Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-06-13

long kept burning there for the return of Monezuma
Gran tlulvira was considerable mining under
the Spanards before the wear 1880 when it was broken
up IN the great Indian revolt of that year Mr. WISH
genus thus speaks of it, June, 1869
; "Withn the last few years several Americans and
Frenchmen have visited the place, and although thew
have not found the reputed treasure they certify at least
to the existence of aqueduct about ten miles in
length, to the still standing walls OF several churches
the sculpture OF the Spanish coat OF arms, to MANY
spacious pits, supposed to be silver mines 1t was no
doubt Spanish mining town; and it is not unlikely that
was destroyed in 1880 in the general and successful
instruction OF the Indians New Mexico against the
Spaniards"
Las Salinas are the salt lakes in the valley of the
Puerco, about one hundred miles southeast from Santa
re, and where the people of New Mexico have OBJ
tanned their salt from the settlement of the country to
the present day This is what Dr. Wislizenus says of
these places:
T" About four days travelling probably 100 miles,
south southeast OF Santa Fe some extensive salt
lakes, or Salinas, from which all the salt used in New
Mexico is procured. Large go there every
year from Santa Fe, in the dry season. and return with
| as much as they transport. They exchange ge-
neIay, one bushel of salt for of Indian corn or
sell it for one, and even two dollars bushel."
San Miguel, twenty milesfrom Santa Fe the place
where the Texan expedition, under Col Cooke, were
taken prisoners in 1S41.
To all these evidences of New Mexican possession
OF the Rio Puerco and its valley is to be added the fur
ther evidence resulting from acts of ownership in grants
OF land made upon its upper part, as in New Mexico
by the superior Spanish authorities before the revolu
ton, and by the New Mexican local authorities since
"a
States.
The great pastoral lands of New Mexico are in the
valley of the Puerco where millions of sheep were for
merly pastured, reduced to about two hundred
thousand by the depredations of the Indians The
New Mexican inhabitants Of the Del Norte send their
ocks there to be herded by Shepherds on the shares
and IN this way and by taking their salt there and in
addition TO their towns and settlements and grants of
lands, the New Mexcans have had possession of the
fuerco and Its valley since the year l600-tha is to saw
Tor about one hundred years beor the shipwrck of La
Sale in the bay of San Bernardo revealed the name
OF Texas to Europe and America
| These are the actual possessions of New Mexico on
the Rio Puerco. On the Rio del Norte as cut off by
the committees bill, there are, the little town OF From
te,Ta, ten miles above Ell Paso, town began opposite
III Paso San Elizario, twenty miles below and some
houses lower down opposite Ell Preside del Norte-
OF all these, San Elzario is the most considerable
having population OF some four thousand souls once
a town OF New Biscay, now of New Mexico, and now
the property of the United States by avulsion 1t an
Island; and the main river, formerly the north and
now on the south of the island leaves it in New Mex
leo. when Plke went through it, it the most nor
thern town. and the frontier OF New Biscay; and
| there the then Lieutenant Governor Of New Mexico
who had escorted him from Ell Paso turned him over
to the authorities OF province. 1t is now the
most southern town of New Mexico, without having
changed its place. but the river which disappeared from
Its channel in that place in l752 has changed it to
the south OF the island Humboldt thus describes this
phenomenon:
"The inhabitants of the Paso del Norte have preser-
we'd the memory OF a very extraordinary event which
bed OF the river dry thirty leagues above and more than
twenty leagues below Paso the water of the river threw
itself into crevasse newly formed, and did not issue
again until near the Preside of San Elsario. This
loss OF the Rio del Nore continued considerable
time The beautiful fields which surround the Paso,
and which raversed by little canals of irrigation re-
NAMED without watering; the inhabitants dug wells in
the sand with which the bed the river is filled FL
nally, after several weeks they the water take its
ancient course without doubt because the crevasse and
the suoterranean ndults had filled themselves
ESSAY on NetD Spain, COt. L. %. 304
reterate: am not arguing title am only showing
possession which is right to remain in possession
until title decided. The argument of the title has
often been introduced into this question; and letter from
President Polk, through Secretary Buchanan has Of
| ten been read on the Texan side. Now. what have
TO say OF that letter, frequently referred TO- and con-
sidered so conclusive, is tn is that however potent it
may have been in inducing nexation how much so
ever 1t may be entitled to consideration in fixing
claim, yet as an evidence oftte after title should pay
no more regard to it than to chapter from the life and
adventures ofRobnson Crusoe Congress and the iu-
dietary are the authorities decide such claims to III
Ties, and not Presidents and Secretaries.
rest upon the position then that the Rio Puerco
and Its valley, is and was New Mexican possession as
well as the lett bank of the Del Norte from the above
IN faso to below the mouth OF the Puerco; and that
TINS possession cannot be disturbed without raising
the double question, of actual extension of slavery;
and secondly OF the present legal existence of slavery
IN al New WeXco east OF the Rio Grande as part
o. lexas These are the questions which the proposed
line OF the committee raise, and force to face. They
them It's not new question with me, this extension
OF slavery IN mat quarter. met it in 1874, before the
annexation OF Texas On 1.-The 10th day OF June. of that
and to settle all questions with her-the very ones
which now perplex US before she was annexed pro-
posed as article V. in the projected clause
ART s. The existence ofsavery 10 be for ever prohi-
oied IN That part OF the annexed Territory which lies
west of the hundred degree of longitude west from the
meridian OF Greenwich"
This is what Proposed six years ago, and as one in
series OF propositions to be offered to Texas and Next
co Tor settling all questions growing out of the project
ed annexation beforehand. They were not adopted =
immediate annexation without regard 10 consequences
was the cry; and all temperate counses were set down
to British Traitors Aboitionists, and Wings. Well!
we nave to regard consequences now-several conse-
quences; one OF which is this extension of slavery
which the report and congomerate bills Of the Com
nttee OF Thirteen force us to face did so six years
ago, and heard no outbreak against my opinions them
But my opposition to the extension OF slavery dates fur
Their back than lS44orty years further back and as
this IS suitable time for general declaration and
sort OF general conscience delivery will saw that nv
opposition to it dates from 1884, when was student
at law in the State OF Tennessee, and studied the sub
Jeet OF African slavery in an American book-a Vir-
gnia book-Tucker's edition of Backstone's Common
tares. And here 1t is, (hodng up volume and read
ing from the ttlepage Blackstones Commentaries,
ie.h notes Of reference to the constitution and aps
Of the Federal Government of the United States and
Of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in fve uolumes.
auth an appendix to each Dolune containing short
tracts, as appeared necessary to form a connected
yls,o Of The laws Of Irginia as member of the Fe-
derat Union. By st. George Tucker, Professor of
Lao IN the University Of lVilIiam and Mary, and
one OF fAe Judges OF the General Court in Virgil
ma" In this American book-ths Virginia edit on
of an English work. found my principles on the sub
Ject of slavery Among the short in the appen-
oXes one OF hxy pages in the appendix the first
volume, second part which treats Of the subject of Ai-
can slavery in the u States, with total condemna-
ton OF the Institution, and plan for its extinction in
Virginia. In that werk-n that school-that old Vr-
GINA school which l taught to reverence found
my principles on slavery and adhere 10 them. con-
cur in the whole essay, except the remedy-gradual
hp1oNo notsnn and find that DO
which the wise OF Virginia then saw and dreaded
but resolved to encounter, because it was to become
with time the danger to both races from so LARGE
thusiasts or fanatics: they statesmen and pho-
sophers They knew that the emancipation of the black
slave was not mere question between master and
c AZ