Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-06-22

this respect is equally the duty of the South All
sides called to exercise far greater degree OF
forbearance and moderation if we mean 10 transmit
the next generation the blessings enjoyed by this
shall do all can TO warn the country against the
dangers Of this intestine strife to call both the South
and the North back TO OF their true duties and
their true interests. And if cannot allay the evil
shall at least do nothing TO promote 1t. shall do
nothing to cause jealousy heart-burning, and ami
mostly among those whose countryls one, whose In
terests one, and whose destiny whatever any OF
them may think OF it, is in my opinion, one; one
now. and one hereafter.
Gentlemen of the exciting questions OF the pre-
moment respects the necessity OF excluding slave
ry, by law from the Territories lately acquired from
Mexico. If believed in any such necessity, should,
of course support such law. could not do other
WISE consistently with opinions very many times ex-
pressed and which opinions have inclination to
change and shall not change. But do not believe
in any such necessity have studied the geography
of New Mexico diligently having read all that
could find in print, and inquired OF many intelligent
persons who have been in the country, traversed it,
and become familiar with it.
| New Mexico may be considered as divided into
two parts, lying on the east side of the Rio
Grande, below the Paso del Norte; this is claim
ed by Texas; the other extends along the river
on both sides, from Paso del Norte to the forty
second degree of north latitude. or he boundary
of Oregon. 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
thousand miles, and by the wndings of the river,
much more. The southern part is far less noun
famous than the northern it has, nevertheless noun
tain peaks and mountain ridges. From San Antonio
de Bexar, which is hundred miles north OF the
Gulf of Mexico, and near the western line OF the
actual settlements in Texas, il is five hundred and
seventy miles to Paso del Norte by track or road,
recently explored keeping 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 noun
talns are barren and great portion OF the more level
country, is mere desert of rocks and sand. Some
times praries are met with, producing grass in more
or less abundance but the decisive and fatal charac
erstic of the country is the want of water In ira
versng this region travellers not untrequently md
themselves without water for twenty or thirty miles,
and sometimes for longer distances. think
an exploring expedition, which within the last year
passed along this route, found no water for seventy
miles. 1t may be truly said that here is country OF
six hundred miles in extent, which, In Its general
character, must be described barren desert |
agree that in considerable part of this DESERT Ari-
can slave labor is not necessarily excluded by the law
of climate the climate is mild enough but. then du
labor. free or slave, all cultivation whatever, is
excluded, for all time, by the sterlllty OF the SOIL,
throughout this vast arid region There may be trl-
fling exceptions here and there the banks OF some
of the streams; but the general character, without
doubt or question, is such as have represented It.
Major Gaines very intelligent 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 it:
"rhe country from the Nueces the valley of the Rio
Grande is poor sterile, sandy and barren, with not sim
gle of any size value whole route. The only
which the musquit tree, and very few of
these The musqut is small tree, resembling old and
decayed peach tree. The whole country may be truly
called perfect waste, uninhabed and uninhabitable.
There is not drop of running water between the two
rivers except in the small streams of San Salvador and
Santa Gartrudus and these only contain water the rainy
season. Neither of them had running water when
passed them The chaparral within forty
fifty miles of the Rio Grande. This is poor rocky, and
sandy covered with prcky pear stles and almost every
sticking MISUNDERSTANDING thick and perfectly mpene-
tabe underground For any useful agricultural pur
pose, the country is not worth sous.
So far able to form any opinion of this de-
sert the other routes which had been travelled its
character every where between the rivers is pretty
much the We learned that the routes pursued by
General Taylor south of through country SINH
lar to that through which passed; also that ira
yelled by General Wool from San Antonio to Preside,
the Rio Grande. From what we both and heard the
whole command to the conclusion which | have al
ready expressed-that it worth nothing. have
hesitation in saying that would not hazard the life of one
valuable and useful for every foot of land between San
Patrco and the valley of the Rio Grande The country
not and can never be Of the slightest rah4e.'
That most lamented and distinguished gentleman
and officer, the late Colonel Hardin of Illinois, entire
ly concurs with Major Gaines. Here is his account:
The Whole country IS miserabiy watered Large dis
ictS mare no UdteT W d Inc streams are SfndH ana az
great distances apart. One day marched the road
from Moncova to Paras hityfre miles, without acater-
pretty days march for infantry. s..~ .a.
Grass very scarce and indeed there is all in
many regions for miles square Its place is supplied with
prickly pear and thony bushes. There
two hundred, probably in five hundred of all
the land we have in Mexico, which be cu-
vaed the greater part of is the most desoae region
could have imagined The pure granite hills of New
England paradise to it, for they without the thoy
bars and reptiles which nes the barbed barren
of Mexico The good land and cultivated spots in
Mexico but dots the map. Were that it takes
very little support Mexican and that the land which
surprising how its sparse population sustained All the
towns we have visited with perhaps the exception Para
are depopulatng as is also the whole country"
The country higher up that is along the Rio del
Norte from Paso del Norte to Santa Fee and Taos diff
feren in this respect Through this part Of New Mex
leo the river runs between immense mountains with
strips or ribands of land along its banks not always
continuous, but which are cultivated with grains !;
but only by means Of irrigation Allow me, gentle
men; to lay before you the creditable, the exact
the authoritative description given by Mr. Smith
the Delegate from New Mexico:
| "New Mexico is exceedingly mountainous country,
Sante Fe itself being twice high the highest point of
the Aeghanes and nearly all the land capable of cuva-
tion of equal height though of the valleys have less
altitude above the The country cold Its general
agricultural products wheat and conn., and such vegeta
bes grow in the Northern States of this Union It is
entirely unsued for slave labor Labor is exceedingly
abundant and cheap. may be hired for three four dol
lars per month"; in quantity quite sufficient for carrying on all
the agriculture of the Territory There is cultivation
except by irrigation, and there succncy of water
to irrigate all the land.
co the general understanding that it has been atoge
ther abolished by the laws Mexico. VEL