Mr. Campbell to Mr. Seward.,
No. 21]
New Orleans,
March 20, 1867.
Sir: I received this morning two official
communications from Franklin Chase, esq., consul general at Tampico,
dated March 1st and 2d.
That of March 1st, marked No. 8, I transmit herewith. The other merely
encloses a duplicate of the petition of General Gomoz and others, the
original of which I sent you with my despatch No. 20, asking our
government to make them a loan of $5,000,000; also for gunboats, battery
of cannon, men, &c., &c. Mr. Chase informs me that a copy of the
same paper has been forwarded to Mr. Romero.
It may not be improper to add that when I was at Tampico, on the 5th of
December last, Mr. Chase informed me that he regarded General Gomez and
Cuesta as friendly to Ortega’s claim to the presidency. They may now,
however, be truly devoted to the cause of President Juarez.
If our government has gunboats not necessarily on duty elsewhere, it
might be prudent to have some of them cruising in the Gulf of Mexico,
with a view to protect our citizens and our commerce there.
I remain, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Chase to Mr. Campbell
United States Consulate General,
Tampico,
March 1, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to acquaint you that
the mail from San Luis Potosi, which arrived here on the evening of
the 27th ultimo, brought me dates from that city to the 21st ultimo,
by which I am informed that President Juarez and the members of his
cabinet entered that city several hours before the departure of the
above-mentioned mail, where he received the most enthusiastic
manifestations of joy and professions of adhesion from his
countrymen, in which the foreign residents participated.
By the same mail I am informed that the imperial forces are at
Queretaro, with a force variously estimated at from 5,000 to 7,000
strong, with Maximilian at their head, and that Miramon and Marquez
are generals of division under his immediate command.
On the 23d instant General Gomez published a “Bando” in this city,
imposing a new extraordinary tax of three per centum on capital and
real estate. I have claimed exemption for our countrymen, and have
hopes that my defence in their behalf will be attended with
success.
I now indulge the hope of soon having the honor of seeing you again
in this place, en route for San Luis Potosi,
as it is more than probable the president will be detained there for
several months.
I have had a vast deal of trouble here since the 11th of January last
with the owners and crew of a steamer called the Heroine, of New
Orleans. The object of bringing this vessel here was to sell her,
but no purchaser could be found, and the crew, composed of such men
as General Butler met with at New Orleans, are clamorous for their
pay and discharge.
[Page 386]
In the mean time the master who brought the vessel here, together
with the nominal part owner, Dr. Richard H. Porter, abandoned the
steamer and returned to New Orleans, leaving the crew to become a
burden upon this consulate.
After I had subsisted the ship’s company, comprising 20 men, for four
days, and in the mean time aided the other part owner, Lewis
Wolfley, to negotiate a loan on the said steamer, to enable her to
be sent to Vera Cruz, where there was a probability of obtaining a
good price for her, the crew revolted against my protection and put
themselves in the hands and under the advice of a certain Dr.
William H. Read, who, from secession principles, left the United
States and located in this vicinity.
Dr. Read at the same time holds a power of attorney, which was
surreptitiously ordered and executed by the said Porter while in
this city, after having formally relinquished the unconditional
management of the business of Mr. Wolfley.
The result of all this is insubordination of the crew, who refuse to
obey the master appointed by me to take care of the vessel, and who
is now suffering in the hospital from the wounds which they have
inflicted upon him.
Under this state of things, together with the unsettled state of
affairs in this country, the interests of our countrymen require the
protection of one of our gunboats in this river, and I trust that
you will be pleased to use your influence with the Secretary of the
Navy to send one here with the least possible delay.
I have the honor to be, sir, with the highest respect, your most
obedient servant,
Hon. Lewis D. Campbell,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary of the United States to the Republic of
Mexico.
