tary, to inform you that the President willingly grants you the permission which you ask, of making a visit to the north of Mexico, after the rainy season is over, for the improvement of your health, which had experienced a severe shock from a recent attack of the epidemic prevailing in that city, and from the effects of which you were recovering, but very slowly, where you are. It affords me great pleasure to make you acquainted with the President's gracious determination. Your despatches to No. 13, inclusively, have been received at this Department. It is the wish of the Secretary that our diplomatic agents abroad should, in all cases, avail themselves of the first opportunity presented, after the receipt of each despatch from this Department, to acknowledge the fact, and mention the time at which it came to hand. I have, therefore, to request that you will, in future, comply with that direction; and similar information with regard to your own communicatious will, from time to time, be afforded you by this Department. I am, with great respect, your obedient servant, SIR: A communication from this Department, (despatch No. 20,) dated 26th June last, informed you of the nature of the evidence which persons coming from Louisiana to Mexico, under certificates of citizenship obtained in that State, should have to adduce in order to be entitled, as Ameri can citizens, to your protection. I am now instructed by the Secretary, who is at present on a visit to the State of New York, to direct that the notice be so modified in regard to the oath required in the first clause, as to the person's intent, at the time of the transfer, or of the adoption of the constitution, of becoming a citizen, that it read simply "with the intent of making it a permanent residence." The second clause should naturally be altered to suit the first in this respect. Directions having been given some time ago to the collector of the customs at New Orleans, to furnish you with a parcel of diplomatic paper, with which it is understood he has complied, it is not doubted that you will have received the supply required before this time, though it appears, from a recent despatch which you addressed to the President, that you had not, at the date of that despatch, received it. I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant, ANTHONY BUTLER, Esq., DANIEL BRENT, Acting Secretary of State. Chargé d'Affaires of the United States to Mexico. No. 23. Mr. Brent to Mr. Butler. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 27, 1831. SIR Mr. Robert Oliver, of Baltimore, has stated to this Department that he has a claim or claims upon the Mexican Government, the evidences of which were left in your hands by Mr. Mason, the late secretary of our legation to that Government; that those evidences were contained in a sealed packet, which, he had lately understood from you, had not been opened, and that you awaited his authority, and the instructions of this Department, to examine their contents and prosecute the claim which they involve. It is the wish of the Secretary, therefore, that your good offices should be employed in such manner, and to such extent as may be proper and useful, towards the prosecution of the claim or claims. in question to a successful result. In the mean time, I am, respectfully, sir, your obedient, humble servant, DANIEL BRENT. ANTHONY BUTLER, Esq., Chargé d'Affaires of the United States to Mexico. No. 25. Mr. Livingston to Mr. Butler. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 27, 1832. SIR: After considerable delay at New York, your despatch, with the treaty, arrived here a few days since, and has been sent to the Senate for its advice and consent. I am directed by the President to say that he approves of your conduct in consenting to the alterations proposed by the Government of Mexico in the treaty, as well as of the decisive step you took to procure a decision. I wish to know what agreement you made with Mr. Jameson for his compensation in bearing the treaty. On his arrival at New York, he was without money to come on, and two hundred dollars were advanced to him for that purpose. He afterwards fell sick, and drew for one hundred and fifty more, in favor of a person he hired to bring them on-one hundred of which were also paid. I now find by your accounts that you had advanced him four hundred dollars. Be so good as to say whether the sum you paid was considered to be in full. You will herewith receive a copy of a circular lately sent to all our diplomatic agents abroad, in addition to the personal instructions with which they were furnished on their appointments, to which your particular attention is requested. Advices have been received here from respectable private sources, which announce great discontents in the State of Texas and Cohahuila, threatening, it is said, a formidable insurrection, having for its object a separation of the State from the Mexican confederacy. As the persons most active in these movements are said to be emigrants from the United States, suspicions may arise in the minds of those ignorant of the principles on which our Government is conducted, that it has fomented or connived at these discontents, should they break out into action. These it will be your duty, by every means in your power, to remove; declaring, should any such suggestions be made, that you are instructed to say that they are totally unfounded, and that your Government will consider them as the expression of an unfriendly doubt of their good faith. You have said nothing lately of the claims of the citizens of the United States upon the republic of Mexico. This, I suppose, is owing to the disordered political state of that