The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-21

| due course as directed, as VIII appear
from an official letter to the General
Secretary of the Superior Political Pre-
lecture of the Mexican Empire from
the military commander of San Bias,
dated January IS, 1865, which reads as
follows:
with your Excellency's official note of
| the 5th, L have received the naturaliZa-
ton papers which his Majesty has been
! pleased TO issue in favor of Mr.. Barclay
Henley. who left for Mazatlan on the 9Th
inst. on board the English steamer Ze-
! NTH, and l shall forward said document
by the mail steamer Alirante, which sails
from this port on the 22d inst, to the Su-
perior Prefect of said port, who shall OBJ
tain corresponding receipt to be transmit
ted to your Excellency in due time
Certified to by Mariana Romero, Su-
perior Political Prefect, District of
Guanajuato.
Having received his naturalization
papers, and feeling that as a citizen of
Mexico he had nothing to fear from the
civil and military authorities Of Cali
fornia, Mr.. Henley returned to this
State. His arrival here. however, was
quickly noted, and the following letter
was addressed to him by Provost Mar
shal General John F. Mason:
Office A. A Provost Marshal General of
California and Nevada Ter, San
Francisco, Cal, February z, 1866.
Mr.. Barclay Henley-Sir: 1t is reported
that you are here as an agent or repre-
sentative in some form OF DR.. VIM. NJ.
Gwtn, formerly L. S. Senator from this
State. Major General Mcdowell requests
me to ask you If this is so, or if it is not
true. have the honor to be, very re-
spectfully, your obedient servant
Brig. Gen. Vols. and A 4 4 +. E n MMASoss g. eal.
oaciai; d i:s5efIi JoHN GREEN. Capt and A.
war Department, June 2. 1855.
4 true copy, JOHN TwEEDALE. Chief
Clerk.
To this Mr.. Henley made the follow
ing reply, being careful, as will be
noted, to announce his Mexican citizen
ship and claim the protection due a
subject OF a foreign power:
S. F., Cal, Feb. Z, 1866
John F. Mason, A. A. Provost Marshal
General-General: In response to your
communication bearing the date of the
or am not an agent or representative in
some form of DR.. VIM. NJ. Gwin, formerly
u. s. Senator from this State" have the
honor to state briefly my true position in
reference thereto:
Some months ago l was employed by
some gentlemen (whose names Will be
given upon reqnes9 to proceed ID to to the
ing from the government a grant Of land
somewhere in Northern Mexico, with a
view of engaging in the cultivation Of
conformity with my instructions, I SUBJ
mitted the papers and business generally
to Mr.. Gwin. by whose opinion had been
previously told to be governed, 1t having
been understood that he (Gwin) would be
found in this city.
MI Gwfn promptly informed me that
not be obtained and 1t would be useless
for me to apply for 1t, saying, however,
that small grants Of land, in the shape
Of pre-emption claims, somewhat like the
American pre-emption plan of giving land
to actual settlers, could be obtained.
Mr.. Gwin, in conjunction with the Mar
quis de Montholon, the French Embassa-
dor in Mexico, also gave me some other
| Information in relation to the contem-
plated French occupation Of Northern
/ Mexico, assuring me Of French protec-
government In that country.
These assurances, together with
the natural inducements held out by
the country, induced me to take up
my abode there, in pursuance of
which applied to the Mexican Gov
ernment for letters of naturalization,
which were duly issued to me, the
evidence of which fact is now in the
hands of the French Consul of this
city, to whom you are hereby re-
ferred.
In justice to the. gentlemen who sent
me to Mexico, and in order that they
might be placed in full possession of the
facts, and also to arrange and close UP
my own private affairs, ] returned to Cal
ifornia and have made my report to these
1 see no reason why I should not re-
mark here. as is due TO candor, that am
the friend personally of Mr.. Gwin, a
Friardabin which I have ~
lieve is reciprocated, and I would not hes
itate to aid him in any honorable, lawful
may be engaged. These being our reIa-
tions on leaving Mexico, Mr. Gwin re-
quested of me that while on my visit to
this country and engaged in the settle
ment of my own business affairs, I would
furnish to those desiring 1t such informa-
ton in reference to the French occupa-
9H OF Hb hse aad mo1fSo from
lon possessed myself Of, and in this con-
nection / have some times said, and per-
haps Written that bsTsSv was sent env here a by
vey the idea that whatever information
/ gave was obtained ID from 9I sources en-
himself or the French Minister.
AS before remarked. l came here from
Mexico to settle up my private affairs,
preparatory to leaving, and incidentally
have, upon all proper occasion, endeav-
have written me such information In ref
erence to the SOIL climate, commercial
advantages, government, ETC., as the data
with which / have been provided wilt
me here is about concluded, and shall
be ready to return by the next steamer.
I have not come here to engage myself in
ANYTHING improper, unlawful or inimical
in any degree to this Government. l have
had and have now no secrets and am
ready at all times and have been to tell
the military authorities of this coast
everything that / know in reference to
the matters or reports that / presume
provoked your communication of yester-
day / have the honor, general. to be
very respectfully your obedient servant,
BARCLAY HENLEY.