Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-08-22
New Mexico and SLAVERY.


II is known to most of our readers that the peo-
pie OF New Mexico, in Convention, have established
State Government and formed Constitution, with
view TO be admitted into the Union. The popula-
ton of New Mexico is estimated at eighty thousand.
Of these about fifteen hundred are Americans, and
speak the English language. The rest are Mexi-
cans, civilized Indians, and halfbreeds. The Con-
vention was composed of seventeen delegates.
Seven of these were Americans, and ten were Mex
leans, former alcaldes and Catholic priests. Their
Constitution is Republican, and was evidently mod
eled in the main features, after the Constitutions of
some of the States. But, at this time, we only in
tend calling public attention to its peculiar feature
the subject of slavery The following is the first
section under the declaration of rights
ARTICLE I-DeciaratiOn of Rights.
SEC. /. All men being born equally free and inde-
pendent and having certain NATURAL nherant, and in
allenabe rights, amongst which the enjoying and
defending Of life and liberty the requirement, posses
son and protection of property and the pursuit and
ainment of happiness therefore, male person shall
be held by law any person servant slave,
apprentice, after he arrives at the age of twenty
years, female, in like manner, after she arrives
the age of eighteen years. unless they be bound by their
consent after they arrive at such age bound
by law for punishment of crime.
By this provision it will be seen, that males until
they twenty-one, and females until they are
eighteen years of age may be held in bondage in
voluntarily, and after that period in life, they are
subjected to the most odious form of slavery known
to the world. That kind of slavery known TO the
Mexican law, peonage, in plain English, white
slavery. The way it works is this: These poems
are class of poor ignorant and uneducated Mexi-
cans and halbreeds, who have neither lands, focks
nor herds. They can look to the chase for the buck
skin that their limbs and the scanty supply
of meat with which they are provided, but they
must have bread, and only look for it to some
wealthy farmer, with his hundreds of poems. He
must buy credit, and in that way he runs up a
debt which can only be iquidated by binding him
self to service which is done with his consent by the
alcalde, who renders full judgment against him.
Under the law his owner charges him with his
board clothing and all The necessaries required by
his family. These charges are lien upon his SER
vices during his le and lien upon the services of
his children after his death. An instance has never
been known of a Peon who was ever able to release
himself from slavery. There is year of jubilee
TO him. Death strikes the shackles from his limbs
but to be fastened on his children and under this in
in New Mexico are born slaves, or in the more soft
language of these people, poems. Peonage is often
fixed upon poor Mexican Ranchero in this man
ner: He marries wife, builds hut, and cult
Yates small patch of earth,-a child is born, it
must be baptized according to the forms of the
church, and these forms cannot be complied with
without incurring heavy expense. We mean heavy
for people poor and destitute; or peradventurc,
the child dies-it must not only be baptized before
its death but must be buried according to forms OF
the church, in this sem-cvilized country. There
are hundreds of cases where the baptism or the
death of child incurs debt which binds the father
to servitude for life and his children after him, and
the object of establishing system of servitude
minors, without their consent, was TO cover cases
where ;hey under the law are held as lien for the
debt Of the parents. Yet New Mexico must be ad-
mitted State, that the double pledged Whg par
ty may dodge the proviso and the responsibility of a
vote, which they fear may injure their party and as
The constitution does not establish negro savery,-it
is free State. 1t is not contrary to the letter o
that universal abolition petition 'hat no more slave
States be admitted into the Union," and they can
therefore cheerfully vote for her admission. When
Louisiana and Florida acquired, territorial GO
vernmenis of the simplest form were given to them
until they gradually schooled into republi
can form of government, and they much bet
ter qualified for selfgovernment than the people Of
New Mexico. II is not fifteen years since this very
people, who now to be made citizens of the Uni
ted States, and clothed with all the forms of sover
eighty, cut off the head of the Governor and kicked
it through the sreets-cut off the hands, tore out tn,
tongue and plucked out the eyes of the State Off
GERS. 1t seems to that we cheapening th,
forms of State sovereignty, and failing to give Il
this people that strong form of Government whcl
under the Mexican treaty we are bound to do. LIE
them have territorial government. Let the law
of the United States be extended over them, and il
due time, after reasonable probation, admit then
as State.
Americans in London.
meeting Of the American citizens in Londo
was held on the 25th, at the American Legation,