the navy. He was sent to Vera Cruz, and thence travel- led through Mexico to Mazatlan, in Califoi'nia, in the dis- guise of a merchant. After an interview with Commodore Sloat at Mazatlan, he proceeded to Monterey, having been intrusted at Washington with a letter of mstructions to the American Consul. The contents of this letter have been withheld from the public, and no doubt for sufficient cause, since we find from Gillespie's own confession that, before landing in Mexico, he destroyed the letter, having fii'st committed it to memory. This letter to the Consul he was instructed to communicate to Fremont also. Hence we find that Gillespie was charged with instruc- tions of such a character, that he deemed it imprudent to carry the paper about his person, and that these instnic- tions, although addressed to the Consul in Monterey, were equally intended for Fremont. After reciting to the Con- sul the commands from Washington, the agent penetrated into Oregon in pursuit of Fremont, and found him a little beyond the California frontier. He delivered to him a note from the Secretary of State, composed in perfect keeping with the fictitious character assumed by the bearer. It consisted of a few lines, addressed to J. C.
Fremont, Esquire, and telling him that Mr. Archibald H.
Gillespie, about visiting the JVorih-west coast of America on business, had requested a letter of introduction to him ; a request with which the Secretary complies, because the bearer was a gentleman of worth and respectabihty, and worthy of Mr. Fremont's regard. This, it must be con- fessed, was a novel mode of introducing an officer of the navy to another of the army. But as one party was for the time being a travelling merchant, and the other a man of science, it was proper the introduction should be adapted to the parts they were playing. Of course, the note was to accredit Gillespie as a confidential agent of the Government, and to intimate to Fremont that he was to obey the instructions orally communicated to him.