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HENRY LANE WILSON
1857 - 1932
Conservative
Republican Ambassador plots against Mexican
President
US diplomat Henry Lane Wilson became famous for
seeking US recognition of the Huerta government
during the
 Mexican Revolution.
Actually, the real outrageous part was that the
rebels signed their agreement of understanding
in Wilson's office.
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Henry Lane Wilson's term as US Ambassador to
Mexico
US President
William Howard Taft appointed Henry
Lane Wilson US ambassador to Mexico on December 21, 1909.
Wilson presented his credentials to
the Mexican government headed by
Porfirio Diaz on March 5, 1910.
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Normal diplomatic relations were
interrupted when the commander of the federal forces, General
Victoriano Huerta, overthrew President
Francisco Madero at the end of the
Ten Tragic Days on February 18,
1913.
US
President
Woodrow Wilson told Henry Lane
Wilson to book his ticket back home for July 17, 1913. Shortly
after, President Wilson requested Ambassador Wilson to resign.
What was going on?
HENRY LANE WILSON around 1911
Library of Congress
Henry Lane Wilson and the Mexican Revolution
Henry Lane Wilson was not very fond of
Mexico's President Madero. To be exact, Wilson said Madero was a
"lunatic" and unable to rule the country.
It came therefore as no surprise that
at the end of the Ten Tragic Days, Huerta and Diaz met in Wilson's
office to sign their treaty, which became known as the Pact of
the Embassy.
Signing this pact, Huerta and Diaz
agreed to overthrow Madero and to put Huerta into the presidential seat.
Henry Lane Wilson got a lot of heat
for taking part in this plot, although he denied his involvement and
sued if he had to, see below.
William Bayard Hale was a reporter
sent by Woodrow Wilson to find out undercover what the hell was
going on down there in Mexico.
Hale arrived in Mexico City on May 24, 1913. His reports
were an eye-opener for President Wilson. In a nutshell, Hale connected
the diplomat Wilson very closely to the murder of President
Francisco Madero.
Ambassador Wilson had a hunch what
Hale was really in the country for and declared that he estimated
Hale's mind as "unevenly balanced." He also pointed out that from
the US point of view he, and he alone, knew what really was going on
in Mexico.
To no avail. The ambassador was
recalled on July 17, 1913.
Check this event in the context of the
timeline of the Mexican Revolution.
HENRY LANE WILSON 1923
Library of Congress
Henry Lane Wilson's Family
Henry's father was
James Wilson, also a diplomat.
Henry's older brother was John.
Henry 's wife was Alice.
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Henry Lane Wilson's Short Biography |
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November 3, 1857 |
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Birth
in Crawfordsville, IN |
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1879 |
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Graduates from Wabash College |
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Practices law |
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1882 |
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Becomes owner and editor of the
Indiana Lafayette Journal |
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1885 |
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Moves
to Spokane, WA, practices law |
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June
9, 1897 to 1904 |
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Becomes US Minister to Chile |
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1905 -
1910 |
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Minister to Belgium |
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1910 -
1913 |
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Ambassador to Mexico |
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December 22, 1932 |
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Death
in Indianapolis |
Henry Lane Wilson Documents
The man didn't lose any sleep
over his performance in Mexico. In his memoir Diplomatic Episodes
in Mexico, Belgium, and Chile. (Washington, NY: Kennikat Press,
1927) he wrote,
"After years of mature consideration, I do not
hesitate to say that if I were confronted with the same situation
under the same conditions, I should take precisely the same course."
Sounds familiar?
"No apologies. No regrets." -
Henry Kissinger
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