The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-07-18
From the New York Tribune.
PEON SLAVERY ON THE RIO GRANDE-
LETTERS FROM THE BORDER.

| LETTERS FROM THE BORDER.
The Senate recently refused to decree the aboli-
ton of Peon Slavery in New Mexico, because no
information was at hand of the existence of such
Slavery in that region. The following is portion
of letter Just received from Cora Montgomery
an ingram Texan, whose efforts in favor of Annexa-
ton were most jealous and effective, and some of
whose writings against the Wilmot Proviso have
been reprinted in pamphlet form and widely circula
ted by the Tammany Hall Committees. On the
subject ofPeon Slavery our side of the Rio Grande
below Ell Paso, she writes to lady friend in New
York as follows:
EAGLE Pass, Upper Rio Grande,) May 81.
My soul is sick ofthe sights and sounds of Slavery
You know right well how long and faithfully have
pleaded for and defended what | rcgliousy believe
to be the Rights of the South, how almost alone
urged the doctrine of Northumberland with the Sla-
very Compromises in the Northern Press, when even
the South was hardly stirring in sef-defence; and
to all this still hold with every pulse of my heart
but abhor the presence of Slavery in my own
household. Free, willing, well paid service will
have, or | will be my own servant forever.
have as lovely and dear resting-place here on
the banks of the Rio Grande as any wayfarng NOR
tai can DESIRE and if it were really and altogether
from the intrusion of the lash, but | am not in sole
possession, and my resource would be instant flight
to my paternal acres whose green sod has-I thank
Heaven and my fathers for it-never been turned
by enforced abor-whose precious shades have never
resounded with the scream of torture-ifI had not
in reach a surer asylum of peace and independence
My cool, delicious tent of reed peeps forth through
the boughs of mulberry grove, TO watch the meet
ing of the beautiful Mexican river Escondida with
tha IN do Of tha To- Dec. 4bo
gateway fthe Overland Emigration from the south
ern Mississippi and the Gulf coast to California.
Under those clustering shades there is none to mo-
lest make me afraid. Not but what there are
men in the South many enough to insult woman, las
well at the North, but the reed tent is really my
own, and there are brave and true men near enough
to guard its precincts from Indians, prariedogs and
other wild beasts.
But when speak of shutting out Slavery from nv
range Of domestic privacy, l do not mean Negro
Slavery alone. The Peon Slavery of Mexico is
whether from prejudices of habit or the mild win
ming demeanor of the Mexicans-much more re-
pugnant to my feelings There are few Negro Slaves
on the Rio Grande, because they have but to cross
the fords at low water and be free The only negro
slave know of near Eagle Pass is at my door,
willful, hayward boy, who, if he were white ap.
prentice at the North would be likely to receive as
many stripes as he gets from his master here-for he
is Just and humane gentleman-and | positively
know girls of the age of this black boy have been
whipped more severely at the New York House of
Refuge for sligher offenses. Yet would not live
in hearing of the brutal lash anywhere while have
the power to escape from it, and but for my reed
tent refuge, you would be hearing instead of reading
my protest of disgust
! We have man here on the American side who
deals in Mexican slaves. His name and some de-
tails are at your husbands service, if you choose,
hereaer but let me now give you hint of the sys-
tenn. Anybody of the working-class can be sold for
debt in Mexico; and these poems receive the worst
fare and the hardest treatment of any slaves on this
Continent. When they get this side of the river
they should be free, but often too timid and ig-
norant Especially the women) to avail themselves
of the fact. l am not certain that this man ences
the poems to away from their masters in his trips
to the other side of the river, but it somehow hap
pens that excellent servants Of this class do esca De
and take shelter in his house. SO far so good III
would not abet the flight of bond-servant still less
would aid in persuading poor Indian girl that her
chains were not binding on our own soil. Not so
this trader in peons
| He makes some arrangement with the master who
is glad to get anything, and hires out the poor slave
until this debt is Cancelled to his satisfaction In this
way he makes some money, and gets his own house
served cheaply. If corrupt public opinion could be
created, we should have the poor system of Slavery
taking root this side of the river but that think
ana nope, Is Impossible. nus TAR, the advance OF
Emancipation if it left seryitude in the rear it crush
ed lin front; and, whatever may be the consequences
to PERSONAL---VERY. they cannot be altogether plea
SAINT shall not fail to invoke the attention of the
Press ofthe Union to every approach the rein
savement ofthe poems we have liberated. They are
quiet, respectful, well-spoken race, submitting to
more exactions and requiring fewer comforts than
our negros. Their sad, downcast air, is in strange
contrast with the eyercheerul buoyancy of the blacks
thairc hacf he, ,iocl. n. =.
melancholy notes
| HCatholic or Protestant zeal would establish
mission and school here, it would command any num-
Der Of pupils and proselytes, and would beyond all
doubt radiate more light to larger population than
any one mission on either continent.-W no mis-
sion school and press should be established ON the
Rio Grande, for the semi-heathen of the border.
while they are penetrating Siam and scaling Lebanon
passes my understanding. Why do the Christians
OF the North pass by their own starving household to
carry their food and wine to distant and unwilling
strangers Yours, ever. 'l
70 Some of the papers recommend Horace Gree
ley for the home department in Mr. Filtnoree on;