On the evening of the day of the banquet of the Minister for
Foreign Affairs, on the lower terrace of the castle where a
series of apartments had been assigned to his party, Mr.
Root gave a farewell supper to the members of the
Government, the diplomatic corps, the Entertainment
Committee, and numerous other Mexican notables.
This is the last opportunity I shall have in the City of Mexico to
express to you my gratitude and keen appreciation for all your very
great kindness to us during our visit to Mexico.
I came here with my mind filled by the idea of two countries, the United
States of America and the United Mexican States, rather an abstract and
cold conception. Gradually there has emerged from the sea of faces that
I looked upon on entering Mexico, one by one, a group of lovely women
and of fine and noble gentlemen, and beside the conception of two
countries becoming more and more friendly to each other, there has come
a realization that I have gained new friends--a most grateful and most
delightful thing. I shall never forget you, my friends; I shall never
forget your courtesy and your kindness, and I know I can say the same
for Mrs. Root, and I beg to offer a toast to the personnel of the
administration of President Diaz, a personnel which is more delightful
and will be met with more pleasure than it was possible for me to
conceive before coming here, and as I leave you I shall feel that with
my limited Spanish, which consists of not more than a half a dozen
words, I have, however, the most valuable words in the language in being
able to say: "Hasta luego."