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582
IMMIGRANT COMPANIES AND PIONEERS.
The main party in the mean time-under the guidance of Walker, who had been met somewhere on the way as he was likely to be at any time or place in the great basin -- followed the emigrant trail down the Humboldt to its sink, and thence turned southward to Walker Lake, where they rejoined Frémont on the 27th.21
After two days the parties again separated, with an agreement to meet on the other side of the Sierra, at the forks of the main river flowing into Tulares Lake, about which place of rendezvous I shall have more to say presently. The main body, perhaps under the command of Theodore Talbot, guided by Walker, and accompanied by E. M. Kern as topographer, re- mained at Walker Lake to recruit their animals until December 8th, when the southward march was re- sumed. By a route somewhat to the right, or west, of Walker's in 1843, they reached the head of Owens River-so named for a member of the company-on the 16th; followed that stream down to the lake, on the shores of which they were on the 19th-21st; con- tinued southward past Little Owens Lake, and round Owens Peak, through the original Walker Pass of 1834, and down the south branch to the forks of Kern River, so named later for the artist of the party, where they encamped on the 28th. This was where they expected to meet Frémont, and here they waited for him three weeks.22
Meanwhile Frémont left Walker River on Noveni- ber 29th with fifteen men, reached the Salmon Trout, or Truckee, on December 1st, crossed the summit by the emigrant trial on the 5th-6th, and then, leaving the trail to the right, descended by a more southern route into the valley,23 and on the 10th was welcomed
21 Kern's Journal, 477-80. The editor has confounded the two parties, representing Frémont as having followed the river.
22 Kern's Journal, 480-4, with a full diary of the march from day to day.
23 Martin fork and Hamilton creek are named Dec. 7th-Sth with latitudes. I suppose them to have been named for members of the company; but Martin - or at least one Martin-was with the other party. Fremont's Geog. Mem., 28-30, 57, is the only definite anthority for Frémont's trip. Routes shown on Preuss' map of 1848, U. S. Govt Doc., 31st cong. Ist sess., H. Ex. Doc. 17, p. 944.
583
FRÉMONT AND WALKER.
at Sutter's Fort, whence after a stay of four days he hastened southward with aid for Walker's party.24 Progress up the San Joaquin Valley was slow, on ac- count of the cattle that were being driven along; but on December 22d they reached Kings River, or Tulares Lake River as they called it, or River of the Lake as Frémont had called it in 1844. Here they expected to find Walker's party, and on this stream they waited, following it meanwhile far up into the mountains and back, until the 7th of January.25
The two parties thus encamped and waiting for each other at the end of December 1845 on Kings and Kern river respectively, numbered about sixty men, whose names I give in a note as completely and ac- curately as I have been able to obtain them from miscellaneous sources.26 They served in California, as we shall see, through the next year, and most of them
24 Dec. 10th, arrival; Dec. 12th, 14 mules furnished; Dec. 13th, start to join Walker. Sutter's Diary, 6; New Helvetia Diary, MS., 22-3. Fremont, Geog. Mem., 16, says he started on the 14th. Dec. 10th, Sutter to Vallejo, announe ing Frémont's arrival with part of his company to obtain supplies and spend the winter in a mild climate. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xii. 176. Dec. 22d, S. to Larkin. Frémont has gone to meet Walker and will visit Monterey on his return. Larkin's Doc., MS., iii. 405. Jan. 4, 1846, sub-prefect at Yerba Buena to prefect. Has heard of the arrival of commissioners to fix the bound- ary between Mexico and the U. S. Castro, Doc., MS., i. 251. Bidwell, Cal. 1841-8, MS., 152-6, speaks of Sutter's absence at the time of F.'s arrival and of the latter's dissatisfaction at Bidwell's-and later Sutter's-inability to fur- nish mules, etc.
