Our Catliolic Heritage in Texas
sufficient number of letters of marque to organize a fleet of privateers to attack the Mexican Gulf ports and transport his army. It was highly important, he argued, that an official port be opened on the Texas coast for prompt and direct communication with New Orleans. A competent person, provided with a secretary and the necessary credentials, should be sent without delay to represent the Congress and transact all business. 49 The anxiety for an official representative and the opening of a port on the Gulf was dictated obviously by the desire to transact business with the Revolutionists and have a port to which maritime prizes could be taken. Captain Julius Caesar Amigoni, a member of the pirate fraternity of Barataria, volunteered to take the communication to Mexico. But diffi- culties arose. Port officials were suspicious and refused to clear the ship. It took a special permit from General Jackson to enable the vessel to set out on its dubious mission. 50 He"erds activities. On October 29, 1815, there arrived in New Orleans Jose Manuel Herrera, probably the first duly accredited minister of Mexico to the United States. He had come at long last in answer to Toledo's suggestion. His optimism and admiration for the generous enthusiasm of the merchants of the city were rudely shaken by the unceremonious action of John K. West, who, in spite of stout protests, demanded of him the 23,000 pesos-all the money he had-as payment for the muskets delivered to the Insurgents by the vessel that had taken Toledo's message and brought the minister. He seized the money in part payment, pending an· agreement on the total sum due him. Herrera spent a sleepless night wondering how he was to buy a meal. Next day, after considerable haggling, Herrera agreed to pay 30 pesos for each gun, whereupon he was given back part of his money on the promise that he would pay the balance as soon as he received more funds from Mexico. 51 The new minister now realized that the principal, if not the sole, interest of the New Orleans merchants was profitable trade. Notwith- standing, he allowed himself to be lavishly entertained by Edward Livingston, a City Councilor, and by other prominent citizens. Plans "Toledo to the Mexican Congress, New Orleans, February 1o, 181 S, lndiferente General, .A.G. I. IIOWarren, oj. cit., ux. Captain Amigoni captured three Spanish merchant ships. Toledo was indicted but the jury failed to convict him. 51 Jose Manuel Herrera to del Llano, May 13, 1817, .Audencia de Mexico, 90-2-1, .A.G. I.
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