Secretary of State and Office of Treasury and Public Credit—Section first., October 20, 1871

Secretary of State and Office of Treasury and Public Credit—Section first.

Previous to the revolt in Monterey headed by Geronimo Treviño, the executive had information that some merchants on the frontier, accustomed to disorder and in the habit of committing frauds upon the rights of the treasury, only sought for a pretext to promote sedition and smuggling within its shadow. This pretext has been given to them by the renewal of the federal executive power, and there are well-founded reasons for believing that intrigues put in play by these interested parties have contributed to the realization of the movement in Monterey, on the 27th of last September.

The fact of the revolt is already realized, as is known, and its consequences are to be expected, which, in turn, has been in part the cause of them.

The extensive frontier of the Bravo, which though in ordinary times offers facilities for committing fraud, has served, under the present circumstances, for the introduction of a considerable amount of foreign goods, which the guard is with difficulty able to watch, flying from various points upon the appearance of the war which has been initiated, some of the guard being reduced to prison at other points, according to the data which this secretary has received. For these reasons great care upon the part of the employes of the frontier custom-houses and the officers of the treasury is indispensable in order that they may prevent and rigidly suppress attempts at smuggling, until the federal forces shall restore the reign of law at the points where it has been ignored, in the mean time abstaining from the sending forward of goods and merchandise, as has been already provided by this department.

In order that you and the employe’s under you may redouble their vigilance, I direct this circular to you, by the advice of the President.