23 Fremont's Geog. Mem., 16-19, 57.
26 Frémont's company of 1845: Francis Allison (?), Auguste Archambeau, Henry Brant, Chas J. W. Braune (?), Thos E. Breckenridge, Francis Briggs (?), John G. Campbell, Kit Carson, Wm Chinook, James Connor, Crane, F. Creutz- feldt (?), Plul. Courtean (?), Jerome C. Davis, Denny, Duchène (?), Sidney Duketel (?), F'abhol, J. C. Frémont, Alexis Godey, Sam. Goldsmith (?), Guth- rie, IIaler (?), Hamilton, Geo. Haslitt (?), Thos Hill, Hubbard (?), Win Hughes, Ed M. Kern, Henry King, Basil Lajeunesse, Louis Lapierre, McCrady, Mar- quet (?), Thos S. Martin, Lucien Maxwell, Risdon A. Moore, A. Morin, J. J. Myers, Rich. Owens, Poinsett (?), Raph. Praule, Charles Preuss, Reddick (?), Rhett (?), Eugene Russell, John Scott (?), Jas Secondi, Wm Sigler (?), Stepp (or Steppenfeldt), Stradspeth, James Swanich, Charles Taplin, Theodore Tal- bot, Torrey (?), Joseph R. Walker, Wetowah, White, Whitton, and Marion Wise.
Not more than half of these 60 names can be proved correct, though at least 50 of them are probably so. A few are definitely named as meinbers of the expedition in Fremont's Geog. Mem. and Kern's Journal; many are indi- rectly mentioned by Frémont, who applied their names to localities; and some are remembered by Martin and others, or are accredited to this expedi- tion by newspaper writers with some probability of accuracy.
584
IMMIGRANT COMPANIES AND PIONEERS.
returned to the east in 1847. All might properly enough be named in my lists of pioneers. The mis- take of Fremont and Walker by which they failed to meet each other, confounding the two streams, was not an unnatural one when the circumstances are con- sidered; nor did it involve any such degree of stupid- ity as partisans have sometimes imputed to one or the other explorer. Walker had traversed the valley several times, and had crossed both rivers; but it had been his fortune to eross Kings River at seasons and places where there was little or no water running; and he believed Kern River, heading in the moun- tains near his pass, to be the only large affluent of Tulares Lake, having no doubt of its identity with Frémont's River of the Lake.27 Fremont had also crossed both streams, and had found them to be of considerable size; but he crossed Kern River far south of Lake Tulares, of which he did not regard it as a tributary, but of another lake at the head of the val- ley ;23 and he had no doubt that Walker's original pass was near the head of his own River of the Lake. Both men agreed to this theory at their conference east of the Sierra. No other conelusiou was consist- ent with Walker's statement that his river was the first of any size south of the San Joaquin; and having reached this conclusion, nothing was easier than to name a place of meeting.29 Thus the error was mainly Walker's, and the result, fortunately involving no loss of
27 His error is proved by the fact that when he reached Kings River in Jan. 1846 he believed it to be the S. Joaquin. Kern's Journal, 485-6.
2º Frémont's Report, 252-3. See also his map.
29 That is: Fremont had but to follow up the first large river after cross- ing the S. Joaquin; and Walker had but to follow down the first river after passing round the point of the mountain. Fremont in 1844 had intended to go through Walker Pass, Report, 248, 254, and there is nothing in his narra- tive to show that he did not believe himself to have done so; but it is neces- sary to conclude that the two men, on comparing the notes and map of the one with the recollections of the other, had decided not only that Fremont's pass of 1844, which had also heen traversed by Walker probably, was farther south than Walker's original pass of 1834 and 1843-as was indeed true, though the difference was less than they supposed-but that the Kern River, flowing into a lake distinct from the Tulares, was also south of the original pass. This removes all difficulties, and agrees substantially with Kern's not very clearly expressed ideas.
583
THE HASTINGS-SEMPLE PARTY.
