The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-27
FROM NEW MEXICO.

DEAR SIR: When the mail left on the lst In
slant, did not feel as il could write letter for
the Era, aud so had concluded to postpone it till
the next mail but having this evening met with
a friend from Missouri, who starts for the States
tomorrow morning, | thought would make the
effort, though still feel feeble from two or three
weeks prostration.
Business here during the past fall and summer
has been very brisk, but ct the present time is
rather dull at least in the mercantile line had
thought that during the last month would try
to gather for your paper kind of " prices cur
reu," which would give some idea to your read
ers Of the state Of the market here, but have
been prevented from doing so ny sickness. Suf-
fee it to say, that everything is very high. This
might be expected when Il is remembered that
almost everything that is eaten, drunk or worn,
must be transported from the States at carriage
Of is to II cents per pound
Our civil affairs are about in a state ofsemi-anar
chy, confusion worse COMPOUNDED" than when
the Territory was under Mexican rule At least
so states a petition to Congress this morning,
drawn up for circulation among our citizens, and
am not disposed to discredit the statement The
petitioners state that life, property, honor, ery-
thing, is more insecure now than before General
Kearny conquered the territory. Whether they
have oyerdrawn the picture or not, is not for me
to say; but this much | can safely say, that i IL
mas any before that time it is difficult to con-
ceive hOw bad Il mast The fact is, we feel very
much as five So4 no .gOUerosm at all ~ qcesen<1
The Government at Washington has as get given
US no Governor nor other civil officers, and, owing
to the action of the Territory in adopting State
form Of government, suppose Governor Monroe
feels that his position is doubtful one. At least,
whatever may be his feelings relative to the mat
ter there are others who think that the action of
the Territory suspended his functions as Gov
ernor, and that he has consequently no right to
exercise them until Congress shall decide not to
ratify the State action. On the other hand, those
elected to office, under the State movement, do
not feel authorized to act, in consequence of the
action Of Congress assigning us Territorial
Government. The consequence is as might be
expected in such state of things, that no one
feels full sense Of responsibility in the matter,
and things take pretty much their own course.
The language of Scripture descriptive Of the
state Of Israel during one of the periods Of dark
apostacy, is also very applicable to our present
condition. "There was no king in those days,
but every man did that which seemed good in his
own eyeso Perhaps have not given the exact
reading of the text but that is the sense.
In my last letter made mention of an expe-
dtion against the Navshoes, gotten up in the
neighborhood OF Socoro The expedition, con-
~. Ca G., 49, caJ 10 ~
left for the Navahoe country about the time
started that letter. about the latter part Of No
vember. No word has been had from them since,
and some fears are entertained for their fate
The winter, since they left, has been unusually
severe, showing every few days since the begin
ming of December, so that the snow at present in
the mountains must be many feet in depth. Should
the expedition have crossed the mountains toward
the Navahoe country before the snow, which is
almost certain from the fact that they have not
returned their return will bealmost if not entirely
impossible. And if the winter has closed in upon
them, shutting them up in the enemy's country,
there is at least ground for fearful apprehension
for their fate. Perhaps their bleaching bones
will be left in sad testimony Of the truth Of the
Divine declaration, that they who take the sword
shall perish by the swordn
II has been thought, and said by some, that
every evil has its own remedy connected with it,
and will ultimately work its own cure. Though
am far from being a convert to this doctrine, yet
IL has proved 80 here in instance at least For
some time past our city has been alarmingly in
tested with dogs We had dogs by the hundred, Of
almost every size, rank, and blood
"Mongrel, puppy whelp and hound,
And cur Of low degres"-
from the huge, fierce, shaggy shepherd-dog, down
to the tiny chihuahua, not much bigger than an
apple-dumpling. So annoying had these dogs be-
come, that il was not safe to walk the streets af-
ter night without being armed at least with heavy
walking-cane About a month since, it was dis
covered that some Of the dogs were rabd One
poor young man was bitten, and died at the hos
pital in the most dreadful agony. One other per-
son was slightly bitten, but has experienced no
symptoms Of ydrophobia Handbils were immedi-
ately stuck up, in English and Spanish, warning
the citizens Of their danger and the soldiers were
turned out with instructions to shoot every dog
they could find in the streets For several days
there was a continual ringing of musketry and
bowling Of dogs in every part Of the city Even
the lives Of citizens were sometimes perilled by
the heedlessness Of some Of the soldiery who with
the eye intently fixed upon the enemy, did not
stop to consider who or what else might be in
range of their murderous weapons. For many
days, one would stumble upon dead dog every
few steps in almost any part Of the city and ii
the price Of sausages was materially depressed
about that time would have no one draw the
invidious inference that the abundance and cheap
ness of dog-meat had anything TO do with said
depression. | cannot pass this subject by without
a tribute to the indomitable courage Of our SOL
diery. II was the first time had ever had the
pleasure Of seeing them called out into noire SER
rice, as they are never called out but " sreat
emergeneeS. True, the Nsvahoes make their de-
scent upon our settlements, plumber our citizens,
"a IL
less murders; but then they are border enemies,
and wthal very Insignificant fellows. But here
WAS an Internal enemy, whose known rule Of war
faren was merciless determination. IL Was great
OCCASION and our sossiery acquitted themselves In
q manner every wsy worthy Of the stripes and
stars. II WIS an excellent discipline, too, In the
guerilla mode Of warfare, 80 essential to be nm.
derstood In this country.
find that the pro-slavery leaders here 10y |
which mean those who would favor the intro |
duction Of slavery into the Territory, and ulti-
mately fasten 1t upon the State are decidedly in
favor Of Territorial form Of government, at least
as adopted by the last Congress The reason is |
very obvious 10 every sensible man, and Is not |
concealed at least by some OF .s advocates here |
In their view the territorial bill Of the last Con-
gress leaves the Territory entirely open to the |
introduction of slavery and II that can be adopted
and the people kept from action upon the subject |
for while, there Is chance that siaveholding |
influence may gain the ascendency, the people be-
come gradually familsrized to it, and ultimately
It may be incorporated into subsequent State
Constitution, and made permanent institution
Of the country
The agod-ikc Daniep made great ass OF him
ae,f when he undertook to help the Almighty
iegsate slavery out of this Territory by the laws
Of physical geography, We read In certain
book, TO which Daniel appears to have q particular
aversion, that there were prophets in olden times
who ran without being sent and think u would
be we'll enough for some ofour modern political pro-
phets TO wait for call before they oflicously at