The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-30

Why, you VIII ask, then, does pretence to
control you so baseless in itself and so nsolently
put forward, receive any encouragement or support
from Government which you have been taught
to believe denies nothing to the weak Why has
Texas been permitted to retard your advance ; to
delay that encouragement and protection you have
been induced to believe this Government extends
to all its citizens, and has so often promised TO
you2 Why has a military government been re-
tanned over you by the President and Secretary
of War which they secretly instruct TO surren-
der upon the first show of Southern authority
1t is by thus leaving you deserted and defence
less, hope is entertained that you can be driven
to receive a government and control which you
abhor, and with it an institution which the whole
power of the Government is ezerted to extend
But it becomes you to look we'll to all the con.
sequences and results OF u decision that you are
properly within Texas. You have every reason
to believe that she entertains no kindly feelings
towards you That disposition 70 relentless per-
secution and prescription Of all Mexcans within
her claimed limits who woalS- not participate
with her in her revolution, i only lulled until
she can, by the aid and assistance Of the Gov
eminent, firmly establish her authority over you
As q Republic, did she not pass acts disfranchis-
ing all within her territory who did not take part
with her, or left the country to avoid the strug-
gle, and also confscating their property7 Are
not those acts retained in force by her present
Constitution, continuing all the acts Of her Re-
public not in derogation Of the Constitution of
the United States and the act of annexation
When she attempted to extend her jurisdiction
over you, and sent a judge from Texas, did he
bring with him the power to extend any of the
benefits of Texan citizenship Was not the So
called county of Santa Fe especially exempted
from the benefits of her land system, by which,
if you were citizens, you were entitled TO full
benefits of head rights, entries, and surveys and
by which you could have saved TO yourselves your
own homesteads and fsrmsl Look even to what
they are doing here, when the proposition is be-
fore Congress to buy the absurd and groundless
title Of Texas to your territory; that representa-
tive who represents you, as it is asserted here in
Congress, proposes rs an amendment, that if the
34ih' barafiei of latitude is mad, the northern
limit of Texas, and consequently the southern
limit Of New Mexico, Congress, as a condition of
the purchase, shall stipulate TO drive the Ca
manches north Of that parallel that the whole
strength of this tribe shall yet be crowded upon
you.
You are already surrounded by and accessible
TO, forty thousand hostile lndians--a least fifteen
thousand warriors You are less protected, and
property and life are less secure now, than when
New Mexico was part of the Mexican terri
tory, even under the most distressed and helpless
condition Of that unfortunate revolutionary
Government. In no part of your territory,
except Immediately within the largest and
most populOus towns, are the people and their
property safe In the very sight Of your Capitol,
large focks Of sheep and cattle have been repeat
eddy driven off, and the inhabitants women and
children, killed or carried into captivity from
which death itself would be desirable relief
All attempts to extend the settlements upon the
most valuable part of the country, or to explore
and develop its resources, have been rendered fu-
tile and vain and your population has been con-
traoted by the entire destruction of the most ex-
posed frontier settlements No road is safe by
which you have access to or egress from your Ter
ritory all intercourse is being cut off with the
civilized world.
The wealth of your territory is being dimin-
ished. The immense flocks of sheep and herds
of cattle which have supplied so largely the
Mexican country with meat, are now no longer
carried to foreign market and your territory,
raises enough ise ESshs ~ Tn. aeaa.
and value Of property lost and taken from the
country by Indian depredations during the three
years subsequent to its occupation by the troops
of the United States, largely exceeds the amount
taken the three years previous to their occupa.
ton Of the country. This, no one converssnt
with the history of your country can deny, and
it is frightful commentary upon the promises Of
protection which have 80 often been made to you
This Government is responsible too, for that
condition of Indian hostilities in your country
for many years previous to the occupation of the
territory many of the most warlike tribes had
been at peace with the inhabitants of New Mex
leo, and there was scarcely ever a time when they
were all in open hostility. But the various CON-
a. 80 hot hsy "A q
regulate these Indians, compel them to acknowl-
edge submission to our Government, regulate
their relations of peace and war with the differ
ent tribes confne them TO distinct and marked
portions of the country, demand Of them sur
render of Mexican captives, and establish an en-
tire mastery over them who had never acknowl-
edged or submitted to any control from the Span
ish or Mexican Governments, and all this, with
q force totally inadequate to its execution, was,
of course, but to raise up a war which would
bring into action the full strength of every tribe
Take, for example, a solitary instance: the band
of Northern Apaches which do not number more
than one hundred and seventy-ive warriors and
infest but part Of the north and northeast por-
ton of your territory yet il may be confidently
asserted, that this single band, since your terri
tory was in possession OF the United States forces
have murdered at least as many Americans ss
sides the number of Mexicans they have killed
or carried into captivity; and their entire sub
sistence during this time has been by plundering
oar frontier exposed settlements. The Southern
Apaches much more numerous, and as feroci0us
and warlike, have in the same manner infested
the southern extremity Of your country. The
entire western border Is equally exposed to the
Navajoes, who have, with perfect impunity, car
ried their depredations to the heart Of the ooun-
try, and in sight Of the flagstaff of your Capitol
The eastern part is not better protected. This
Is truly a lamentable picture and calls loudly,
but In vain, for the sympathy and assistance Of
our Government. The fact that the Indians all
live entirely upon horseback have no settled
permanent homes, that oil their wealth and prop
erty consists Of bands Of horses, herds, and
Aocks; that their predatory habits require con-
slant moving that they have almost an unlim
can retreat, Is sufficient to show that cavalry
or mounted troops alone can successfully follow
and chastise them. All experiences in that coun-
try teaches that infantry is Of no use In the pur
suit Of such foe. The most experienced mill
tsry men have estimated that il will require at
least fifteen hundred well-mounted men TO con-
quer sad reduce 30 subsection these Indians. At
lacking us as they do, by rapid advances and re-
treats, each warrior provided with a number Of
horses and relays, II is impossible to be prepared
for them at every point where they make an in
oursion, or TO COLLECT a force and overtake them
before they are again secure In their mountain
retreats and Businesses. II cannot be said that
this state Of things is unknown here; ] have
added my individual testimony to what yopr con-
vention has said, by repeated representations to
the War Department and the President OF the
United States. All the military officers have re-
ported the country in a depiorable condition II
Is all corroboratcd by every traveller or trader
who is fortunate enough 10 get safely out Of
the country The strength, localities, and bah
its Of those Indians have been communicated to
Congress- and even the Mexican minister has
found it necessary to call the attention OF our
Government TO the execution Of that article Of
the treaty by which We have promised to protect
the Mexican settlements from Indians incorpo-
rated in our limits Your Indian agent continues
to add his accounts Of the unfortunate condition
Il kA.s.N