Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-05-30
TRIAL or THE MEXICAN CONSUL
ON the Alin California

The great event of the fortnight has been the trial
and conviction of the Mexican Consul for cnllstiliS
men for the Mexican army, anu the arrest ol the
French Consul for refusing to appcnr ~ WltncFs:-
The following is complete history al the nlair so inr
III it has been lcvcopcd
About the middle of February the French Consul
Mr. Dillon, received information from Mexico that
Count Raoussct was getting up tlblstcrns c1pcdi-
ton in this cy, intended for the invasion OF Sunorn
and instructions to do his utmost 10 prevent the dc,
pnrture of the expedition. Mr. Dillon inquired and
found that Count Rnousst had ncnrly organized III,
expedition, had engaged the ship Challenge, ana ha
| soirc of his provirons on boar Mr.. Dillon pub
lis,.; II notice. tu Ill Frcnrhmrn, warning them from
having anything do with any iiIlIbslrrinS cNleai-
,ru .d he refused to grant passports to Son"r;l.--
some .,,vs rrrwartl Scnnr Del Nal!c Al"Nchh Con
ru called al iir )iicn thanked him i"r mr. IU'l''''
ed warning against i!lbnstrrnS, and "ini that hc'
thr Mexican Consul, authorized hv hs Gofcrn-
,nrn To draw of Rnoussct. men by offering thcIh II
free paseagc to Sunorn, nn'l rnl"yncht III 'h NcA
run nrlny and requested that Mr.. Dillon would grnnt
uns.ports. Mr.. Dillon gave The Mexican Consul an
;ntrtIur,on to the owners ol the Challenge, partly
for lin, purpose of Withdrawing tl.nt rcssr! from
| Count Raoutsrt. On the l:h "f March Senior Del
| Vale made contract with McssrS. Cavalier ana
| Chnuyitcau, To send 900 cnonists 10 tiuhymas ON
tlu. Challenge on or before the 2Oth ot March, Tor
which G. ai {, were IN receive: II each person III
| drafts ou the Mexican treasury On the 3th Srn"r
| Del Vuc requested C.. and c. Ia make ont list OF
rr4ons going who were tn BIZ told when they applied
| inr uussncrc that they should serve in the M"xrnI
|
army onr year. and receive therefor the regular pay
oi the Mexican soldiers. grant 81 Land at lhr rlld I"
tho year. and the rank they ml.!t have n'.ld III pre-
voi,. service Such. he said, We're IL instructions
from the Mexican Cuv"rlnc::. On ;Ir 9th lI" wiotc
n LETTER will the substance. ii his Instructions I" MI
Dillon On the l9th he puhiisi'e II i'firr "i'crlh:
irrr uassace n Sonora to those who wished I" GO
About this time Gen. Woo! 'nt"rc' @ !iiI9 '"t'
rncc with Scnor Del Vale ann Mt. D''"" i" ''E"''
| to the expedition.
fIn the 18th Del Nac. fnr some motive: not yr'
clear, wrote to Gen. Woo" that !! nigh: he "'i' 10
sion the Challenge. On the 2Htl!. Mr. 'iih '''i''n
uicntrd 10 Gen. Wool II r"py Of Del Wales lct'cr o
the 9th giving the tenor o his ltlSrur'i'l,, ana Et
tjno, TINT the main plpo1c to break up h"l-srt
expedition. BY tho 2:,i the list h"n h'rn com
rlctrd hy e.. Il G.. The list was headed List I" ii'i
| .,onr tn Sonora ~ contained no written engagement
but had the signatures. agea, previous "ccnpa'iuhs
nl6cr. i BIRTH and rank IN previous military service
,iuoy of the men. The men wcr" told that th'!
shouL enter the Mexican Arny hnt they were moi re-
0uired to make any eNpfess m"n're l" S'r' III '"'
IN tbe 43d, the Challenge, when about I" l"nvc th'
r,,t wns .tupprd by the Collector, because shc In,
more thnn the lawful nunbur 81 arsrngers on boai'l
Sh. ATTEMPTED to leave on several ocrnsion-, blt wa
IN ,h. 9TH n number Of Fronclnnrn, about To 2,
on the Challenge made formal protest against fh'
detention of thar vessel, and asserted That they nat
male no engagement Whatever In enter the M"H"Hi
army On the 2)th, the Challenge was lIh"cd. hii'
n. Vsle wa. arrested on tho affidavit, d! e.. Il C., Il
whom as it has been repeatedly -a III pubic on eoo'
authority unl not denied promise was made Ny 81
a.cnt OF Gcn. Wool that il they would iurIit tiisi
evidence agninst Del Willie, III" Challenge win I'M
expeditionisis. should he permitted to depart.
The Challenge did depart on tho 81 OF April VIII
$50 men, though not without some osgcrioiis oil 'h
par, of the Collector. who induced to co!ircni D.
ilr military authority insisting upon tho PROMISE,
During all ,l. time ten. Wuul lid not inform Dbl
Ion. nor Del While nor the Frenrhman, though II
frrou.nt communication with the two former that
United Sutes law fnrbids enlistment, or that he wou
enforce the aw and during the same time the paper
understood 10 be- in his confidence, were charging IN
two Consuls with conspring to get mp hIllbnstrr'n
expedition. ~,
On the 18th tho trinl Of Del While began, was con
tinued on the 18th, then postponed I'll IN" +
OH which day Hn attachment was issued 10 c"h'P'
Dillon TO appear as witness for the d"ienInnt. IL
. had neglected subpoena Issued the day before.
lie claimed 20 be exempt from all compulsory pro
ce.s TO appear as witness under treaty. but ne wa
arrested by the Marshal under the attachment. IL
handed written protest into the Court aTalnst III
arrest and declared hiinseh @ prisoner and that b
would hold the Court ind all ts officers responsible
On returning from the Court lie struck his taS.
thc both the right OF tho Court TO compel him 10 te
tify was argued On the 9th the Court decided thu
a he could not be legally compelled to testify. On III
oSth Del Vale was convicted with recommend
tion to the mercy OF the Court. The counsel for s.