Government and of its finances; and, under such circumstances, prudence perhaps requires that you should avoid applications that you know well will be without effect, and thus accustom them to meet our demands by refusals: but, at the same time, care must be taken to remind them, at proper intervals, that we do not lose sight of the interests of our fellow-citizens; and make them understand the delicate and friendly feeling which induces us to avoid pressing them at a time of embarrassment and disorder in their affairs. Among the claims, there are some founded on contract, which need no liquidation or discussion-such as one on a bill of exchange, drawn by Mr. Herrera, in favor of J. K. West, of New Orleans, for moneys advanced to him (Herrera) when he was appointed minister to the United States, and for supplies sent to Mexico by his direction. If partial payment, or interest, could be made on this and other similar claims, it would relieve a number of persons in great want, and raise the character and credit of the republic in the United States. I am, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, ANTHONY BUTLER, Esq., Chargé d'Affaires of the United States to Mexico. P. S. Since writing this despatch, Mr. Jameson has arrived here with your letter of instructions to him as bearer of despatches, and his accounts are now in a course of settlement. No. 26. Mr. Livingston to Mr. Butler. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 26, 1832. SIR: You are well acquainted with the circumstances of the claim of Messrs. Borie & Languerenne upon the Mexican Government, and it is unnecessary, therefore, to say more to you in relation to it, than to recommend it, in a special manner, to your care and attention, under the persuasion that, from its merits and long standing, your efforts will be redoubled to bring it to a successful conclusion. You will receive with this despatch an open letter from, the claimants themselves, with copies of two papers which they have furnished, and which may be of use to you. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, ANTHONY BUTLER, Esq., EDWARD LIVINGSTON. Chargé d'Affaires United States to Mexico. No. 27. Mr. Livingston to Mr. Butler. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 16, 1832. SIR: I transmit you, herewith, a copy of a letter from Samuel Lowder, a citizen of the United States, who represents that the schooner "Topaz, of Bangor, Maine, partly owned by himself, has been illegally seized and used by an officer of the republic of Mexico. Should you, on examination of the case, and by obtaining such additional information as may be procured in Mexico, be satisfied of the correctness of the fact stated, you will be pleased to make the necessary representations to the Government, and to demand the delivery of the vessel, with a suitable indemnity for the damage incurred by the owners. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, SIR: I have the honor of transmitting to you, herewith, a letter from Mr. Robert Oliver, of Baltimore, addressed to yourself, expressing his hope that it may be in your power to make some progress in the settlement of his claims upon the Mexican Government; and I need scarcely observe, in recommending these claims to your attention, that it would be very agreeable to the President and Secretary that they, as well as all others of the same description upon the same Government, should be bought to a speedy and satisfactory conclusion. Your despatches to No. 34, inclusive, have been received at this Department, with several sealed letters, addressed to the President from yourself. The former have been sent to the Secretary at the different points where they would reach him upon his present excursion from the seat of Government, and the latter will be delivered to the President on his return, which will be in a few days. I am happy to inform you that this city is now happily relieved from the epidemic cholera; no new cases, that I have heard of, having occurred for several days past. I am, sir, with much respect, your obedient servant, ANTHONY BUTLER, Esq., Chargé d'Affaires of the U. S. to Mexico. DANIEL BRENT. No. 29. Mr. Livingston to Mr. Butler. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 24, 1832. [ SIR: You will receive, herewith, a copy of the deposition of Simon Smith, respecting the piracy and murder said to have been committed on board the schooner Topaz, of Bangor, in the State of Maine, while that vessel was in the forcible possession of persons under the authority of the Mexican Government. This paper is now transmitted, to aid you in the prosecution of the claim for redress in that case, which you were instruct ed by this Department, in its despatch No. 27, of the 16th of May last, to institute against the Government of Mexico. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, ANTHONY BUTLER, Esq., EDWARD LIVINGSTON. Chargé d'Affaires of the U. S. to Mexico. No. 30. Mr. Livingston to Mr. Butler. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 24, 1832. SIR: In my despatch No. 26, of the 26th April last, you were instructed to urge the settlement of the claim of Borie & Languerenne, of Philadel phia, upon the Mexican Government. I have lately received a letter from Mr. Gilpin, attorney of the United States for the eastern district of Pennsylvania, (a copy of which is enclosed,) referring to a further statement of that house in relation to their said claim, and transmitting it; a copy of which is also enclosed, and is sent to aid you in the prosecution of the same. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, ANTHONY BUTLER, Esq., EDWARD LIVINGSTON. Chargé d'Affaires of the U. S. to Mexico. |