—in an attempt to persuade Woodrow Wilson’s administration not recognize Carranza as head of the Mexican government. When that mission failed, most of Villa’s allies refused to return to Mexico. Rebelling against the Carranza-led government and fleeing Mexico City, Villa took vengeance on the US after the Wilson Administration formally recognized Carranza’s authority. It soon became apparent why Villa would not divulge any of his military plans “at a time like the present” as among the “campaigns” Villa launched “for the good of the country” was the execution of sixteen US citizens at Santa Isabel in northern Mexico in January 1916 and a raid of Columbus, New Mexico, a few months later. While Villa’s autograph is rare and difficult to obtain in any form, letters with such direct and significant content related to his revolutionary activities are of the greatest interest and scarcity. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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