Memorandum from French Legation to Department of State.
A recruiting office for Mexico is established in New York, in Thirty-second street, near the Hudson river. There is also designated a house on the corner of Chatham and Pearl streets, as serving as a rendezvous for recruits. It is occupied by a person called Francis Laquer.
Mr. Ortega, lodging at the Barcelona hotel, Great Jones street, directs the operations. Mr. Ortega is at this moment in Washington. He would dispose of sums in coined silver and in ingots, parts of which is deposited in the safe of the Barcelona hotel.
Ortega, accompanied by the proprietor of the Barcelona hotel, should have bought within a few days past two thousand carbines—called Springfield rifles—at an armorer’s named Stilwell, where they are still deposited, besides military cloths, &c.
The house should have sent twelve cases of arms to Philadelphia, where preparations for an expedition are also making. A brig would be armed at the loot of Congress street, New York, at Atlantic dock, intended to carry men and arms to Matamoras; and two other ships—two steamers—preparing at Atlantic dock, would be also destined to make part of the expedition.
Fifty-two men would have been sent from New York to Philadelphia.