California by the United States during the administration of General Jackson. August 6, 1835, Forsyth, secretary of state, wrote to Butler, chargé d'affaires in Mexico, "it having been represented to the president that the port of St Francisco, on the western coast of the United Mexican States, would be a most desirable place of resort for our numerous vessels engaged in the whaling business in the Pacific, far preferable to any to which they now have access, he has directed that an addition should be made to your instructions relative to the negotiations for Texas. The main object is to secure within our limits the whole bay of St Francisco. If you can induce the Mexican government to agree to any line which will effect this, you are authorized to offer a sum of —— in addition to the sum you were directed to offer, etc. You are to endeavor first to obtain the following boundary, which is considered the most eligible: Beginning at the gulf of Mexico, proceed along the eastern bank of the Rio Bravo del Norte to the 37th parallel of latitude, and thence along that parallel to the Pacific. This line may probably be supposed to approach too near, if not to include, the Mexican settlement of Monterey. If this objection should be urged, you can obviate it by explaining that we have no desire to interfere with the actual settlements of Mexico on that coast, and you may agree to any provision effecting the great object of securing the bay of St Francisco, and excluding Monterey and the territory in its immediate neighborhood."[1] The sum offered is given by some authorities as $5,000,000. The reply of the Mexican government has eluded my search, but Dwinelle tells us that the proposition was favorably received, and would have been accepted had it not been for the efforts of British diplomates.[2]
- ↑ U. S. Govt. Doc., 25th cong., 1st sess., H. Ex. Doc. No. 42; Congressional Debates, xiv., append., p. 131; South. Quart. Rev., xv. 93-4.
- ↑ Dwinelle's Address before Pioneers, p. 19. In the South. Quart. Rev., viii. 197, it is stated that Forsyth offered $5,000,000 'for the whole country of California.' In Niles' Register, lxviii. 211 (1845), is quoted from the London Times the statement that $5,000,000 was offered 'for the port of San Francisco,
