The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-04-12

Prescott says concerning the treasures oo'aiheu III
tribute by Cortez:
'.In few weeks most of them returned, bringing back
large quantities of gold and silver plate, nch stuns ana
the various commodities in which the taxes were usually
paid.
"To this store Monezuma added on his account
the of Axayacat previously noticed seine parts
OF which had been already gwen to the Spanlards 1t
may beby prince who little dreamed of its final des
hnaton When brought into the quarters, the gold alone
W MARI o consisted party
greatest portion was In utensils and various kinds of
nameats and curious toys, together with limitations of
BIRDS insects or flowers, executed with uncommon truth
and delicacy There were also, quantities OF. collars,
bracelets, wands, FANS and other rnkes, in which the
gold and feather work were richly powdered with pearls
and precious stones Many of the articles were even
more admirable Tor the workmanship than for the value
of the materals SUCH ndeed- may take the report
of Cortez to who would himself have oppor
tuniy to Judge OF its veracity and whom would not be
sale TO trc wlthas monarch in Europe could boast
in his domin0ns!
Magnificent as it was Montezuma expressed his re-
gIet that the treasure was no larger! But ne had dmn
ished IT, he sald by his former gifts to the white men.
Take IT,, he added Malnche and lei it be recorded in
your annals that Monezuma sent this present 10 your
MASTER"
We again ask whence came these immense treasures
of gold in possession of Monezuma The accounts of
the scarcity and almost total deficiency of gold in pure
state in Mexico, positive evidences Of the fact that
these vast stores OF wealth derived from other
sources The Indian unacquanted with the
expensive processes of inning which are requisite to
and they gathered them only when found or near the
surface of the ground and in comparatively pure state
and therefore we can only suppose that they were sup
piled by the "pacers" OF New Mexico, assduously
and eecually hidden have shown, by the Indians
from the Spanads to the present day, the equally
cessibe dePostes in those veins or seams of pure
metal" the existence of which in the mountains OF the
ella region has been mysterously indicated in para
graph, originating in Cincinnati recently, and going the
rounds OF the papers, which point to Fremont as their
lucky discoverer.
The district OF country which furnished the riches of
the Montezumas clearly of the Sierra Nevada
since appears that the kanakas-he Indians nhabng
the western side of these mountains and the valley of
the Saeramento-had no knowledge of the value of the
golden sands in their streams, until recently apprzed by
the Americans, IN their search after them; whereas
gold and silver have always been fully valued by the
races of the eastern side The 'pacers' OF the Sacra
mento also show virgin freshness and that they have
not before yielded up any OF their rich treasures
But if you repudate legend, romance, and history,
you are compelled to resort 10 conjecture and in
doing this along with the cautious and astute Emory
while on the Gila-what is anything but conjecture
namely, .rhat the Indians here do not know the name
Aztec Monezuma is the outward point in their chro
nooSy and as he is supposed to have lived and regned
for all time preceding his disappearance 50 do they speak
OF every event preceding the Spanish conquest as of the
days of Montezuma
Indian, Puebla, Apache, and Navajoe, that of
Saviour or Washington is with us. In the person OF
Monezuma they unite both the qualities of divinity and
patriot The perfect identification of the tribes OF this
neghborhood with the Montezuma race being thus
tabshed, he proceeds with "a few general remarks
based upon general observations upon the topography
climate, and products of that portion OF the country not
covered by my survey, or that of others.
"The region extending from the head of the Gulf OF
California to the parallel of the Pueblo Ciudad de los
Angeles, is the only portion not heretofore covered by
my notes and journal, or by the noos and journals
Of other scientific expeditions fitted out by the United
States
"The journals and published accounts of these several
expeditions combined will give definite ideas of all those
portions of California susceptible of cultivation settle
ment From this remark be excepted the vast basin
waered by the Colorado, and the country lying between
that river and the range of Cordes, represented
running east of the Tudare lakes and south OF the para
lei OF SO degrees and the country between the Colorado
and ella rivers.
'Of these regions nothing is known except from the
reports of tappers, and the speculaons of geoIogss
AS far these accounts go, all i'll representing
as waste OF sand and rock, unadorned with vegetation
poorly waered, and unfit it is believed, for any of the
useful purposes OF life. A glance at the map will show
what immense is embraced in these boundaries
and notwithstanding the oral accounts regard to it,
is difficult to bring the mind to the belief in the existence
grand division OF the earth presents prominent ea-
tue in the economy of nature administering the wants
of man. Possibly this unexporel region may be filled
with valuable minerals.
81 have alluded, elsewhere to the population of this
country, the savage character of which another OBJ
siacle in It's exploration and has tended veil in mys-
terry its true character and resources"
Here, then, COOL deliberate conjecture of the sci
entifc explorer, which, taken with what precedes al
lords us the very strongest presumpve evidence that
could be asked that here must be, if the of
the Montezuma gold, at least region very fruitful of
the precious metals.