War-date A.L.S. 'L. Bellinger', 2pp. 4to, Monterrey, Mexico, Sep. 5, 1865, to his father in Eagle Pass, Texas. Bellinger, an American expatriate living in Mexico as an entrepreneur, informs his father of the business situation in Monterrey, noting that everything from hotels to commodities like cornmeal are failing in price. Bellinger's note includes a crucial observation about a group of Frenchmen planning to purchase a local hotel. In part: '...Mr. P is trying to close the hotel... He as many others feel confident that a war with the U.S. is inevitable and near at hand... Some French were in the house the other day and spoke as if they intend to take it for a hospital...the most of the Americans have left'. Bellinger here is referring to France's intervention in Mexico as part of the 'Maximilian Affair'. When Benito Juarez stopped paying interest to foreign countries in 1861, France invaded with Great Britain and Spain. France, partly to take advantage of Mexico's abundant mines, attempted to create a proxy monarchy with the Emperor of Austria's brother, Maximilian, on the throne. France was emboldened to do so because the United States was too embroiled in its Civil War to utilize the Monroe Doctrine and intercede. However, that situation changed in 1865 when the Civil War ended; Gen. Philip Sheridan was ordered to secretly drop arms along the Rio Grande for Mexican units, and to begin patrolling the Texas border. Napoleon III fled and Juarez executed Maximilian. Minor folds with a small tear and holes at top right, age toned, else fine.