Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-12-22

MericO, respectfully petition Congress, &c.
.Ths" people Of New Mexico-all the peo-
ple--the whole seventy-fve or a hundred
thousand soulsl And how is il signed 1t
states that it is from the people of New
Mexico assembled in convention and it is
sig ned by a Mexican or Spaniard, in a very
illegible scrawl, which l make out TO be
" Jose Marttnez, Presidenfe del C5ndada,"
&co and by al. M. Giddings, Secretary F"
and then follows ten signatures Of Spanish
or Mexican names, and ftUo American or
English. Without any disrespect to the
Senator from Missouri, MIR. Benton, or the
Senator from Delaware, GMr. CLAYTON |
DO not hesitate 10 say that It's manifest that
the assumption Of these fourteen people TO
speak in behalf Of the whole people of New
Mexico is an attempted imposition. Who
authorized them TO speak for that people T.
They say they were assembled in conven-
tior. Who elected delegates TO such con-
%vention Who called itl From all | have
seen or heard on the subject, | feel justified
in expressing the belief that this seIf-styled
convention was a mere gathering of a few
people about Santa Fe. 1t is dated Santa
Fe, October ID, 1913. There is nothing in
the conclusion Of this petition showing how
or in what character the twelve persons who
sign it, besides the President and Secretary,
signed it.
Who are those persons1 Are they citi-
zens of the United States, made so by the
treaty with Mexico, or what are thew Do
they sign as individuals or as delegates =
This does not appear. Who is this Presi-
dent, ' Jose Marines" and who is the I" Dir.
Giddings," who signs as secretary! !
should like 10 be Informed as 10 these points,
TO judge whether this is or is not a got up
concern; ior' II II Is, we should not print it.
" ne, The people," these fourteen persons
call themselves. Had the ten, or fifteen, or
twenty thousand American citizens who have
gone 10 New Mexico from the United States
any participation in this convention! mean
those who went there as conquerors, and
stald mere as conquerors under the flag Of
the United States. There is no evidence 10
this elect to be found in this paper. My
opinion is, that this paper is of very %inconsi-
derable and trliling consequence in every re-
spect. 1t is probably a mere continuance of
a casual assemblage OF some eleven or twelve
Mexicans, and two Americans, with Mr..
GIddlngs, WHO have, without any authority,
digniied themselves as a convention of all
the people of New Mexico.
My sole object is TO disabuse the country
50 w I'm - NV Z lldI " III DeODl6 OIL
New Mexico" have demonstrated against
slavery. Three Yankees, including Mr..
Giddings, and eleven Mexicans have so re.
monstrated but as yet we have to hear from
n%inety.nine thousand nine hundred and
eighiy-six other Americans and Mexicans in
the country besides this fourteen. | do not
desire 10 make any observations upon the
point as TO which the Senators from Missou-
ri and South Carolina disagree, for | really
do not regard this peti ion worthy any notice
or respect whatever. The notion that the
inhabitants Of a Territory who 90 there first
after lis being annexed 10 the United States,
OF who Were there before, are 10 control this
question:; have The right to exclude any 9TH
er citizens of the United States and their
property that political prejudice or fanaticism
may lncite them TO exclude; or that, until
the Territory becomes a State, they can be
regarded as a people," in the political and
constitutional sense of the terms. or that the
inhabitants Of such Territory, either Of them.
selves or through Congress, can make such
an exclusion, il is well known | discard.
do not intend 10 discuss that. | repeat, al
| desire is, that the people of the United
States may not be misled and deceived a:
to the character of ire document now pre-
sented, and which ] believe, from its appear
ance and its tenor, is mere sham and hum
bug.
Mr.. BENTON, 10 Mr.. Westcott.) Wi
you hand me that petition | wish to reac
the words that the Senator from Florida lef
out. lie read 1t twice, sir, as a petition from
the people from New Mexico. He read i
twice as relating 10 the people Of New Mex
leo, and he read, sir, "the people of New
Mexico" twice = daughter twice, sill
leaving out the next few words, /" assemble,
in convention, 10 the Congress of the Unite,
States" and then went on, sir, TO say tina
the petition is signed by only fifteen persons
and that it is the production of but a fe,
people assembled at the village o. San
ia Fe, and acting without authority.
t Sir, they say in that petition that they ar
a convention, assembled in convention.
is signed by the president as president {
I The convention, and by the secretary as sec
t rotary of the convention, and by some ten c
fifteen men as members Of that convention
1t m to us, sir, as a petition of a CONVEX
/ ton representing the people of the Territor
g of New Mexico. 1t comes 10 us, sir, in tht
I form. Upon its face it is that thing, sir
the petition of an organized convention rel
: resenting the whole body of the people. j
, that form it stands before US. And, sir,
/, there is an abuse or an imposition, it is i
the attempt TO present this petition as tn
unauthorized action of a few Individuals
Aye, the abuse, the imposition, if there i
one, is in the attempt 10 cast discredit upo
the genuineness of this petition.
Mr.. WESTCOTT. The remarks | hav,
made will be reported and published; and i
is therefore unnecessary for me to appeal Il
the Senate and 10 every one in this Chambe
who heard them, 10 verify my denial of tn,
correctness of the statement of the Senate
from Missouri just made. Why, sir, | ex
pressly stated over and over again, hat the
petition purported to come from a conreniiO,
of the people of New Mexico, and the very
ground of my objection to it was, that l wat
satisfied this was untrue, and therein the
right of petition was abused, and an attemp
made 4. impose on the Senate and the country