life, is known to the reader. I leave the explorers on their respective rivers until needed for the annals of 1846. Frémont's official report of this third expedition has never been published, and the gentleman has never seen fit to fulfil his frequent promises to furnish material for my use; therefore I have been obliged to draw upon other sources of information, the most important of which I specify in the appended note. 30
The sixth and last party to enter California in 1845 was that of Lansford W. Hastings. This man, as we have seen, had visited the coast in 1843, and return- ing to the states, had delivered lectures, and written a book in which he painted California in glowing colors, as a field for American settlers and conquerors. His book was not published early enough to have much effect this year; and his other efforts do not seem to have been very effective, as nearly all the emigrants of the year started for Oregon in spite of his advice. In July, however, he had a company of twenty-two men bound for California direct, more than half of
30 The chief authority is the Journal of Mr Edward M. Kern of an explor- ation of Mary's or Humboldt River, Carson Lake, and Owens river and lake, in 1845. The journal extends from Nov. 5th to Feb. 13th, and describes the movements of the main party. The author gave his name to Kern County and Kern River. Next in importance is the Geographical Memoir upon Upper California, in illustration of his map of Oregon and California, by John Charles Frémont, addressed to the Senate of the U. S. Washington, 1848, Svo, 67 p. [U. S. Govt Doc., 30th cong. Ist sess., Sen. Miscel. Doc. no. 148]. Also editions of Washington, 1849, 8vo, 40 p .; New York, 1849, 8vo, 29 p., with Frémont and Emory, Notes of Travel, also published London, 1849, 1856; and Philadelphia, 1849, 8vo, p. 1-26, with additions from different sources. The memoir is by no means a connected account of the expedition, but con- tains incidental allusions to the narrative, with tables of latitude and longi- tude, dates, etc. A résumé of the exploration is given in Warren's Memoir to accompany the map of the Territory of the U. S., etc., 1859, p. 48-50. The author notes an edition of Frémont's narrative then in press; but so far as I know, it has never appeared. Martin's Narrative of Frémont's Expedition to California in 1845-6, MS., 58 p., is a very complete and interesting account of the expedition, and of the events which followed it, dictated for my use to E. F. Murray in 1878, by Thomas S. Martin of Sta Bárbara, a man who came and went with Frémont's party, but returned to California in later years. See also an account in Lancey's Cruise of the Dale, 34-6. Many of the authorities on Frémont's operations in 1846, to be cited later, contain allnsions to his arrival in 1845; and I might add a very long list of references to books, pam- phlets, and newspapers, on Frémont's life and services, including this trip; but this could serve no good purpose, as these references will have to be given elsewhere.
586
IMMIGRANT COMPANIES AND PIONEERS.
whom decided finally to stay at home.31 They started, ten in number, from Independence about the middle of August, far behind the last of the Oregon trains; and between forts Laramie and Bridger were obliged to make a long détour to avoid hostile savages. From Fort Hall they followed the usual trail. Besides being late, this company was inadequately supplied with food, and its members, dependent for the most part on the rifle of Smith-'Old Bony' the hunter-were very near starvation in the mountains.32 "If they had ar- rived one day later, they would have been cut off by the immense quantity of snow," wrote Sutter.33 But by good luck they escaped starvation and the snows. They came out at Johnson's rancho in two parties of six and four respectively, and arrived at New Helvetia on Christmas. A full list of their names is appended, Semple being most famous, and tallest of the number- six feet eight inches, according to the newspaper that announced his departure for California.34
I conclude this chapter with the usual annual list of new-comers. It includes many whom we shall find
31 A list of their 23 names is given in the Independence Mission Expositor, July 6, 1845. 'Men of the right stamp for such an undertaking, and leave right willingly for the plains. Apparently regardless of all dangers, they veuture forward, buoyed up with hopes of success, and stimulated by deeds of daring, by the desire of bettering their condition and that of their friends who have gone before them. The season of the year for such a jaunt is unusually late; they seem to think not, and appear determined to show to the world that nothing need prove an obstacle to our crossing the plains. We give the names of the company and their late residences.' Niles' Reg., Ixix. 7. In Id., Ixix. 18, is a notice of 5 or 6 returned and disgusted Californians who passed throughi Boonesville, Mo. I have no idea who they could have been.
32 Biog. Sketch of Napoleon B. Smith, by 'Fides,' 1875, MS., 17 p. Pre- sented to me by John A. Swan. This is the most detailed account of the trip extant. See also sketch of Henry C. Smith in Livermore Enterprise, Dec. 4, 1875; Stockton Independent, Dec. 4, 1875; Halley's Centennial Book of Alameda, 560.
33 Sutter's Diary, 6, announcing the arrival on Dec. 25th. Arrival also recorded Dec. 25th, in N. Helv. Diary, MS., 25-6. Lawyer Nash arrived on the 26th.
84 Members of the Hastings company of 1845: A. H. Crosby, Helm Down- ing, L. W. Hastings, Wm N. Loker, W. M. Mendenhall, J. H. Nash, Robert Semple, Henry C. Smith, Napoleon B. Smith, and Ira (or J. B.) Stebbins. These names are given in a letter of Sutter to Vallejo on Dec. 26th. Vallejo, Doc., MS .. xii. 180; and also, with 13 who did not come, in Niles' Iicg., Ixix. 7. Mendenhall is also called William and Henry as well as Philip.
