The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-21
Our Santa Fe Correspondence.

Parties in New Me1ico-Ihe Legislative ASSEM-
blies-Ahcmpt to Prevent the Sitting of the
Legislature Popularity of Coz. Calhoun.
Soon after the Inauguration Of Governor Calhoun
as Governor of the territory two parties, rather
. faction and party, sprung up-the party COM
prising the entire Mexican population, with few ex-
eeptions, and the better portion Of the American
residents-the faction being composed of those who
held Office under the civil and military government
which had been superseded, (and who had been
thus thrown out of Office and portion Of the mill
tary officers stationed here The party were in IA
vor Of the establishment of the civil government,
and sustained the Governor, and were thence styled
the Governors party. The faction were opposed to
the establishment of the civil government. and in
favor of continuing the military rule in all civil
matters, and opposed the Governor and the civil
authorities in everything, and used every possible
means to render the civil government abortive.
And this same faction still freight every mail with
their faschoods and Misrepresentation for the pur
pose Of producing the impression in the States that
the civil government has proved q failure, and en-
tirely inefficient and that nothing short Of the iron
rule Of military power will do for these people;
The first meeting ofthe Legislative Assembly, un-
der the act of Congress providing territorial 60
vernment, took place in June, 1851. To an indif-
ferent spectator, as l was, the operations of the
party and the faction were rather amusing The
House Of Representatives. consisted of twenty. six
ENTHUSIASTICALLY Mexicans and six Americans. On
tho first day Of the session the leaders Of the faction,
and their adherents endeavored to raise . mob, to
efecting their purpose. This reasonable attempt
failed, however, and that body was permitted to
proceed with its business quietly, until the last
night Of the session, when the same set, under the
same leaders, got up another mob, for the purpose
of insulting and ridiculing the members. more
disgraceful scene has been witnessed even in
your great city, with its teeming and heterogeneous
mass Of population.
Such was the popularity of Governor Calhoun
with the Mexican people that his recommendations
were, in nearly all instances adopted and carried
into effect; and just in proportion as that excel
Mesoans. was he Sassa n.ignsa and misrepr Ss
sented by the almost frenzied leaders Of this fac
tious opposition The materials of whiah this fac.
ton WAS and is composed are about IS corrupt and
unprincipled rs factions ever get to be. Perhaps
they may be truly said to be about as far ahead in
that way rs they surely are behind in honorable
feeling and moral principle. But, in saying this,
let me not be understood ms claiming immaculate
purity either on the part of the Governor or that
Of his friends and supporters But they certainly
did aim to better the condition Of the people, how
far short soever they may have come of the attain
ment Of that object. GRINGo.
SANTA Fe, N. NJ, June 81, 1852.
Letter Writrs-Ihc american Merchants Opposed
to the Ciric Government Peculations IN the
QuarteYmaster's Department Prevented By Colonel
Supner-Frduduleat Contracts.
l have thought it possible that On occasional
communication from this place, in relation to mat
ters and things in this territory, might not be alto
gether unacceptable to your numerous readers. To
one acquainted with the geography, topography,
population, statistics and Of this region,
the almost entire want Of knowledge Of them the
part of the great mass of the people Of The States
and even on the part of rulers at Washington,
is matter of no small surprise. This surprise d.
minishes, however, when reflects upon the pains
taken by letter writer's and others to state anything
else but the truth. The American merchant here is
out and out opposed to the civic government estab-
lished in this territory; because with it, in short
time, came reduction Of the military expenditures
to the extent Of about onc.half. This reduction
brought down the price of merchandise more than
proportionably, (the stocks on hand being largc.)
and dried up the sources whence flowed two and
three hundred per cent profit. Hay contracts could
no longer be obtained by peculators Through the
agency Of tools and hangers on) at from eighty to
one hundred and ten dollars per ton-wood contracts
came down from fourteen and eleven dollars per
cord, to three and three and half.
The two or three hundred lackies hanging round
the department, and attached to the person Of the
no longer received ss1
-
ton done by their superors whereby they could re-
pensh the strong box othe monte and faro dealer The
rumseller and hellkeeper found his business diminish
ALSO and his five hundred and one thousand per cent
gone. The debauchec could no longer supply his
doxy with fifty dollar rebozss, and furnish her with
elegant apartments, at hundred dollars month.
Colonel Sumner no longer permitted the dealer OF
contractor with the Quartermaster to sign blank re-
cepts, to be filled up at any time, and to any amount
that the exigencies Of that officer might require
either to make accounts balance, or to "hll out
the hundred per cent profit on hay or corn con
tract. When that galfaut officer arrived here last
year, and superseded Colonel Monroe, Called mere
on account Of his Incidence, cold jock, ne ioune
just let out from the Quartermastor's department ],
the following contracts for hay, WHINE conilace
to the amount Of seventy. Eve thousan dollars
another, for sixty thousand dollars; anotner, iol
forty.Gve thousand dollars, and another for thirty
thousand dollars-two hundred and ten Thousand
dollars for single item Of forage, to say
nothing of corn contracts ct eight and ten dollar
per Idmega, 1.-TWO and half bushels) Such are thu
Contracts that run up the expenditures Of the Quar-
ster's department for forage alone, in single
wear. to Ave hundred and eighty thousand dollars
! during which period the average number Of govern
mont animals did not exceed six hundred. A pro
minent circumstance in all these transactions, and
| from which your readers will draw their own con
illusions, was tho fact that the Quartemaster wa