enquiry made of Mr Collector Curtis in my note to him of 3d inst a copy of his reply to which I had the pleasure to lay before you under date of 8th instant. I take the liberty to enclose a copy of my communication of this date addressed to Mr Collector Curtis, and shall address one of similar import to Ogden Hoffman Esq the U. S. District Attorney. Yours etc etc J. H. BROWER. Mr Brower Consul New York 11th Jany '42 to Ogden Hoffman Esq U. S. District Att'y, and to Mr Curtis Collector. I acknowledge with thanks your reply of 7 inst to my inquiries of 3d inst Since receipt of your reply of 7 inst I am instructed by the Legation of Texas at Washington City to communicate to you and also to the United States Attorney for this District the following extract from a letter from that Department addressed to me under date 22d Sept last. In that letter the Hon. Minister says "I am advised through a source to be entirely relied upon, that Sant Anna of Mexico has despatched an Agent from that country Don Tomas Marin with $25000 in Gold to purchase and equip at New York two armed vessels. The object as avowed for this purchase is to use the force against the Federalists at and near Yucatan and Tobasco" The Minister then remarks that this force may be employed against Texas or her commerce and directs me to observe the operations of that Agent etc I am also instructed to communicate to yourself and the District Attorney any facts I may gain or be in possession of relative to the ownership, object, ultimate destination etc of these vessels. You will perceive I trust the extreme difficulty of obtaining upon mere inquiry, at a moment facts to establish the ownership and object of these vessels, beyond what appears in the legal documents in your office pertaining to them. But if any thing can be gathered from the character of these vessels, the source through which their building was contracted for, and from common report; It seems to me if they were detained for trial, there will be but little difficulty in procuring testimony to establish a case clearly at variance with [the] law of Congress April 20, 1818. This point I am instructed to press upon your notice and consideration. Signed J. H. BROWER etc Mr. Amory to Mr. Brower. 12 Jany '41.a J. H. BROWER Esq SIR Yours of the 11th Jan'y is at hand I am happy to find you have taken prompt measures now that the Mexi a Should be '42. 60265-VOL 2-09- -34 can vessels Liberty and Eagle are detained to cause their confiscation. It could scarcely have been anticipated by any of us, that such open proceedings of arming and manning, so manifestly endangering their safety, would have been resorted to by our enemies, making it necessary for the United States to take cognisance of the proceeding to interrupt their departure and institute a legal investigation which may lead to the before mentioned result so desirable to us. It is rumoured with what truth I can not say, that these vessels form a portion of a formidable fleet intended to operate against Texas a portion of which one Steam Frigate at least is preparing to be presented to the Mexican Govt. by certain Abolitionists of England, who have also tendered the loan of a million of Dollars to the same government to be used against us with the design more particularly on the part of these contributors by commencing by this means their unholy designs of forcible emancipation and striking the first blow at Texas. It becomes us therefore to be vigilant and active in thwarting at least such portion of their plans as come under our immediate notice and which may be within our power to effect. I shall urge upon Mr Webster, whose attention I have of course already called to the subject the justice and strong necessity for a strict and thorough investigation of the case relying upon your good judgment to adopt such measures as may tend to forward the same Respecty Yrs etc N. AMORY Mr Brower Consul New York of 13 Jan '42 and of 14 Jany '42 to Mr. Amory. I had the pleasure under date of 11th inst to reply to your valued letter of the 8th inst. By a newspaper of this morning I see the Liberty and Eagle have been liberated and gone to sea. Upon inquiry at the Custom House (Mr Curtis being absent this morning) Mr Howe the Deputy Collector confirms their liberation, and does not know of any particular change in the character of their outfits. While I farther understand there is no change, though the parties here have been required to give bonds in a considerable sum, binding against operations upon the Commerce of nations at peace with the United States. And thus I presume they will pursue their voyage to Mexico unmolested. I wrote Mr Collector Jackson at Galveston of this import, this morning etc etc J. H. BROWER Your valued favors of 11 and 12th inst are this morning at hand. Yesterday I advised you of the liberation and sailing of the two This has not been found. Mexican Schooners. I can hardly suppose the Abolition faction in England would dare proceed so far as has been suggested to you; altho' I think these deluded men require close watching. It was remarked to me some time since (and I immediately communicated it to Mr Collector Jackson) that two iron Steamers were being constructed in England for Mexico through Lizardis in London. But my impression was the means and credit were furnished from the "Catholic" fund in Mexico J. H. B. Still since my last respects before mentioned nothing important has occurred in regard to the mediation of the United States to obtain the release of the prisoners of the Santa Fé expedition. Demonstration of public feeling (not to be disregarded) continue to press upon the attention of the Executive; the introduction by Mr. Thompson of Kentucky of the resolutions by the Legislature of his state in the House of Representatives, at