The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-14
Eeom Me Union q Me sM instanl.

Scarcely was the President installed, when
| 1t became known that the commissioner of Texas
sent TO organize counties in the Santa Fe country,
had been foiled by the troops of the United States
| and that the military commandant, acting under
instructions from Mr.. Crawford, had set on foot a
| movement Tor forming State government in the
| territory claimed by Texas"
| The idea that the State movement was set ON
foot in New Mexico by the military commander
or by any influence other than the will of the peo-
pie. is so injurious to New Mexico, now applying
Tor admission into the Union State, that deem
1t my duty to correct II; and doubt not the col
| umns of the Union will be open for the correction
| of any and all errors into which its editor may
| have unwittingly fallen--and particularly should
the error, in this case, seriously involve the han
piness and well being of a large and respectable
community, which is justly entitled to the esteem
| and sympathy OF the people of the United States.
So far from i being the fact that the State move
ment in New Mexico was set on foot by the militia.
| ny commander, the reuerse is true
The State movement was set on foot by sixteen
| civilians, citizens of the United Staies-some
| OF American and some of Mexican blood-some
| Democrats and some Whigs-some natives of
| southern and some OF northern States. Their
| address TO the people appeared in the columns of
| the New Mexican December 8, lS49 and was
| replied to by counter address, in the columns of
| the same paper, signed by sixty-two other civil
lians, among whom were included all the Judges Of
the circuit courts, the pretectos the shcrs the al
caldes, and in fact the great body of the officers of
| the civil government of the military commander
all Of aohom held their offices at his absolute tciH and
| pleasure.
| The State movement was by them denounced as
| tacti0us moUemen and the movers as the dluares
taction. AS the movement progressed, it was dis
| covered that the military commander had decided
| leaning towards the territorial party-indeed has
acts ,oere decidedly partisan, and against The STATE
| party.
| The State party at the late elections triumphed
in every county but one, and did so. despite the
| partisan acts Of the military commander, despite
| the almost unanimous opposition of the Judges,
prefectos, alcaldes, &c, who held their offices at
he of he mill
! and despite the almost unanimous vote of the en-
| ployees OF the quartermaser's department.
| The civil officers, who held their Offices at the
| will and pleasure of the military commander, were
| about one hundred and fifty in number were dis
| trbuted over the whole country, and all of them,
except about hive or Blk opposed to the State move
ment. They were, OF course in a state of organi-
cation for any purpose in which they thought pro-
per to act together and the power they could bring
to bear, and did bring to bear; and that they
not particularly scrupulous in their ction may be
inferred from the following extract from the memo
| rial Of the Legislature of New Mexico to the Con-
| gress of the United States:
'The inhabitants of New Mexico, since Febru-
airy I'd, 1913, have groaned under a harsh law,
! forced upon them in time of war; when they were
| thought undeserving Of confidence.
| "1he military is independent Of and superior to
| the civil power.
'sThe inhabitants have no voice or influence in
making the laws by which they are governed
'Some power other than the Congress of the
United States has made judges dependent its
|
| amount and payment of their salaries.
| ''Some power other than the Congress of the
United States has subjected US to jurisdiction for
| eign to the Constitution and unacknowledged by
our laws.
awe are taxed without our consent and the
taxes, when collected not applied to the public
benefit but embezzled by officers irresponsible to
"No public officer in New Mexico is responsible
| to the people. Judges unlearned in the laws de-
eide upon life, liberty and property. Prefectos
and al INN and
the intervention of jury.
"Alcades assal the right of the people freely to
exercise their religion without restriction and
dictate to congregations what priest shall admins
ter the 'sacraments of the church.'''
The full extent of the power TO control and in
jure, which this unrestraincd and organized band
of office holders welded only be entirely I'M
derstood when it is known that the military COM
mander held to no accountability civil officers
charged with assaults upon the religion of the coun
| try and embezzement of the public funds.
The influence of the quartermaster's department
| in the late elections was by an inconsid-
erabie one. With its army of employees, with its
contracts to let, with It's agencies to purchase the
entire surplus OF the and forage of the coun-
| try, and with its easy means Of communication by
| express at Government expense, it proved itself
| very formidable; and this influence, with some
honorable exceptions, was thrown against the State
| party
This web of influence, extending to the frontiers
| of New Mexico, was, like the other, organized
and, like il, also, easily managed from the centre:
| and the managers of both webs acting in con.
| cert, and, as has already been told, against the
| State party.
Nor is this all. In the first days of February Of
this year, the government printing press, the only
| available one in the country, sold, and fell
! into the hands Of the territorial party Being
| owned by an army suttler and contractor, and cd
| tied by the chief Judge under the military govern
ment and the chief clerk of the quartermaster all
| communications of the State party were excluded
| from the columns Of their paper. They refused
| 10 print ballots for the State party, who were
| % bni hell bu
ballot) to the number of fifteen or twenty thou
sand
With the press against the State party, the Office
holders against it, and the moneyed interest Of gov
eminent against il, il cannot be said, Mr.. Editor
| that the State movement born of or grew 20
manhood by executive influence but, rather, il
must be admitted that the voice of the people has
made itself heard under very difficult circum.
| stances.
The difficult boundary question will, it is conf
IDENTIFY expected, soon be settled by the assent of
| Texas and, the boundary difficulty at rest, New
| Mexico stands in the same attitude California
| did previous 10 her admission, and in the came at
titude as Michigan precious 10 her admission, and
after the adjustment of her boundary difficulties
| with Ohio and Indiana.
| New Mexico asks for more than Justice She
asks il of all parties and all sections. She comes
here unconnccted with any party OF any section.
! OF her delegation, two are Democrats and one
| Whig-two southern and one northern born. She
appeals to the t1hole United States, and claims as a
right If her constitution il republican TO be admit
ted TO the enjoyment Of all the blessings of liberty
With much respect, have the honor to be, sir,
| your obedient servant,
| r. H. WEIGHTMAN.
| p. s. omitted in my communication TO refer to
the correspondence already published in the news
| papers, between Governor Alvarez and Colonel
/ Munroe in which the latter expressed his determ-
nation TO resist tho operation Of the State govern
mcnt Z" with all the at his disposal" as fur
| nishing evidence that the military commander was
not favorable to the State movement or State party
| BY inserting this with my communication, you
| will confer favor
Very respectfully, r. ii. W.
| SECESSION IN MISUNDERSTANDING of the proc
lamation Of Governor Quitman, Of Mississippi,
converting the Legislature Of that State for the pur
pose Of acting upon the question of "secession"
from the Union, the Brandon Republican says;
.,The issue is now made. and we arc ready. fully