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and Colombia, Van Buren declared: "This government has every reason to believe that the same influence which once averted the blow ready to fall upon the Spanish islands would again be found effectual on the recurrence of similar events.' In this same month of October Poinsett told of a new movement of the Mexican government the purpose of which, he thought, was to incite a slave revolt in Cuba.115 Six weeks later Van Buren instructed Butler, who was to replace Poinsett at Mexico, to remonstrate against the alleged intention of Mexico to excite the slave rebellion.116 Late in 1830 the minister at Madrid was told that Mexico had given assurance that no such measures will, in any event be resorted to." In this same letter he was told that the new states had given notice that if Spain persisted in her refusal to make peace and recognize them, they would find it necessary to attack the islands. In view of this he reaffirmed the position of Adams and Clay that the United States was content to have Cuba remain in the possession of Spain; could not consent to its transfer to any European power; and greatly preferred that it should not pass to either of the South American states; but "the President does not see on

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114 Van Buren to Van Ness, October 2, 1829, House Executive Documents, 32 congress, I session, number 121, pages 27 and 28.

115 Poinsett to Van Buren, October 14, 1829, MS., Department of State, Despatches from Mexico, IV.

116 Van Buren to Poinsett, November 30, 1829, enclosing the despatch to Butler, MS., Department of State, Instructions, XIV, 148.

*

what ground he would be justified in interfering with any attempts which the South American states might think it for their interest, in the prosecution of a defensive war, to make upon the islands," unless the slaves should be armed.117

117 Van Buren to Van Ness, October 13, 1830, House Executive Documents, 32 congress, I session, number 121, page 28.

CHAPTER V

DIPLOMACY CONCERNING THE OPENING OF THE SANTA FÉ TRAIL

Among the early matters to furnish occasion for diplomatic communications between Poinsett and the Mexican government was one providing for the survey, marking out, and protection of a road leading from the frontier settlements of the United States on the Missouri river to the nearest settlements in New Mexico. In the years immediately following the collapse of Spanish power in Mexico the trade which had previously maintained a precarious and fitful existence by way of this route grew by leaps and bounds.1

1 The purpose here is to study the diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico concerning the opening of the Santa Fé Road. No attempt is made to trace the growth, extent, or importance of the Santa Fé trade. Much less is any space given to recounting the hardships suffered by the traders or the many interesting and tragic events of which they left accounts. A brief summary of such matters may be found in Bancroft's History of Arizona and New Mexico," page 329 and following. In the footnotes to these pages Bancroft gives the sources which he used. One of the most extensive, interesting, and important of them, Josiah Gregg's "Commerce of the Prairies, or the Journal of a Santa Fé Trader during eight Expeditions, . . ." in two volumes, Second Edition, published by Langley, New York, 1845, has recently been made easily available in the collection of reprints of “Early Western Travels " by the late R. G. Thwaites, published by A. H. Clark Company, 1905, volumes XIX and

Under Spanish dominion it had been hampered by the usual unreasonable restrictions. In the period of uncertainty and confusion during the rapidly changing provisional governments in Mexico between 1821 and 1824 these restrictions were not enforced. They were not, however, formally removed. Neither did the officials at Mexico welcome the news of the growing intercourse on the far northern frontier.2

About the middle of 1823, Torrens, the Mexican chargé at Washington, reported that an expedition was about to set out from Kentucky for Santa Fé. Its purpose seemed to be to open up a mine which had been discovered. It appeared too that they were going to take with them wagons loaded with merchandise. He thought that if orders were not given to prohibit or regulate this traffic numberless other adventurers would soon undertake it. If so they would introduce a contraband trade, and would trick the simple natives into parting with their scanty earnings. Two months later, he said, a subsequent report had stated that the mine which the expedition was intended to exploit was within the limits of the United States.*

XX. Henry Inman's “Old Santa Fé Trail," Macmillan Company, 1898, repeats many of Gregg's most exciting stories and adds others.

2 Bancroft, History of Arizona and New Mexico, 329, incorrectly says: "With the end of Spanish rule ceased all opposition to the traffic on the part of the Mexican authorities."

3 Torrens to Secretario de Relaciones Exteriores, 21 de junio de 1823, La Diplomacia Mexicana, II, 13.

4 Torrens to Secretario, 21 de agosto de 1823, La Diplomacia Mexicana, II, 21.

Shortly after receiving the first of these notes from Torrens, the government at Mexico sent instructions concerning the matter to the political chief of New Mexico. He was told that both the working of the mine and the contraband trade in which Torrens thought the expedition from Kentucky would engage were contrary to the laws; and that foreigners were expressly prohibited from working mines until they should have become naturalized citizens. He was instructed to see that the regulations governing these matters be enforced and that the establishment of foreigners there be prevented until a colonization law should be passed establishing rules for their admission. Toward the end of the same year Torrens reported that a mercantile expedition to Santa Fé had returned with more than four hundred horses and mules, a quantity of beaver skins, and a considerable amount of money.

6

With the substitution in 1824 of trains of wagons for the earlier trains of mules or other pack-animals the trade passed the experimental stage and henceforth attracted the attention of merchants with more capital to invest and more influence. Memorials from Missouri people demanded provision for and protection of the trade. In January, 1825, Senator Benton introduced a bill into Congress (which was passed shortly after and approved on the last day of the Monroe ad

5 Alaman to Jefe Politico de Nuevo Mexico, 20 de agosto de 1823, La Diplomacia Mexicana, II, 17.

• Torrens to Secretario, 16 de diciembre de 1823, La Diplomacia Mexicana, II, 70.