COLTON, Joseph Hutchins (1800 - 1893).
Colton's Mexico.
Lithographed map with original hand color in part.
New York; J.H. Colton, 1861.
13 1/2" x 16 1/2" sheet.

Provenance: Ink library stamp of a school in Mataro Spain on the inside front cover and verso of the map. Original red cloth, gilt, title re-stamped in gilt in Spanish "Mapa de Mejico por J. H. Colton Nueva York" on the front cover (thumbed); map with some archival repairs to wormholes affecting the image).

A later edition, but still a scarce map showing most of Texas and the United States south of the 34th parallel. In 1861 America was in the throws of Civil War and the Union Navy began a massive effort to blockade the Southern coast to prevent the movement of trade goods, supplies, and arms in and out of the Confederacy. In July, the U.S.S. South Carolina arrived off the coast of Galveston to begin the Union blockade in Texas. In July of 1861, the then president of Mexico Benito Juarez suspended all interest payments to foreign countries. What followed was a planned invasion of Mexico by France, initially supported by both Spain and Britain; being Mexico's largest creditors. Military intervention was further justified by France's Napoleon III on the grounds of maintaining a commitment to free trade. A French friendly government in Mexico would ensure European access to important markets, and prevent monopoly by the United States. It would also give France access to the valuable silver mines in Mexico. In October of 1861 the three nations singed an agreement: the Treaty of London, which united their efforts to receive payments from Mexico. On 8 December the Spanish fleet and troops from Spanish-controlled Cuba arrived at Mexico's main Gulf port, Veracruz. When the British and Spanish discovered that the French planned to invade Mexico, they withdrew their support. France went ahead with its occupation and the resulting Second Mexican Empire lasted from 1864-1867, with Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria on the Mexican Throne as Maximilian I of Mexico.72map78