the same time the passage of a resolution of the latter, calling upon the President for any information in his possession in relation to the melancholly event referd. to, will tend to strengthen the hand of the Government, and add to its power of assisting us under an assurance in some degree beforehand of popular approval. Mr. Preston, Senator from South Carolina, to whom I applied for counsel and assistance, suggested as the best and most efficient step, the sending of Genl Waddy Thompson in a Frigate to Vera Cruz as minister Plenipoy, furnished with instructions touching the case referd. to, to take the place of the present incumbent, and he immediately waited upon Mr Webster recommending and soliciting the adoption of this course. The Secretary of State signified his approbation, and promised to see the President on the subject, and held out strong hope of the thing being accomplished, and Mr Preston thinks he will be sent in the Flag Ship of the coast squadron under Commodore Stuart. I have been looking forward to the arrival of the U. States Consul of Santa Fé who wrote the Secretary of State he was coming; as the course pursued by the Govt. may be materially influenced by his detail at a personal interview. At a Diplomatic dinner at the Presidents this day, the Spanish Minister Chevalier d Argaiz, on paying my respects to him, finding I was acting as Chargé, signified a wish to have some conversation through the Portugese Minister as interpreter, not being well acquainted with english. I told him I understood Spanish sufficiently to dispense with the interpreter, and he proceeded in his own language. Referring to the correspondence between the two Legations in February and March 1841 (which was communicated by me to the a Secretary of State of Texas in despatch No 62 6 March '41) he observed that unfortunately he wrote his government on the subject, by the President Steam Ship, which was lost, and after much time, repeated the communication, which accounts in some measure for the delay that has occurd. The Spanish Government he says are unwilling to enter into any positive treaty negotiation at present, but the Commandant of Havana or Cuba (under authority no doubt of the home Government) has signified his willingness that a trade between Cuba and Texas should be opened, and Spains and Texan vessels admitted into the Ports of the respective countries on the terms of the most favored nations, and assured me that any Texan vessel arriving in Cuba would be readily admitted upon the terms indicated, he apologised for entering upon such a topic upon such an occasion, but being obliged to leave Washington to which he had come on a visit of a few days only, immediately for his residence Wilmington Del. he feared another opportunity might not offer of making this communication soon. Mr. Serruys the Belgian Minister enquired as usual with great interest after his friend Mr Jones the former Minister from Texas of whose appointment as Secretary of State he had been apprized. Since writing the foregoing, after waiting for some days, I am at last in possession of Mr Websters reply to my note of the 8th inst which I am thus enabled to add to this despatch. Mr Webster to Mr Amory Department of State Washington 19th Jany 1842. The undersigned Secretary of State of the United States has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the note of Mr Amory acting Chargé d' Affaires of Texas, of the 8th instant, upon the subject of the Schooners 'Eagle' and 'Liberty' recently seized at New York. The enclosed copy of a letter to this Department and of the accompanying papers, from the Collector of the Customs at that Port will acquaint Mr Amory with the measures which have been taken by authorities of this Government in regard to those vessels and with the grounds of the proceedings adverted to. The undersigned avails himself etc To N AMORY etc Signed DANIEL WEBSTER. Copy of a letter from Mr Curtis to Mr Webster Custom House, New York Jan'y 12th 1842. Hon Daniel Webster Secy of State etc SIR I have the honor to lay before you, a copy of a letter received by me from Mr J H Brower Consul at this port of a Should be 7. See Amory to Secretary of State [Mayfield] of this date This date indicates that the despatch was held over. Texas, dated 3d Jan'y instant; copy of my reply of the 7th and copy of a second letter from Mr Brower dated the 11th instant. The correspondence relates to certain vessels built at this Port, owned by American Citizens, and which have cleared for Vera Cruz, as American property. The Owners of the vessels gave bonds under the 10th section of the Act of Congress of 20th April 1818, and the vessels were permitted to sail, by virtue of an order of the Secretary of Treasury, in conformity with the opinions, upon the case, of the Attorney General of the United States, and the United States District Attorney for this District, each of whom were consulted. I am dear Sir Yours etc. EDWD CURTIS Collecr The letters referd. to in the foregoing letter of Mr Curtis you have herewith previously inserted. * * *a Your communication to myself of 28th Ulto. etc to Mr. Bee of 27th Ulto. with accompanying letter of his recall for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United States were received last evening. I immediately wrote to Mr Bee the substance of what I had received, directing my letter to Pendleton S. C. after which I rec'd a letter from him dated at that place the 14th inst wherein he says he expects to be a The remainder of this paragraph relates to Amory's financial affairs. January 19, 1842. January 20, 1842. d A. L. S. See Amory to Jones, January 15, 1842. (Two of the same date.) See Amory to Jones, January 20, 1842. Giving the personnel of the new administration in Texas. 1 Recalling Bee. |