The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 18, July 1914 - April, 1915 Page: 238
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
McNamarra project.-Fresh reports, also, soon strengthened this
belief. On May 13, the confidential agent, Wm. S. Parrott, wrote
that the British fleet in the Pacific had been reenforced for the
rumored purpose of taking and holding California in case of war
between Mexico and the United States, using as an excuse for the
action, the protection of English citizens in their mortgage claims
on that province.25 Later, Parrott said that the force bound from
Mexico to, California, to subdue the insurrection against Michel-
torena, was to be commanded by an officer educated in France;
and that the influence of this commander in California, according
to reliable information, was to be used to the advantage of that
nation by the French legation in Mexico. At any rate, said Par-
rott, "he certainly takes with him a large number of Frenchmen
for some reason or other."26
A few days afterward, however, the American agent had occa-
sion to change his Frenchmen into Irishmen, writing that the ex-
pedition had been delayed for lack of funds; while with it, "a
young Irish P~riest by the, name of McNamarrah" was preparing
to leave for California for the purpose of introducing Irish immi-
grants.27 In this, it should be remarked, Parrott was not build-
ing wholly on his imagination.28
Larki's despatch of July 1Oth.-In the fall, more emphatic de-
spatches reached the state department. On October 11, Buchanan
received a communication from Parrott which said that the least
news coming from California excited great interest in English
5th; Donelson to Polk, March 19th; Wickliffe to Polk, June 3, 4. Polk
MSS.; Polk to Jackson, April 27th. Jackson MSS.
'Parrott to Buchanan, May 13, 1845. MS., State Department. Also
for report that England was creating an unfriendly attitude in Mexico
against the United States, see Shannon to Calhoun, March 27th. Ibid.
2Parrott to Buchanan, Aug. 5, 1845. MS., State Department.
27Same to same, Aug. 16th. Ibid.
"McNamarra's project was laid before Bankhead in 1844. He took only
a "mild interest" in it at the time. Adams, British Interests, 253. Her-
rera, however, approved of it, though Paredes objected to the arrangement.
Securing the consent of the Mexican government, McNamarra came to
California where the assembly voted him a grant of 3000 leagues on July
4-an act which showed "a new feature in English policy, and a new
method of obtaining California." Larkin to State Department, Aug. 18
and 24, 1846, Official Correspondence, II, Nos. 54-56. Benton and Fr6-
mont made much of this "MeNamarra Scheme" as justifying the latter's
participation in the Bear Flag Revolt. Baneroft devotes considerable
space to this phase of the project.238
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 18, July 1914 - April, 1915, periodical, 1915; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101064/m1/244/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.