587
LIST OF NEW COMERS.
taking a prominent part in the stirring scenes of the next two years, and not a few whose names have been well known in later times. Almost all remained in the northern part of the department; and few if any took steps to become Mexican citizens. Those who wished for land hoped to obtain it without that for- mality. How they were received by the Californian authorities will be told in another chapter. The whole number of foreigners whose naines appear for the first time in this year's records is over four hundred, and this without including the muster rolls of the U. S. craft; but the number of pioneer residents named in the appended list is one hundred and seventy. 35 This number might be largely increased, and legitimately
35 Pioneers of 1845: Hiram Acres, Charles Albin, Francis Allison, Horace G. Austin (?), O. de Grande Barque (?), James Barrett, W. D. Barry, Wm Bartel, Wash. A. Bartlett, Wm R. Bassham, Theo. E. Bangh, J. G. Baxter, Narcisco Bennett, Alex. Beritzhoff (?), Susan Biggerton, 'Billy the Cooper,' Joseph Black, Wm Blackburn, Wm Bowen, C. J. W. Braune (?), Charles Brown, John H. Brown, Abner Bryan, Buchanan, Thomas H. Burgess, Charles L. Cady (?), Geo. Carter, S. U. Chase, James Clyman, Thomas Cochran, Charles Cook, Thomas Crafton, Philip Crosthwaite, Alex. David, Jerome C. Davis, Joseph Davis, John W. Dawd, Denny, Benj. Dewell, Jacob Dopken, Helms Downing, J. Dupas, St Vrain Durand, John Ellick, Wm B. Elliott, Lazarus Everhart, Wm Fallon, C. J. Fellows, Wm Fisher, H. T. Flanning, Fred. W. Franz, Louis Gasquet, John Gibbs, Marion Gibson, Sam. Gibson, Wm B. Gil- dea, Nic. Gordon, James M. Green, James Gregson, Calvin C. Griffith, James A. Griffith, Frank W. Grigsby, Granville W. Grigsby, John Grigsby, Julian Hanks, Thomas Harding, Wm Hardy, Geo. Haslitt (?), Jacob Herman, Gil- man Hilton, Francis Hoen, T. W. Hubbard (?), David Hudson, Win Hudson, Dan. C. Hugenin, Dan. Ide, James Ide, Lemuel Ide, Wm Ide, Wm B. Ide, Jackson (?), Ed. Johnson (?), Julian, John H. Kelley, Robert C. Keyes, Thomas Knight, Theodore G. Kohler, Milton Ladd, Basil Lajeunesse, Dan. Leahy, Lawton Lee, John Lewis, Frank Lightstone, Wm N. Loker, Pat. McChristian, Redding McCoy, McDonald, Alex. McDonald, Geo. McDongall, James Mc- Dowell, Mckenzie (?), Alex. Majors (?), Henry Marshall, James W. Marshall, John Marshall, Wm Marshall, Thomas S. Martin, W. M. Mendenhall, Thomas Middleton (?), John B. Montgomery, John E. Montgomery, Wm H. Montgom- ery, John H. Nash, John Neal, J. M. Nichols (?), G. R. Nightengell (?), Sam. Norris, Win Northgrave, Geo. W. Nutter, Wm O'Connor, Albert Packard, John Parrott, Mary Patterson, J. D. Perkey, Perry, Noah Peters, Harvey Por- terfield, Wm Reynolds (?), Hiram Rheusaw, Wm Rodford, Geo. Rodman, Geo. Rodgers, Charles Roether, Horace Sanders, John Scott, Wm W. Scott. Frank Scars, John Sears, Robert Semple, Fred. C. Smith (?), Henry C. Smith, James Smith, Napoleon B. Smith, Sam. Smith (?), Thomas Smith, Thomas J. Smith, Wm M. Smith, Jacob R. Snyder, Henry Spiel, Fred Starke, Ira Steb- bins, Swanich, Wmn F. Swasey, Anthony Sylvester. Wm Thompson, Lindy Thorp, Wm L. Todd, Henry Trow, Sam. Turner, Fernando Tustin, Wm J. Tustin, Geo. Wallace, J. Washburn (?), Wm T. Wheeler, Lewis Wigman, Wm C. Wilson (?), Jolın York, David York, Wm E. York. For biographical notices of all thesc men, see Pioneer Register at end of these volumes.
