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


cratic candidate for District Attor-
ney, left California and went tc
Mexico. where he renounced his
American citizenship and took the
oath of allegiance to the Government OF
that country. That small portion of the
voters of this city who intend to cast
their votes for Mr.. Henley would now
like to know whether they are expected
to vote for an alien, a citizen of Mexico,
or a citizen of the United States.
The question concerning Mr.. Henley S
citizenship has been asked before, but
during the years that have passed since
the query was put no satisfactory an
swer has been given an expectant pub
lie. Now that Mayor PheIan and the
Examiner, twin models of purity, have
vouched for the high purposes and per-
sonal worth of their candidate for Dis
trict Attorney, it may be well to give
TO the public such official data as can
at this moment be obtained concerning
Mt Henley's citizenship, so that every
one viii have an opportunity to form a
judgment from a contemplation Of the
facts.
During the progress OF the Civil war
Henley's open declaration concerning
brought him to the attention of the
civil and military authorities of this
State. Before these officials could take
any authoritative action concerning the
matter Henley went to Mexico. Ar
rived there, he addressed the following
petition, the original of which is still
on file in the official archives at the
City of Mexico, to Emperor Maximilian,
then the ruling sovereign Of Mexico:
PETITION.
The undersigned, Barclay Henley,
native of Charleston, Indiana,
United States of America, has the
honor of very respectfully stating to
your imperial Majesty that, having
come here with the idea of immigrat-
ing from his native country and
bringing his family and his fortune,
he has become convinced that, under
the auspices of the new government
Mexico is the country of America
that offers the greatest advantages
and most guarantees to an enterpris-
ing and hard-working colonist But
the undersigned having all of his
property in California is under the
necessity Of returning there in order
to bring his family and to turn into
cash his movable and immovable
property, and then, owing to the
strong animosities which have been
occasioned by the civil war between
the partisans of the North and those
of the South, he fears that on ac-
count Of his Southern opinions that,
as an American citizen, he will meet,
on the part of the authorities of Cali
fornia, with more or less obstacles to
his immigration, which his character
as a Mexican subject will place him
beyond their precautions.
The undersigned, therefore, takes
the liberty of very respectfully solic-
iting from your imperial Majesty to
grant him naturalization papers by
virtue Of the power vested in your
Majesty, and as you have deigned
to do with other foreigners.
Hoping that this petition will be
favorably received the undersigned
has the honor, sire, of remaining,
with the most profound respect, your
imperial Maiesty's very humble and
most obedient servant,
(S1gned) BARCLA4 HENLEY,
Iturbide Hotel, Room 43.
To the Emperor.
Attached to the petition is the follow
Ing certificate:
I'VE, the undersigned, are acquainted
with Mr.. Barclay Henley, an American
citizen, and know that he conducts him
self well and lives honestly, and for the
uses which may be necessary. we sign
this paper in Mexico on the oath Of De-
cember. 1894 (signed)
"MARIANO DEGALLODA,
"W BENFIELD.
"FRANCISCO MULLINS
Let It be issued December "a, 1884"
The Minister of State and Foreign
Affairs returned Mr.. Henley's petition
with the following Endorsement:
Mr.. Barclay Henley, whose petition to
H. NJ. your Excellency is pleased to
transmit to me, marked with the number
2357, must be presented himself to the
Ministry in order to fill the requisites of
the law now In force relating to naturali-
cation papers,
That he did comply with the requi-
sites OF the law is shown by the fol-
lowing:
MEXICO, December "a. 1864
I ninclose herewith to your ExceIIencv
the papers which H. NJ the Emperor has
been pleased to grant in favor of Mr..
Barclay Henley, so that you may deliver
them to said gentleman when he calls
for them at your office. If the said party
has already called and left his address,
your Excellency may please forward 10
him the said documents wherever he NAV
be: but If he has not given his address
you will forward the same to the Political
Prefect of San Bias. where the interested
party is to go"
Mr.. Henley, having left the City of
Mexico before receiving his naturali-