The southern press., 1850-06-25
Lentez, zuni, Acoma, and Rito County seat,

Lentez, Zuni, Acoma, and Rito County seat,
Valencia.
"This decree shall be made known to the go
werner, that he may carry il into execution.
"JESUS MARIA GALLEGAS, President,
JUAN BAPTIsTA VIGm MARIs, Secretary.
BY virtue of the premises, that this act be
published, circulated, and made known to all whom
1t may concern, for its most active observance and
fulflment.
"Palace of the Government, Santa Fe.
"MARIANO MARTINEZ.
"JosE FELIX JUBIA, Secretary.
''June IL, 1874.
Now the most southern Of these towns on the
east bank of the Rio Grande, Parida, is placed on
the accurate map OF Albert, north of degree "a, and
the most southern op the west side, Luis Lopez,
few miles south of that line. All south of that
is left out of the jurisdiction of New Mexico, for
the plain reason that this department had no claim
to it under the Mexican organization. This de-
cree, although not binding on Texas, would be
conclusive without any thing further upon the
people of New Mexico; but in their plan of Il ter
ritoria government, they have expressly ratified
it, and do not set up any claim beyond it. They
say:
''SEc. Z. Until the legislative power otherwise
direct, the territory of New Mexico shall retain
the division Of counties and districts established
by thedecree of the department Of New Mexico, Of
June 18th, lS49." QS44.)
only have possession, but assert no claim
below the 34th. And yet the Senator claims all
below far 294 degrees, as the present terrific
ry and possessions Of New Mexico. Mr.. Ben
jamin L. Edwards, lawyer and excellent Spanish
scholar residing in San Antonio, who eNaEt+fed
in relation to the boundary of New Mexico.
''lfi should be decided that New Mexico is
entitled to a separate existence, either under
territorial government or otherwise, an attempt
will no doubt be made to establish her southern
boundary somewhere in the vicinity of Ell Paso,
as il has been laid down OH almost all the maps
published in the United States, and tacitly recog-
missed by Mexico in the treaty OF Guadalupe,
where reference is made to Disturnell's map as
correct authority. This, however, is far from
being the true boundary of New Mexico, as can
be shown by documents in existence III the
archeyes Of chihuahua and Ell Paso. By these,
appears that the line crosses or leaves the east
bank of the Rio Grande at point in front of the
mountain designated one of the landmarks)
| which forms the southern limit of the s'Jornada
| del Muerto." Thence it runs in direction a
little north east to the ''Cerro Redondo, re-
markable dome-shaped mountain; thence, almost
in the same direction, to the ''Sierra Capital, or
"Cerro Blanco, which, us its name signifies, Is
the most prominent peak in that region ofcountry;
thence, so far as could discover, due east to
the Pecos. From the Sierra Capital, could not
ascertain that there existed any prominent land
mark, though it is probable, If could have pur-
sued my Investigations further, some such would
have come to light, as the Mexicans seem to have
pursued the same system in public as in private
affairs of making natural objects the indications of
| boundary to land territory. | have In my pos
session copy of grant Of land made within the
Jurisdiction of the State of Chihuahua in the time
of the Emperor, under the colonization law Of the
"Junta Constitutional" of 1923. This land lies
some distance above the line slaimed by New
Mexico, and has always been acknowledged as
belonging to chihuahua.
| The people of New Mexico, in their plan OF a
territorial government, or rather instructions to
their delegate, Mr.. Smith, have declared that they
are bounded on the east by the State Of Texas.
Col. Benton admits, that Texas owns territory
there which is in dispute, but says it is narrow
strip New Mexico extending to the l0l parallel
of longitude, and again cites Humboldt, and again
his author contradicts him, and shows that New
Mexico is the Maroon strip. According to Black S
translation, Humboldt says of New Mexico:
This province is from south to north IL leagues
in length, and from east TO west from 30 Colleagues
in breadth and in its territorial extent, therefore, ~
much less than people of no great information IN
geographical matters are apt to suppose even IN
that country" And he might have added, much
less than some persons III this country of great
pretensions to geographical knowledge ''are apt to
suppose -.
Il is but Justice to Humboldt to say, that Ms TO
latitude and longitude, he followed the Spanish
gcographcrs, whom our own engineers of the army
on observation found TO be extremely inaccurate.
For instance, they place Santa Fe on their maps
north of $50 30, whereas Col Emory shows that
it is nearly degree south.
Muchlcnport, a. German, who was years in
Mexico, and published his work in Hanover in
1874, gives the 1850 81, the eastern boundary
Of New Mexico. This would extend far beyond
the actually inhabited part in the most prosperous
days of the province and it is well known that
III. ~ a al A I,oteN tend
the bounds of their provinces much beyond the
line of their settlements. Although the authors
disagree about the latitude and longitude of the
boundaries of this province, they all concur that II
was narrow territory, confined TO the valleys OF
, the Rio Grande and the Pccos. But the Missouri
Senator seems to reject superhuous all law since
fuckers Blackstone, which he produced, flour.
shed aloft and read the title to the Senate, and
, all geography since Humboldt, which he said hC
A., had in French, but would not exhibit in oper
Senate out of pure mercy to Mr.. Clay.
, The objects of Col. Benton, in this misrepre
r sentation Of history and geography, are quite
, transparent. He wishes to recommend himself
to his new allies, the Freesoers, by proving agains
the fact, that this slave territory IL within what
was, at the close Of the war, free province, and
urge upon the Government TO retain the possession
in oppositionto Texas. He also desires 10 depriv,
, Texas Of the FL Pdso country for another motive
. The attitudes returned by Col. Fremont, in his
survey OF railroad by the way Of the frozer
regions to the Pacific, prove that by that route tn,
stationary power will be great that his hyoritt
route is altogether impracticabe. The road mus
come south, and leave the Rio Grande in the neigh
borhood of FL Pdso, which is in the United States
> the overland key to the Pacfc-a southern key
which Texas will never place in ffeeso hands, no
even i'm the grasp ofthe Senator from Missouri Th,
truth is, that so long as Texas holds her territory
she can dictate the locality Of the railroad to III,
Pacific. This, Col. Benton clear enough, ant
therefore offers Is millions for the territory embrac
ing FL Paso. But this road is worth more to Texas
not only than Is, but fifty millions. II properly
located il will be her road to wealth, greatness
and power.
THE TITLE OF TEXAS.
: It is not my purpose to enter again into the ar
gment TO the title Of Texas to the o
| the Rio Grande. | shall content myself with re
peating, briefly, some Of the most prominent fact,
= in the history of the title. IL rests, /. On tn,
\ treaty with Santa Anna, in 1896, which is goot
treaty, because ratified by his generals, who wer,
M, ofu u.nr aud Eilisoa had no1rer 4,