588
IMMIGRANT COMPANIES AND PIONEERS.
enough, by adding all of Frémont's explorers who served in California from 1845 to 1847, and also the naval forces serving on the coast for the same period, many of the sailors and marines doing garrison and other duty on shore; but I have thought it best to omit both classes here, as being sufficiently noticed elsewhere. Ide, Marshall, Parrott, and Semple are the men of 1845 who became most widely known.
The registered foreign population in 1840 has been given as 380.36 In later statements females must be excluded for lack of reliable data. In the period of 1841-5 new-comers numbered 420, and the foreign male population at the end of 1845 may be regarded in round numbers as 680, the number of departures and deaths during the half-decade being approxi- mately 120.
36 See pp. 115-17 this volume.
CHAPTER XXV. FOREIGN RELATIONS. 1845.
FOREIGN CONSULATES-LARKIN, LEIDESDORFF, FORBES, GASQUET, AND LA- TAILLADE-BRITISH SCHEMES-NOTHING BUT SUSPICIONS-HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY-SUICIDE OF RAE-SCHEMES OF THE UNITED STATES-BU- CHANAN TO LARKIN-PLANS OF MARSH AND WEBER-IMPENDING WAR- ARREST OF SMITH-ORDERS FROM MEXICO-PICO'S PROCLAMATIONS- MILITARY PREPARATIONS-KIND TREATMENT OF IMMIGRANTS-MEXICAN ORDERS FOR EXPULSION OF AMERICANS-CASTRO PERMITS THEM TO REMAIN-AFFAIRS ON THE SACRAMENTO-SUTTER'S WELCOME TO NEW- COMERS-THE RUSSIANS WANT THEIR PAY-SUTTER WISHES TO SELL OUT-DIARY OF NEW HELVETIA.
THOMAS O. LARKIN continued to perform the duties of U. S. consul, duties which consisted mainly in fur- nishing aid to destitute American seamen, and writ- ing to the secretary of state on the country's general condition in respect of commercial and political af- fairs.1 In October he went to San Francisco and made an attempt to bring the assailants of Captain Libbey to justice;2 but otherwise, none of his diplo- matic correspondence with Californian authorities requires notice. In October he appointed William A. Leidesdorff as vice-consul at Yerba Buena, which appointment was recognized as valid by General Cas-
1 Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., i., ii., passim. Many of the communica- tions on special topics are noted elsewhere. The financial accounts of his office for the year are found in Id., ii. 24, 34-5; Id., Doc., MS., iii. 150; Monterey, Consulate Arch., MS., i. 1-15; ii. 10-18; Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxiv. 178; Larkin's Papers, MS. Hospital expenses for the year were about $800, and other expenses about $500; while his fees amounted to less than $200. He pretended to regard his position as a very burdensome and unprofitable one.
2 See chap. xxiii. of this volume.
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590
FOREIGN RELATIONS-1845.
tro, who really had nothing to do with the matter; but not by Pablo de la Guerra, administrator of cus- toms, who was supported in his refusal by Governor Pico. Meanwhile Leidesdorff was instructed to go on with his duties on board vessels, and get along on shore as best he could until his appointment should be confirmed.3 In October, also, there was sent to Larkin from Washington an appointment as confi- dential agent of the U. S. government, which he did not receive till the next year.4
James A. Forbes did nothing as British vice-consul which has left any special trace in the archives; but in addition to his consular duties he assumed the management of the Hudson's Bay Company's estab- lishment at Yerba Buena, after the death of Rae. Louis Gasquet, acting consul of France under an appointment of earlier date, arrived in March by the Primavera to take possession of his office. His sal- ary was about $4,000, for which in 1845 he made somne inquiries about the past trouble between Michel- torena's cholos and the crew of the French whaler Angelina, also making an effort to recover some de- serters from the Heroine." On August 26th Cesáreo Lataillade was appointed vice-consul of Spain to re- side at Monterey; but his exequatur was not received from Mexico until the next year.6
In his communications to Secretary Buchanan and to eastern newspapers, Larkin chose to represent the
3 Oct. 29th, Larkin to Leidesdorff, with appointment. Larkin's Off. Cor- resp., MS., i. 66. Oct. 30th, Id. to prefect and Castro. Id., i. 68-9. Nov. Ist, Castro approves. Id., Doc., MS., iii. 371. Nov. 20th, 27th, Guerra and Pico disapprove. Id., iii. 400, 409. Dec. Ist, Larkin to Pico. Id., Off. Cor- resp., MS., i. 72. Dec. 6th, Id. to Guerra. Dept. St. Pap., MS., v. 106-7. Jan. 20, 1846, Larkin to Leidesdorff. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., i. 74. +Oct. 17th, Buchanan's Instruc., MS.
