The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-17
FROM NEW MEXICO.
SANTA FE. Esby,,

'S favorable oppOrtuniIv
Of sending letter directly to Wasbipotor :
shall avail myself Of it in advance NJ ,hs 80,
The weather, for few days past, has bssr Co.,
what cool and cloudy, with occasional lo.hoa :,
snow; not, indeed, answering to the IT,
the Northern or Middle States. I'm, s,,ou-,- v
trasting with the April-like weather xh;oh
charmed us along through the month q, I.nn.-
| regret that there is SO little else 70 H.
about than scenes Of violence and b,ooa O.
though such items of news are readily deyouroa
by many newspaper readers, 1t is anvtb;nn ~,
gratifying to my own feelings to make a record If
them But such is the state of things here and
as faithful chronicler of passing events ann
pose must make record of them.
THE NAvAJoEs AND THE DRAGONS
The Nayajoes have made another incursion uron
a rancheria, or rather, believe, pueblo. about
five miles from Albuquerque, running off a LOT
Of cattle, more or less in number. As SOON ga
the attack commenced a runner was started 10
Albuquerque, to inform the commander of our
redOaha6lss. Lieutenant Pleasant concerning
whom have pleasant story to tell some of these
days. was started in as much haste as would CON-
port with the dignity of the profession, accom-.
panied bya few dragons; but whether they ever
saw the Indians, deponent saith not Certain il
is, however, that they all returned again, "brim
full Of wrath and chill eOlorado,"s without any
scalps save their own, which are reported to have
been in remarkable state of preservation So
ended the first expedition which our troops have
made against the Indians since my arrival
1t is said that the 7th infantry, who started for
this place last summer, tbut were recalled upon
the passage of the adjustment bill, by which the
/" Lone Star" was prevented from flying from its
orbit and knocking the glorious Constellation
into ply are again ordered OUT and will start for
this place soon in the spring. Is the policy of
the Government toward this Territory to be one
of EnHbirfgssed outrage and cruelty? In the
name Of humanity, what do we want with more
standing troops here, when to keep vkat me have
has brought the Territory we'll nigh to state of
famine; and the presence Of which is tainting it
with moral leprosy, from which many years
will not suffice for its recovery.
EXTRAJUDICIAL.
An affair has just come off at the little Mex.
can village of Socoro, near Ell Paso, which desig-
and his assistants as very remarkable men in
their line of business 1t seems they have put a
remarkable latitude upon their instructions, and
consider themselves not only empowered to deter
mine the boundary between the United States
and Mexico, but also to determine upon the
proper boundaries of mems lives. The facts, as
| have learned them from an authentic source
are these: Some American transfers in the en-
ployment Of the Commissioner and his party,
had been discharged at the above-named place
After their discharge they made brutal attack
on several dwellings of the Mexicans in the vii
lage and murdered several individuals in cold
blood Whether all this appeared on evidence,
| do not know, but thus it is reported. Forth
with the Commissioner and his assistants consti-
tute themselves, lin Mexico, remember! judi
cial tribunal, adjudge the cases Of some three or
four Of the men, condemn them to death, and
upon their sentence, the men are hung Doubt
less II the men were guilty of the brutal outrage
ascribed to them, they deserved to meet the most
condign punishment but what strikes us az a
little peculiar Is, that Boundary Commissioner
and his assistants should constitute themselves q
high court of life and death in case which clear
ly came within the range Of the civil jurisdiction
But then we Anglo-Saxons are great and peou-
liar people and this is but another evidence of
our progressive democracy.
ROBBERIES, SHOOTING &c.
Several dwellings have been robbed in this city
within the last week or two, and several persons
arrested Judge Houghton's room was robbed
last night, the Judge being absent at Taos Two
soldiers were taken, ALSO last night in the act Of
robbery Another man was lodged in Jail few
DAYS since, who had stolen lot of money $4,000
from the dwelling of Lieutenant Park. He was
a hired (white) servant. Last night was rather
prolific of incidents In addition to several rob
berries that came off, there was also some shooting
done at fandango, (of course0 but no serious
injury resulted. In fact, every mans life is in
his hand in this Territory at present, and as
things wax worse and worse, think it will soon
arrive at that point where none but "peace-
man will be safe.
TEXAS AT HOME.
! saw letter this morning, received by gen
tleman in this city from citizen Of Texas. He
says C am going to sell out here, and move to
-, in New Mexico, as no decent man can live
in Texas" What blessed thing it is that she
did not swallow the whole Union last summer
for we should all then have been in this poor
fellows fix, without hope of lettering our con
diton.
As the gentlemen with whom send this, from
their official station, can give you more definite
information relative to the affairs of our Terri
JOTy, tuou y, you aio w NAV" ioA "1u'
tional information
Yours, truly, w. G. X.
The gentlemen referred to above are Major
Cunningham and Sheriff Merritt. Hacher, the
Indian tanner mentioned in my last, also goes in
with them, and will perhaps 60 to Washington.
If go you can "see the Elephant" for nothing.
"A Mexican dish the principal ingredient of which
red pepper. Chill coorado)
SANTA FE, New Mexico,
February %, 1851.
To the Editor of the National Era:
DEAR SIR: wrote letter for the Era and
started it for the States, some days since, with
Major Cunningham; but, from subsequent infOr
nation, suppose he will not get in as soon as the
present mail shall therefore avail myself Of
this opportunity Of sending you few items not
contained in this letter
The following abstract Of the census OF THIS
Territory has been furnished me by the United
States Marshal, Mr.. Merritt, who left Tor "@n
ington in company with MIR. Cunningham
POPULATION.
conn,,.. Number of Inhabitants
Santa Fe |"'
Taos ~
Pin Ar;bu -1O,66s
San Miguel hO.l
Santa Anna aiogS
Bernalillio
Valencia
ets7l