The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-21

both Sides from Paso del Norte 10 the forty second
degree Of north latitude, or The boundary Of Ore
| gon. OF this part, also, that which lies on the
eastern side of the river is claimed by Texas The
whole extent of both parts hardly be less than
one thousand miles, and by the winnings ui the
| river much more. The southern part is far less
mountainous than The northerni IL has, neycrthc-
| less mountain peaks and mountain ridges. From
| San Antonio de BrXar, which Is "a hundred nIilcs
north of the Gulfof MEXICO aud near The western
line Of the actual settlements in Texas, il is five
hundred and seventy miles TO Paso del Nore, by a
track road, recently explored. keeping east of
| the Rio del Norte, and south OF the Guadalupe
mountains; the general direction of which road is
west by north. This whole country is of very little
value. The mountains are barren, and a great
portion Of the more level country is mere desert
of rocks and sand Sometimes prairics arc met
with, producing grass in more or less abundance;
but the decisive and fatal characteristic of the
try IL the want OF water In traversing this region,
| travellers not unfrequenty find themselves with
out water for twenty or thirty miles, and some
times even for longer distances. ! think AN
exploring expedition, which, within the last year,
passed along this route, found water for seventy
miles. II may be truly said, that here is country
of six hundred miles in extent, which, in its gen
eral character, must be described as barren desert
agree that in considerable part of this desert,
African slave labor is not necessarily excluded by
the law of climate; the climate is mild enough;
but, then, all labor, free slave all cultivation
whatever, is excluded, for all time, by the sterty
of the SOIL throughout this vast arid region There
may be trhng exceptions here and there on the
banks OF some of the streams; but the general char
acter, without doubt or question, is such /
have represented it, Major Gaines, very intelli-
gent gentleman, lately member of Congress, and
now Governor of Oregon, traversed part of this
country during the Mexican war, and this is his
description of il:
the Rio Grande, is poor, sterile, sandy and bar
rem, with not single tree of any size value on
our whole route The only tree which we saw was
the musquit tree and very few OF these. The mus
ia a nm tree linu nI nd eca rcd
peach tree. The whole country may be truly
called perfect waste, uninhabited and uninhabit.
able There is not drop Of running water be-
tween the two rivers, except in the two small
streams of San Salvador and Santa Gartrudus, and
these only contain water in the rainy season Nei
ther Of them had running water when we passed
them the The chaParrai commences within forty or
fifty miles OF the Rio Grande. This is poor, rocky,
and candy; covered with prickly pear thstles, and
almost every sticking thing constituting II thick
and perfectly impenctrablc underground For amy
useful or agricultural purpose, the country Is not
worth sous.
$50 far as we able to form any opinion Of
this desert upon the other routes which had been
travelled, its character, everywhere between the
two rivers, Is pretty much the same. We learned
that the route pursued by General Taylor south of
ours, was tbrougha country similar to that through
which we passed; as also was that travelled by
General Wool from San Antonio to Presdio on the
Rio Grande. From what we both and heard,
the whole command came to the conclusion which
have already expressed-that il was worth
thing. have no hesitation in saying, that would
not hazard the life of one valuable and useful man
for every foot of land between San Patrcio and the
valley OF the Rio Grande. The country is not
and can never be of the slightest rdlie.''
That most lamented and distinguished gentle
man and officer, the late Colonel Hardin, of Illinois,
entirely concurs with Major Gaines. Here is his
account:
''Ihe iohoie country is misera6y toatertd. Large
districts hare ioater at all The streams small
and at great distances apart One day we marched
on the road from Nloncova TO Parras, thirty flee
miles, DithoM icateT-a pretty severe days march
for infantry.
at all in many regions for miles square. Its place
Is supplied with prickly pear and thorny bushes.
There Is not one acre IN two hundred, more proba.
bly, not one in five hundred, of all the land have
seen IN Mexico, which can ever be cultivated; the
greater part OF 1t is the most desoate region could
ever have imagined The pure granite hills of
New England are a paradise to it, for they arc
without the thorny briars and venomous reptiles
which infest the barbed barrenness of Mexico The
good land and cultivated spots in Mexico are but
dots on the map. Were it not that il takes so very
little to support Mexican, and that the land which
Ia cultivated yields its produce with little labor, il
would be surprising how its sparse population is
sustained. All the towns have visited, with
perhaps the exception of Parras, are depopulating,
as is also the whole country"
The country higher up that is, along the Rio del
Norte, from Paso del Norte TO Santa Fc and Taos,
is different In this respect. Through this part Of
New Mexico the river runs between immense
banks, not always continuous, bat which cul-
tivated with grains but only by means of irriga-
ton Allow Inc, gentlemen, TO lay before you the
credtabe, the exact, the authoritative description
given by Mr.. Smith, the Delegate from New Mex
leo:
"New Mexico is exceedingly mountainous
country, Santa Re itself being twice high as the
highest point of the Aleghanies, and nearly all the
land capable Of cultivation Is of equal height,
though some of the valleys have less altitude above
the sea: The country is cold: Its general agri-
cultural products are wheat and corn, and such
vegetables as grow in the northern States of this
Union. IL is entirely unsuited for slave labor.
Labor IL exceedingly abundant and cheap. IL may
be hired for three four dollars per month, in
quantity quite sufficient for carrying on all the ag
rculture of the Territory. There is no cultivation
except by irrigation, and there IL not sufficency
of water TO irrigate all the land.
CAS- TO the existence, at present, of slavery in
New Mexico, IL Is the general understanding that
il has been altogether abolished by the laws of
Mexico; but we have no established tribunals
which have pronounced as yet, what the law Of tho
land In this respect Is IL Ia universally considered,
however, that the Territory is altogether free
Territory. i know OF persons in the country
who are treated az slaves, except such az may be
servants.t to gentlemen visiting or passing through
the country may add, that the strongest feeling
against slavery universally prevails through the
whole Territory, aud suppose IL quite impossible
to convey II there, and maintain IL by any means
whatever"
MY speech was delivered ON the 18th of March
Speaking of what thought the impossibility OF the
existence Of African slavery in New Mexico, Isaid,
81 would not take pains usclessly to reaffirm
dinance OF nature, or TO enact the will Of God"
Everybody knew that, by the "will of God"
meant that expression OF the Divine purpose in the
work of creation which had given such physical
formation TO the earth. this region, necessa-
riy to exclude African slavery from il forever.
Everybody knew meant this, and meant nothing
else To represent me speaking in any other sense
was gross injustice. Yet pamphlet has been put
into circulation, in which IL IL said that my remark
IL undertaking TO settle by mountains and rvcrs,
and not by the Ten Commandments, the question
OF human duty" Cease 20 transcribc." Il adds,
"upon the statute book what our wisest and best
men believed TO be the will Of God, in regard 10
worldly affairs, and the passions which think
appropriate 90 devils will soon take possession of
society" One hardly knows which most 10
tenn, the nonsense or the dishonesty Of such com
mentaries on another's words. ] know passion
more appropriate TO devils than the passion for
gross misrepresentation and libel. And others,
from whom more fairness might have been expect
ed, have not failed 20 represent rue arguing, or
aifording ground Of arguInent, against human laws
TO enforce the moral laws Of the Deity. Such per