Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-06-19
New Mexico and Texas.

New Mexico and Texas.
Lieut.. Col. Washington. Military Cover.
nor of New Mexico. arrived at Washington
City lately, and bUught intelligence of a
riot at Santa Fe, a, a public meeting held
with reference to the asserted claim Of
Texas to the greater part Of New Mexico,
and her attempts to extend her jurisdiction
over the latter territory and hold elections
and establish Judicial districts under Texan
aulhority-,he U. S. troops in the mean
time remaining neutral. The following
extracts from letter in the last "Muncy
Luminary," from young man recently
Of that Borough, gives the most ineligible
accoun, we have yet seen Of affairs there.
and we think will be perused with interest.
SANTA FE, March q. 1850.
Dear Father: From the tenor Of the
newspapers, this country is creating consi.
derab!e excitement in Congress; so sup
pose an account Of the movements here,
would be interesting TO you.
In the first place, we have Territorial
party and State party. The Territorial
is composed of the men in Office under the
present government, the dependents upon
the military, and majority OF the Mexican
population. The State party is composed
Of the American population excepting the
above named and The most inielligen. part
of the Mexicans. The Territorial party
oppose every movement which endangers
their offices: the State party are in favor
of the formation Of State government,and
oppose everything which will retard that
movement. A meeting was called on the
10Th inst, Of the citizens Of Santa Fe and
vicinity, for the purpose Of devising meas
ures TO oppose the threatened assumption
of power in the country by Texas. At an
early hour in :he evening. the Court House
was crowded. The meeting was called to
order by Mr.. Skinner, ol the Territorial
party. who nominated Judge Houghton to
the chair. after taking which, he explained
the object OF the meeting. Mr.. Skinner
then introduced a Sc, Of resolutions. declar-
ing the Texas claim an absurdily, and
that as the Governor had issued an order
TO the officers and soldiers in the Territory
no, to intefere between the Texas author.
tiles and the citizens, he had virtually re-
Iinquished his office of civil Governor, and
it became the duty Of the citizens Of this
territory to oppose, by all the means in
their power, the attempt o: the State oi
Texas TO exercise civil jurisdiction over
this Territory and that all persons who
should aid, assist, or counienance the Con.
missioners OF said Stale. should be declared
traitors to their country, and be punished
accordingly. The Resolutions were op-
posed by the State party. on the ground
that we had no authority 10 oppose the
State of Texas, that II belonged 10 Congress
alone, that the Governor had declared his
intention to remain neutral, and that no
other officer had the power TO oppose.
After considerable sparring on both sides,
the resolutions were voted to be laid on The
table ; and after appointing a committee
to draft resolutions, the meeting adjourned
until the mex. evening. when the committee
reported The same resolutions in effect.
although in other terms I; they were again
laid upon the table. During the debate
upon their adoption, Mr.. Skinner declared
himself the moulh-rece of7O,OOO Mexicans
of the Rio Abajo, name applied to all
the country on the Rio Grande below this
p!ace,) and that he would use all the influ.
ence in his power to excite them TO resis.
lance. The meeting then adjourned until
Monday evening, when Capt. Angney in.
introduced resolutions, setting forth that we
did not believe in the validity Of the claim
Of Texas, and that our submission was
only a question Of expediency, and that a
State movement was the only one which
could advance the true interests Of New
Mexico, and should be pursued to sue
cesslnl Contamination. These resolutions
we're laid on the table, and the former res
olution taken up, when u motion TO adjourn
was made, which was variously amended
as 10 time, one proposing Friday, at IL in
the morning, in the Plaza, another on Sat-
urday evening, at the Court House. After
taking the vote twice it was decided for
Friday, by a majority Of two, when a d..
vision was called for, and it was found that
a large part Of those voting for Friday
were Mexicans, who had declared their in.
tentions TO maintain the character Of Mex.
ican citizens, which caused considerable
exctment, in the midst Of which the Presi- |
dent vacated the Chair, and the Mexicaus
left. Another President was elected, and
the meeting adjourned until Saturday. On
Friday. however.a "a large number assembled
in the Plaza. The President Of Monday
took the Chair; the minutes wore read.
on the motion 10 adopt considerable debate
occurred, and the vote being taking a
number Of those voted who had expressed
their determination to retain the character
Of citizens Of Mexico (; who the State party
declared had no right TO vote, and should
not. The Chair was again vacated, the
Mexicans led out of the line. and the meet.
ing broke up in as great row rs ever o..
Cured in Santa Fe. On Saturday eve.
ning the State party me. and adopted Capt.
Angney's resolutions and adjourned sine
lie.
The American population are determined
o submit 10 Texas if they can not obtain
/ change OF the miserable government, :