To secret and personal services in the Mexican War under special engagement with President Polk, commencing from the 18th of June, 1846, when I left Washington City in the employment of the Government until I got back in February, 1849, being two years and eight months of time and extending to Santafe, Chihuahua, and Durango.

The service being secret, accounts and vouchers could not be kept, but the items which make up the above amount are as follows:

General Kearney gave to my brother Saml. Magoffin at Santafe, a written statement of my services addressed to the Secretary of War, a letter all in his own handwriting to be forwarded to me at Chihuahua by the first safe opportunity. My brother forwarded by Dr. Connelly. He was taken prisoner at El Paso and all his papers seized and forwarded to the military judge at Chihuahua, where I was then prisoner, and the authorities on the search for testimony against me. The military judge brought the letter to me, (Genl. Kearney's was one inclosed in one from my brother) without having shown it to the Governor or General. We understood one another he told me to tear it up, which I did in his presence, for I was a prisoner and it was not safe for either of us that I should keep it. That affair cost me $3,800 and deprived me of General Kearney's statement to lay before the Government. He wrote it as a matter of precaution and justice to me just before he left for California, and his death has prevented me from ever seeing him again.

The whole $50,000 mentioned in the law I might well claim, but the sum of $40,000 will be received in full satisfaction.

That on the 18th of June, 1846, at the instance of the President, Mr. Magoffin was commended by the War Department to a favorable consideration of General Kearney, then in command of a military expedition to Santa Fe, and to the Commanding officer of the expedition to Chihuahua, as a person who then was, and had been for some years a resident of Chihuaha, and extensively engaged in trade in that and other settlements of Mexico, that he was introduced to the President by Col. Benton, as a gentleman of intelligence and most respectable character, that the President being favorably impressed with his character, intelligence, and disposition to the cause of the United States, believed he might render important services to both those military movements, to the extent needed, and that his credit with the people and his business capacity would enable him to give important information and make arrangements to furnish the troops with abundant supplies, that he was therefore recommended to these respective commanders, who were requested in case they should apprehend difficulties of this nature, to avail themselves, in this respect, and others, of his services, for which he would as a matter of course, be entitled to a fair consideration.

It further appears that Mr. Magoffin joined Genl. Kearney at Bent's Fort, on the 26th of July, 1846, and at the instance of that General, accompanied Capt. Cooke with a flag and letter to Governor Armijo, at Santa Fe, where by his influence and address, he was instrumental in neutralizing the hostile feelings of the Mexican authorities in that quarter, and in obtaining for our troops the peaceful possession of that place. That after this was effected, he proceeded with General Kearney on a visit to some of the principal towns on the Rio Grande, where he left that officer, and continued his route to Chihuaha, near which place, in the fall of 1846, he was taken prisoner by the Mexican authorities, and afterwards sent to Durango, where he remained in confinement until released, the date of which release is not stated, although he is said to have been in confinement nine months.

For the services rendered by him, the expenses incurred in rendering them, and the losses he sustained by reason of his capture, etc., Mr. Magoffin presents the following claim, amounting in all to $37,780.96.

Admitting that this is a correct statement of the transaction - that the goods were sold at the sacrifice, as stated, and that the amount of duties levied upon them by the Mexican Governor, was at the cost of Mr. Magoffin, it does not necessarily follow, that the losses he thus incurred are a fair charge against the United States, growing out of his secret services. The same exaction on the part of the Mexican Government, would, in all probabilities have been made, had Mr. Magoffin been in the exercise of his privileges as an American Merchant, residing in Chihuaha, and he can have no greater claim to indemnification than any other American merchant, then residing in that city and who sustained similar losses.