Greeley's one eye, that the country was
on the road to ruin $600,000 worth.
H, lived in Brownsville, Texas, where he had a lot of arms and
gunpowder, worth $100,000. The Mexicans levied a very high import duty
on these articles, and they consequently bore a very high price in
Matamoras, just opposite, being worth in the market of that town no
less than $250,000. He accordingly conceived the idea of smuggling
them into Mexican territory, and, with the connivance of the Mexican
officials, (what rascals these foreign custom-house officials are, to
be sure!) actually succeeded in doing so, and thus realized the very
handsome profit of $150,000 in gold. The entire proceeds he invested
in Mexican indigo and cochineal, worth in Mexico $250,000, and in
Boston $275,000, in bond, plus charges. Of course, no export entry was
furnished to the customs collector at Brownsville; but Mr. Greeley
fastened his one eye on the indigo and cochineal, when it arrived in
Boston, and made up his mind that the country had lost $250,000. As
for H, he has invested $100,000 in more gunpowder and arms, and starts
for Brownsville next week, to try his luck again.
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