New-York daily tribune., 1844-03-08
r He T r IB u N E !.
r V ie w
Santa Fe Expedition. /.

gratifying degree OF curiosity winch we are very
,rl he satisfied at the same time that it is
..,,e.sed, By the book itself, was published yes
..,dsv morning. We do not know when or
Lave we have met with more interesting book
travels. or one that combines in greater de-
100 al the agreeable characteristics which re-
ss.nn,end works of this class to permanent popu-
,,r;v Were it only for the piquant and racy
-. of the mere personal narrative, this book
.uS he certain to become {. favorite with the
-,hlc: and perhaps to the great majority Of
..,ders its chief attraction will be the uniailing
;;.bness. the mingled humor and grief, which this
,,t;on Of it every where exhibits. The author,
.u;dst all the scenes through which he passed-on
,hs wide, unknown praires, i'll the midst of savage
.,om;es. with death before him, In the depths of
officiating dungeons, and amongst the leprous
inmates Of Mexican Hospltal-never loses his
courage or his keen relish for whatever is anus
mr. and humorous. Through all the vicissitudes
of his strange experience his heart is light and
b;stemper cheerful. This is a kind of superiority
more rare than that which is often much better
v,nntsd and we at once contract feeling Of re-
snect and esteem for our author which never
lsaves us, and which imparts to>all he does or
ays-to every circumstance by which he is sur
,oundcd-an interest seldom felt except for those
IN whom we have deep and personal concern
This is eminently the quality of the Author
= +bo
company of George Wilkins Kendall half an hour
without involuntarily entertaining for him SEN
tment Of respect and friendship; and no one has
ever known him long without feeling that scnt-
nent expand as the intimacy rlpened.
But to the more thorough class of readers the
book we are noticing possesses invaluable attrac-
tS,us. Written in that frank, manly and independ-
ntstye SO peculiarly characteristic of its author
itunbodies matters Of information regarding the
chorography and the physical history of the Re
uublc of the Lone Star, the character and habits
Of its population, and its probable destiny IN the
future which render it one Of the most valuable
access!cns to our Literature that has for long
tine been made. There arc parts of the book
that no American can read without feeling of
liame-those where the hardness with which the
American protection is extended to American
lhzens abroad is contrasted with the prompt and
decisive manner in which British SUBJECTS res
ssd by his nation from insult and injury and
sstrust that the statements and reflections IN
his portion of the work will produce theirproper
eject in the quarter whence reform IN this partl-
GUAR is to be looked for.
In regard to the objects of the Santa Fe Expe-
Sion. we learn now for the first time, from Mr..
Ssndals book, that the real purpose OF Prcsl-
int Lamar was, under cover of dlvertlng the
Santa Fe trade, by a nearer route, from the great
Missouri trail, to bring &c so much ofthe Province
ofNew Mexico as lies upon the Eastern or lex
an side of the Rio Grande under the protection
Of the Texan Government" or this design,
nwever, Mr.. Kendall was ignorant until ne was
On the march to Santa Fe. His objects were
merely the legitimate ones of sport, travel and
adventure; and he states that his intentions
we're, on Joining the Expedition, /" to leave 1t be-
ore it should reach Santa Fe, SO as IN no way
'Dcommit myself; and then to make the entire
nur Of Mexico--visting the cities of Chlhua-
'hua Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi,
'Guanaiuato and others on the route to the Ca
Ptal
These intentions continues MIR. ~ | made
hown TO all nv friends in New Orleans, not one OF
saom thought should in any way compromise my
eli as an American citizen, or forfeit my right TO
pn,ection, bv the route proposed pursuing. Bya
aw Of Mexico--a law OF which must confess my,
ell a. the time isnorant--a foreigner IS prohibited
tUm entering that country through the territory OF
Texas: bu, the ONLY punishment for The offence Is
sng ordered out of Mexico by the nearest road, u
penalty which would have been very willingly sub
aqtted TO by me at any moment while was III mat
Country.
Having made every other preparation Tor my
@al through Texas and Mexico, went, on lhe
morning of the 18th OF May, 1884, in company with
!!snes H. Brewer, ESQ.,, to the Office OF the then
.ls2can vice. consul at New-Orleans, and obtained
asa him passport, which gave me PERMISSION 70
saRr, as an American citizen, any place III the So
called Republic of Mexico Thus fortified, and with
aentons the mos, pacific towards both the coun-
mes ny through which was to pass, on the i''n OF
way sailed from my native land, IN the steamship
sS York, Captain Wright, for Galveston. Cn
sodng adieu 10 my friends, | anticipated an eXclt-
8 and interesting tour OF some four months dura-
s s9' and expected to meet with the usual dangers
"a participate in the usual sports TO be met with on
~so0Tder and prairies- nothing more.
We have made this extract for the purpose OF
sng simple act of justice 70 Mr.. Kendall,
nose prudence, if not whose motives, have been
ssaled with sneers and reproaches by those who
nov nothing of the Expedition or of its objects
y history, but who, from an unworthy instinct
we better to censure than applaud their fellow
Especially in cases where their superiors
"Ss oeen made the victims Of misfortune or op-
= sssson We deem it right that the pubic mind
soOld be set right as fast as possible in all such
sses; andin the present instance it is especially
ssaoe that the base and barbarous conduct OF
ho,. 4. .l>,