The southern press., 1850-06-25

. prospects,; and by this time, with separate exs-
tence, her revenue would have betrayed the cur
rent expenses of her Government, and paid the
interest of her national debt.
} Let me ask, sir, what will be the great gain to
Texas, as State, by the payment of this moneys
Her creditors are principally nonresident brokers
and stockholders, very worthy people, no doubt, |
who ought TO be paid, but whose money would
not come into the State. lfTexas were to transfer
all the public lands north of FL Paso to her credi-
tors, more than eighty millions Of acres, it would
be magnificent payment. II would pay the debt
at ten cents per acre. What then, does she get
for the sale Of her civil jurisdiction? If the public
domain is worth more than the debt, which is
clear, why does not this Government take the pub
lie domain within that line, instead of insisting on
the transfer Of the Jurisdictions,
+ The value or that country, in an agricultural
point OF view, is greatly underrated. The good
land is much more extensive than is generally
represented. And from all the information can
obtain, it is nearly, if not quite, us rich as Cali
fornia III mineral wealth. | saw the other day in
n paper a statement that those who have been
working her pacers during the past winter have
realized from ten TO fifteen dollars per day Lieu
tenant Albert, Of the engineers, who explored the
country, says that not long since two Jumps of
gold were found below Santa Fe, one Of the value
Of $500, and the other 400. DR.. Wizlezenus, a
cientihc German miner, who examined the coun-
try, thus describes It's mineral wealth: ~
"a third much neglected branch of industry in
deserted mining places iii Mexico prove that mi
ming was pursued with greater zeal in the old
4 Spanish times than at present, which may be ac-
counted for IN various ways, as the present want
OF capital, want of knowledge in mining, but espe-
cially the unsettled state of the country and the
avarice of its arbitrary rulers. The mountainous
parts of New Mexico very rich in gold, cop
; per, iron, and some silver. Gold seems to be
found to large extent in all the mountains near
Santa Re, south OF it in distance of about 100
r. n.... 4 q.
10 miles up, To the river Sangre de Criso.
Throughout this whole region gold dust has been
abundanty found by the poorer classes of Mexi-
cans, who occupy themselves with the washing of
this metal out of the mountain streams. AT pre-
sent the old and the new placer, near Santa Fe,
have attracted most attention, and not only gold
washes, but some gold mines too, are worked
there. They are, 50 far my knowledge extends,
the only gold mines worked now in New Mexico.
But as have made from Santa Fe an excursion
there for the special purpose of examining those
mines must refer the reader, in relation to them,
to that chapter of my narrative. As,o the annual
amount Of gold produced in New Mexico, am
unable TO give even an estimate; but rs nearly all
tho gold of New Mexico is bought up by the ira
ders and smuggled out of the country to the United
: States, | Believe that closer calculation Of the
gold produced in New Mexico could be made in
the different mnts of the United States than in
Mexico itself. Several richs liver mines were, IN
! Spanish times, worked at Avo, at Cerros, and
u III the Nambe mountains, but none at present.
Copper is found in abundance throughout the
country, but principally at Las. TUeras, Jemas,
Abiquin, Guadelupita de Mora, &c. heard of
but copper mine worked at present south OF
. the placers. Iron, though also abundantly found
! is entirely overlooked. Coal has been discovered
in different localities, in the Ration mountains,
near the village Of Jemes southwest Of Santa Fe,
), in place south of the pacers, &c Gypsum,
mon and selenite, are found in large quantities in
J, MeNico most extensive layers oft, understood,
u exist in the mountains near Agodones, OH the Rio
del Norte, and in the eghborhood Of the celebr-
e ted Salinas 1t is used as common lime for
r whitewashing, and the chrystane or selene
d instead of window glass. About four days travel
= ling (probaby 100 mes) south southeast of Santa
l. Fe, on the high table land between the Rio del
e Nore and Pecos. some extensive salt lakes, or
.suinas" from which all the salt (murate Of Soda)
Is used in New Mexico IL procured. Large cara
D. vans go there every year from Santa Fe IN the dry
III season, and return with much they cal
le transport. They exchange, generally, one bushs
- Of salt for one of Indian corn, sell it for one and
u even two dollars bushel.'
y This vast mineral wealth will be developed by
&c an American population, and especially slave labor
! The richest OF these mines on the east bank o
oi the Rio Grande, commencing about thirty mile:
o. south of the city of Santa Fe.
w In connection with the boundaries Of New Mex
as ico | feel cons,SSiped 10 notice speech OF III,
ch Senator FROM N'ssouri, Colonel Benton,) whicl
d find IN the lntclhsencer Of this morning. whicl
AZ surprises me much; lie says:
:! This is what Humboldt SAYS Of the eastern
-, -, boundary Of New Mexico; and his map illus
W trates what he says. He places that boundary, Il,
~ il leaves the Rio Grande del Norte, at about
twelve miles below the mouth of the Puerco, IN wes
-, longitude l0l, and in north latitude 30, and
Ln thence ENTHUSIASTICALLY 10 fhe head of the Rio
San Saba, brapet.' -, ,he Rio Colorado Of Texas
hs in north latitude 30 l5, and in west Longitude
- - l0l. This is the line he gives found in tin
special maps drawn up by engineers in the service
- - Of the King Of Spain, and preserved in the ar
- chves Of the Viceroyaty iii the city Of Mexico
Further than that he does not trace il; but that i
IN far enough for our purpose IL is enough TO show
~ ~ that New Mexico, under the Spanish Government
extended as far east l0l degrees Of longitude
VI covering the whole course OF the Puereo, and Ell
'I tering what is now the country of Bexar, il
H., Texas.
Wy $50 much for Humboldt; Now for Pike. ii
:, says, at page Of his appendix to the journal q
s.' his journey through New Mexico: New Mexic
lies between 300 80 and 44o Of north latitude an
" l04 and l05 degrees Of west longitude, and is tn
e. most northern province of the kingdom of Ne'
tn Spain
~. 81 proceed with the possession Of New Mexico
mo and show that it has been actual and continuou
80 from the conquest Of the country by Don Juan d
- Onate. in 1895, to the present.
H "These are the actual possessions Of NeS
.,r Mexico on the Rio Puerco. On the Rio ID,
Norte as cut OF by the committee 5 bill. there are
-; the little town Of Frontera, ten miles above i
H. Paso, town began opposite FL Paso, San Eliza
"a rio, twenty miles below, and some houses lowe
'r down, opposite Fl Preside del Nore."
Z. Such are the statements Of the honorable Sena
:; tor as to the present boundaries and present pos
sessions Of New Mexico and IL made by one o
N, the younger members on this floor, he would sn
81 down under the imputation Of gross ignorance Q
:, his subject, or wful intention to misrepresen
90 the 'truth Of history" and do injustice to jus
80 claim. Further on, he says:
i. .c Ilr ole h,cbI Ipnt
~ duce agrees with Humboldt and Pike, except il
,n the correction of slight differences in longitude
~ and latitudcs. which his accurate instruments ena
I;s bcd him to make and which have no practico
80 consequence in this examination
hes .,e i';.p y. ~. Proies
a., the Senator well knows; but, at page 40 Of hi
IL work. he giyea the southern boundary Of Ne,