The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-06-14
CITY OF WASHINGTON FRIDAY MORNING JUNE "A. 1850.

the first and third amendments ought not 10 prevail II
the second is insisted upon do not know that there
is anything 10 il 10 object TO
MIR. RUSK. am very reluctant to trouble the SEN
ate but desire TO state few facts, TO which wish to
call their attention, IN relation to this proposed line.
there can be bat one sentiment peryadng every
side OF the chamber far the line is concerned, with
regard to point and that is, The proprety OF making
this division be most conducive to the interests
and comfort Of the inhabitants that found 10 be there
The town OF FL Paso itself about 32 deg north latitude
AT III Paso, and above and below it. there are inhabi
aDts twenty miles will not include all The inhabitants
that are above it. am told by intelligent gentlemen,
traders from that section OF country that about sixty
seventy miles above FL Paso, there is town called
Dona Ana al which there about four hundred nhabi
anls. These persons are laid of in countyn Texas,
and are reg ulary oganzed they have organized their
courts and have recently voted al elections In Texas.
The exact point at which is located cannot be ascer
alned as there no accuracy win regard 70 where me
parallel OF latitude the Rio Grande What Is call
cd the tornado del Mueno commences above the town
Of Dona Ana The mountains on the Rio Grande Itself
render that stream entirely inaccessible for dsapce.
variously estimated by those best acquainted with from
ninety one hundred miles TO the east of this there is
another range OF mountains running parallel with the
Rio Grande, and in between them plain covered with
fine grass but destitute entirely OF water and OF TIM
ber; and travellers, in passing from Santa Fe 10 Fl
Paso have to encounter the difficulty OF passing over
country OF at least ninety mlessone say one nun
dred miles and upwards-wilh their animals, where
timber Nor is this the only difficulty, but the
mountains, shutting in pretty close in some pla-
Of lndansthe Cunanches, the Apaches, and Navajos
they congregae there's and have done SO Tor years past
and will continue to do it. venture the assertion that
il will be the last point where theis hostles will cease
They gel upon the mountains and watch this pass tor
travellers, their object either blood or plunder, and
by this means they frequently become possessed OF
large amount OF property They have spies upon the
different mountains, caravan enters the
pass either end notice given to the surrounding war
rors, and by The time the travellers reach the other end
OF it, exhausted with travelling night and day, worn out
" mi N and heir n
move with any velocity, the Indians on fresh horses
rush upon them, and they become easy prey That is
precisely the condition OF this pass through which the
people OF whom was speaking have TO go to Santa Fe
Whaiever jurisdiction you estabshat Santa Fe must ex
Tend all these people within the ne. and there is
this pass, which renders it matter OF vast difficulty Tor
them TO have any intercourse al all have no doubt
that many persons here say that these people are very
unwilling 10 80 TO Texas who actually believe that II y
the case, because there various motives which will
induce it, One that have doubt has great weight out Of
doors is the suggestion that the great road from the ya
leyof the Mississippi 10 the Pacific ocean will pass the
Rio Grande close 10 FL Paso, and therefore The anxiey
the point where this road will cross II would
be unreasonable TO suppose that these people would be
desrous OF forming any connexon with Santa re- ms
altogether misake but il Is not material to go into
it Sometimes am told these peoe have been sub
ject the jurisdiction of Santa Fe, but they had al one
time jurisdiction OF their own, which was called New
Biscay There is another dithculty The vacant land
for few miles at this point is OF but little consequence
as most OF il is covered by titles
If these people should be attached TO Santa Fe, they
pass reach their seat of government These people
would thus be located the borders OF Texas. sub
ject TO another usdcton, and near the road which EN-
grants California take through Texas. and being
almost Tree from the jurisdiction OF Santa Fe, Indians
and bad men would coagregate there Tor bad purposes
Being upon the borders of Texas, and near 10 very
densey populated portion OF the State, collisions with
these people would naturally be the result and they could
not get along without great difficulty aud trouble.
OF thus occurred Years ago. There was
piece OF territory between the Une States and Spain
al ed q
less settled The Spanish government sent force
10 Nacogdoches to preserve quiet and The American gov
army, and both the forces could not keep
the people in subjec,oa they subject urisiic
ton and they committed all sorts OF depreJatons IN their
neghborhood. The soldiers went and burnt down their
houses but that did good for soon as the forces
were gone they came back and say that this
continent could not raise such desperate set OF men as
raised there. Well, if you leave these people to
Santa Fe, they will be just in the stuation and
bordering close upon Texas and, far the matter Of
consideration is concerned amounts TO nothing where
the line Isl Tor, far AZ the value OF this territory Is
concerned, 1t will be ONO benefit to Texas, or the Uni
ted States, or Santa Fe, in that respect
Mr. DAYTON. understand the senator to say that
the section Of country below E Paso borders Texas
and on a populous county. What is the county imme
diately south OF III Paso, and what is the population
have understood that the section OF country intervening
between ii and the populous part of Texas was very
sparsely populated, II populated at all.
Mr. RUSk. There is portion OF the county oil III
Paso that is populousand portion oil 1t that not pop
ulous.
Mr. DAY lON. but now OIL the country DeloW III
Paso is that popuious part OF Texas
: Mr. RUSk. That Is difficult question TO answer.
There is point called III Paso, AT which there was
small settlement heretofore, and now avn told that there
a very large settlement growing up m that neghbor-
hood. The roads do not run up and down the RIO
GraDde, nor is there any communication up and down
that stream, except above FL Paso. The communication
is the other way so far the value OF this ter.
rory concerned either 10 the United States or Texas,
il amounts TO little or nothing. The land s all taken up
titles There is population oil about four hundred
mostly Mexican, al Dona Ana II IS an old settlement,
and OF the grants Of land run back TO very old
date. The object OF the amendment rs 10 prevent the
confusion and discomfort which would result IRON hxng
the line TO place these people under The lursdic'
tion OF Santa Fe, with which they could have but le
intercourse.
Mr.. MANGUM When this question was under con.
side ration by the Committee OF Thirteen, personally /
fe strong inclination 10 have the point OF departure
fixed at or the southern limit as Il has been recog
nlsed for many years--of New Mexico, that 10 to say,
I'll Paso, or the Pass
MIR RUSK Will the senator allow me take issue
with him on that point 1t has not been recognised as
the southern limit
MIR. MANGUM. Some very ancient documents repre-.
sent being that point at all events including III
Paso and taking departure eastward from the Ro Grande,
miles below the Pass. II upon information
derived from this source well maps and general
representation, that spoke. think such was The I'm,
preston generally OF the committee il was represented
able population the east side OF the Rio Grande near
or opposite 10 III Paso, and above II io sevea miles
towards the DESERT or journey o Death That DESERT as
lar AS could collect information IRON the very imperfect
maps beope us and personal representations, was fronn
nine TO thirty miles from III Paso 1t is how represented
view OF the whole OF these conflicting and incom-
patbe statements and The aon