5 March 16th, arrived at S. Diego. Larkin's Doc., MS., iii. 92; Pinto, Doc., MS., ii. 126; Dept. Rec., MS., xiv. 52. July 18th, affair of the de- serters. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxiv. 144. July 10th, Larkin to sec. state. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 26.
6 Aug. 25-6, 1845, appointment and exequatur. Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., xi. 173; Sup. Govt St. Pap., MS., xviii. 11. Sept. 2d, Pavon to Guerra. Dept St. Pap., Mont., MS., viii. 10.
591
LARKIN'S SUSPICIONS.
maintenance of an English and French consulate in California-where neither nation had any commercial interests to protect, or the slightest apparent need of consular service, costing a salary of $4,000 to Gasquet and $1,000 to Forbes-as a very suspicious eireum- stanee. Indeed, Forbes was allowed to attend to his own private business and that of his company, rarely visiting Monterey. "These consuls have nothing to do, apparently; why they are in service their govern- ments best know, and Unele Sam will know to his cost."7 This was an extravagant view of the matter, but it pleased the government at Washington, and the American press to some extent, to accept the suspicion as a legitimate one, and to believe that Gasquet and Forbes were plotting to wrest from Unele Sam his prospective prey.8 So far as French sehemes for ob- taining California are concerned, Gasquet's presence was the only ground of fear known at the time or since brought to light.
The fear that England would seize the country rested on a slightly better foundation; for in the eom- munications eited Larkin announced that the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company had presented a bill for arms and munitions supplied to the Californians in their late struggle; that Forbes raised his consular flag for the first time and fired a salute on hearing of Micheltorena's overthrow; and that now the Mexican army about to invade California was "without doubt" sent at British instigation, and to be paid with Brit- ish gold! Truly, these were alarming circumstances, if in the troubles between California and Mexico the
7 June-July, L.'s letters. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 24-6; Id., Doc., MS., iii. 335-7; N. Y. Journal of Commerce, quoted in Niles' Reg., Ixix. 203.
8 Buchanan, Instructions, MS., pronounces the appearance of the consuls 'well calculated to produce the impression that their respective governments entertain designs on that country which must necessarily be hostile to its in- terests. On all proper occasions you should not fail prudently to warn the govt and people of Cal. of the danger of such an enterprise to their peace and prosperity-to inspire them with a jealousy of European dominion, and to arouse in their bosoms that love of liberty and independence so natural to the Americans continent'I
592
FOREIGN RELATIONS-1845.
British lion was disposed to roar on both sides. The status of the English scheme in 1844 is already well known to the reader.9 Many of the bond-holders were in favor of taking Mexican lands in payment; and some were in favor of locating those lands in Califor- nia. The government, so far as can be known, had nothing to do with the matter, and offered no encour- agement; but the men interested doubtless hoped that, if they could secure a broad tract of land and estab- lish on it a large colony of former British subjects, they would eventually obtain from the government such recognition and protection as might be needed, and that perhaps California might become a British province. So far as evidence goes-I have no power to penetrate court secrets-this expectation was the sum and substance of the English bugbear; and there were many tedious and difficult steps to be taken be- fore it could be realized. The year 1845 brought no new developments, except that an Irish priest applied in Mexico for a grant of land to be settled by a colony of Irishmen, and has been accused of having acted at the instigation of the English government. This Mc- Namara project was perhaps an outgrowth of Wyllie's plan, of which we hear nothing more;10 but it belongs more properly to the annals of the next year. An article in the French papers, quoted by the London Times, in which it was stated that Santa Anna had been on the point of ceding California to England for 25,000,000 piastres, brought the subject up in parlia- ment in March, when, in reply to questions by Wort- ley, Sir Robert Peel for the actual government, and Lord Palmerston for the past, explicitly denied that the rumor had any foundation in fact.11 There was
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