New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-08
THE DUKE OF SONORA.
GIANT CwIN AND MCDOWELL.

Gwin and giving him instruction WIN releion"o "
onv bos,ile movements to be undertaken against
thu Onted States from the Mexican ola'o VI
Sonora. is now published for the hrst tilhe'
HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES
Dry PoISI, Va, January sth, 1862
uo; Gen, T. MCDOWELL, C0n'd'g DEPT OF me PdeVe'
CrxER.L: II IS known that DR.. Gwinn. former Uh'eo
statos Senator Cal has gone to Mexico anu
service under the Maximiiian Government IL u"ue'
stood al so that he has been appointed Gpverhor
sonora The Dr. Is rcbol of the most viru'eat or"e
His reinc formerly resident OF California ana now
getting 10 that State Mexico bordering Oh Tue o
of his former residence portspa no good to ns MA!
a. not be bis design to entoe into Sonora the ossas
spirits Of California. aud II tho opportunity
organize them and invade the state l w4l'e' "
having discussed this question with any ono !" p
on your guard against what believe may prove sto
danger Watch this matter c,oSely am sno''i" '
these approhcnsions well founded prepare 10 'o''
Won will find no dlnlculty in raising any hum'oi VI
volunteers that may be necessary IN Calorhl' W 0f
M invasion OF the state. Especially will this "e ,c o'o
when the invasion comes FROM country WIN ""0' Wv
at peace. .,. rost
In nm event like tho one alluded to would not re''
satis.ied with simply driving the Invaders on 10 Ne
so, lint would pursue him until Overtaken. an" "ou"
retain possession Of the territory FROM which the
startel until Indemnity for the past ana security i wv
future satisfactory to the Government was iuS"to"
This LATTER which may hage DO regarded as ihStrno
tions for your guidance, Is WIiI'oh emu - .,
knowledge of what the President would advise IN o"s "
49, iosIo, of our territory from that OF Mexico. pn'
with conviction that 1t is right and Just ihe o"'
supposed Is very different one from thoSo V""'
occurred starting from Canada. In the latter e"so
have httcd out for the invasion or our NOrtncIn '
upor Canadian SOIL secretly and without tue kho"'o"eo
OF Canadian authorities. In tho threatened lhNaS''" "
will, LA the act OF officials of the usurpers OF tue Govern
,nent of MEXICO AMI in my judgment. WOuIo JuS.'!
direct assistance our part to re-eStHoSh INC i'e
mate Government over that country
This letter is intended pT'rH; until tho eNleon's
,ontemplaed calls for action your part whcu "'''
la regarded a. instructions for your guidance III TUG
sbsonce Of more recent orders
Very respectfully. Your obt sv't''
u e GRANT. 1t Gou
as General Mcdowell was proceeding 10 t','c
command of his department on the racine Co"S' no
ssw the French troops of Maxlmil'ah lh
Aoapulco 10 general oincer peculiarly
familiar with the diplomacy OF foreign courts V"c
presence of q foreign Power IN Mexico couiu no.
but he significant. tic thoroughly appreciated
,lo imnortance of n movement in which England
France. Spain and Austria had acted III codcet''
II WAS obvious that these Powers woddod TO
monarchical institutions, were se'zing the OPpor-
family offered by the discussions OF the American
Rs,nbl;c +, plant an empire its borders that
,ronll still further secure its disntegratioh'
Uowever IA tho news OF Northern victories
reached tue ear OF Europe one by Que these roWorS
dropued off, England, as usual, prudontly retrcu
ar nm early stage oil the proceedings the interest
of Austria was one of family aud not nh'lohal
Soa:n was indisposed to renew contest III "p'c"
she had once Seen unsuccessful and IL Is proohple
France would not have so long continued III tho
support of Macmillan had it not been Tor Napoleon
the Thirds desire to recoup his losses IN ottihg out
the expedition. -
Arrived in San Francisco General hcDowel'
received notes from Mr. seward. in Paris. showing
Go, ,yh,t uurnoso II was understood there that Or.
Gwin was sent to Mexico. In the meahwhle tAo
Democratio papers of San Francisco stated that
there were two persons in the city acting as agel
nj DIR Gwin and invited people DESTROYS oil going 10
Mexico TO apply TO them for information Oehe'ai
Mcdowell immediately required each OF THESE
nersons to state whether this was or was not true
One in effect. admitted that 1t was true, WINE tne
other Mr. Ridge, denied tho charge and III person
called upon General Mcdowell TO explain his pres
ence 10 the country He said be was an Engiisn-
man representing British capitalists, and being
himself largely interested in Mexico. was deeply
concerned in whatever concerned that country
In this way he came to know DR.. Gwin. both IN
Paris and in Mexico aud had freely conferred with
him in both places. Mr.. Ridges object in coming
to Mexico was TO obtain concession to light the
city with gas. and one to build a railroad to the
Pacific He showed letters continuing his state
nents and IMPRESSED General Mcdowell as being
not only remarkably intelligent, but also as
unusually straightforward and truthful
Mr. Ridges account OF tue belief in Paris
.oncprred with the notes Mr. Seward had for
warded. lie said it had been question at Yer
s,illes how Macmillan was to support his court,
government and army, and. at the same tiine'
repay Napoleon the expense incurred by France
m the invasion and conquest of the country The
hitter decided the former must have the revenues
from the customs ETC., and he would look to be
reimbursed from the resources of the Northern
States. which DR.. Gwin had represented ds great.
Napoleon had asked the doctor If those resources
could be soon rendered available. Tho latter
answered that by drawing the Anglo-Saxon and
Celtic emigrauts from any and every quarter a
revenue of millions might be had in a short timo.
Napoleon then asked DIR. Gwln to undertake the
enterprise, and he consented.
This is where Mr.. Ridges account ends.
Dnt, neither in the opinion OF General
Grant nor Of General Mcdowell could such
theory be satisfactory. 1t is true that
the success OF the War Tor the Union would leave
Dr. Gwin the necessity of providing himself with a
career But the man who had shaped the COnstl-
tuition OF California ana had secured its admission
asa free State. was not tho man who wonld DO
content to remain, if ever it were his intention to
become, mining engineer or controller OF
finances for the province OF Sonora. Dr. OWNS
estimate OF the wealth OF tho Northern provinces of
Mexico was not exaggerated. Indeed, already the
conditions which he pioneer desired to secure
have been brought about in the natural course of
eyonts Mr. Ridges plan of railroad, to DO built
with English capital from Mexico to the sea, has
already boon surpassed by vast system of IRON
thoroughfares inauguratcd and carried on by
Americans with the full and free consent OF the
Mexican Republic. 1t is not an unintercstng
feature Of this later railroad building that 1t
received the benefit of General Grants own
sanction. However. General Grant did rather as
Duke Gwin said than us nc did