New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-08
NEW.MEXIC0.
yudiau pepredations Description OF
tse Navajoss-Thinas in SAM" re-
..x.s.. III the 81 Louis ReouSItcau.

"a. q
terosy 20 ,.ss attacked ON she Jernasa, near tne
III I oneping This tune, however, the mail
eoe "a prepared for toeir assSuan's insoe suo
Re1 vere party OF United states soieiei', wac
vee@ sesn nv the Indians. These last were
uer ~ snprosch within thirty yards, when the
Glows ,nmned from the wagon, much TO the sur
seian - In Indians. who discharged vouey !"
~. and then ran. This discharss ki'.ea one o. tas
- Ut and wounded two Others also killed
um "a crippled another, making ~ necessary for
mus - N rs,urn to bona Ana Tue lodi ms were
~ ~ n return il is supposed some OF them were
tueo. rainful report is. that the January mail,
NJ San Antonio and Ell Paso, which failed TO
o.s has been cut off Ii Is said thas n"' iaf rom
my swing and between that and the kio del
z.sts wagon tires have been found ana some otner
Coss, ,rrlndIpe a mans nat, which had been per-
e1usS Nv = bullet. and containing papers, which
Sa.~sd II belonged to the conductor OF the mail.
~ return OF the party they found on the road
Ims,ican, who h,d JUST been Killed ana scaiPsd
@tAr.n had most iEnprudently ventured on foot
l ns ssroush this dangerous pass IL 10 said, now.
49, sSst he 10 man who has been recently under
800 On q charge OF muIcer and VINO may nave
~scrns what reckless on thai account.
~ - not doubted that the mail has been inter-
- nv the Indians and all who were with 1t
CpS ,,l,sd or captured. The probability is, that
&c indlsDs concerned ~ u were Apaeass snot ns.
- -" line running esst from Ell Paso, and upon the
Du.a where this outrage happened Others have
gssssted that the scounoreily Jlcailas-wno nave
Hssun<ayed $50 IL Is sttOJ foin .neN piVic usua.
Ss.sis' we're the perpetrasors-which, however,
sScu, the frst the former vicaio Of the docss,
pa,s Crtiz. on his return from Durango, wiiher he
g. ompadled tie Bishop, had stolen from him, on
-. js,raca del Mu7ro, nineteen mules an 1 four nor
sss-leayine the reverend father nearly afoot.
10 the Ict grea. sweep was made IN the neigh
Ae,hood of La Joya and Las Padillas. About four
Sr.Syed nuies and cattle were taken OF from near
~ latter place, and twenty from the former They
vae the property OF Jos Chaves, the Armuhos and
cutisrez-persons well know here One man was
inside prisoner
Eonstsnti, while returning to Dona Ana, from the
Gamer mine, with a team, mad his horse shot under
hia and one man killed: HIS teams and sl his ami
uas except those which he and the Test OF his CON-
psni0Ds escaped ID, were captured.
On the 23d, news came that Major Richardson had
ADen into an aInbuscade near the copper mine, ana
lss two seTseants and one man. having narrow
Sscape for his own life. AsrepOrted, ~ seems tnas
usor Richardson who is stationed at Folt Webster,
siik two companies Of infantry had previously met
a. paches near there. With view 10 some under
s6apdiny with them. This OBJECT failed, ana not
srly that, but some difficulties arising, as we learn
ron the insolent manner in which tho Indians be.
hsSsd, nine Apaches were shet by our men, who re-
tired to the Fort. Immediately after this, me H.
Alan, came in upon the grazing ground, and drove
Of NE horses and stock aud II was m quest OF these
Shat Major Richardson was occupied, when he fell
IN With The Indians The stock is, OF course, not re-
captured. ,.,..
IN check TO an extent which could hardly have been
anticipated, and sho rs the prOprley OF step which
hb astonishing vas not taken at the very hrst Al
though 40 ne Of the incdehts OF the campaign against
them last summer were not so favorable as might
have been desired II 10 possible that the main object
6u been secured 1t certain that since the estab-
isbnent Of this fort, the Navojoes have been per-
feciy quiet. gentleman just In from SneIe, states
Shat they are frequently going In ans out IN per-
iee,ly peace able manner lie is OF impression that
large number OF the Tribe have taken up their win
teF quarters in the vicinity. One OF them-Largo-
sspowc rfal and wealthy as any Of them is not far
or Other chiefs have either been 10 or reported as
beng no great distance IRON the Fort. Nearly all
make professions OF de'ire for peace Such IS the
tall OF one OF them WHO seem to occupy prominent
place among their wsr chiefs Ii Is reported, how
ever that they intend to hold grand council In the
spring, with the view OF getting their position de-
Ansd. little Satisfactorily than at present.
The Navajoes-like the other tribes, whether of
the plains mountains-are subdvided into numer-
Gus little families or sets of locges-wholly 1nde-
pendent OF each other In time of peace-and yegu-
lated BY head, who Is so by virtue OF kinship ana
superior qualities of character, or by some striking
scts Of bravery or command The extent of family
depends upon the popularity OF Its head, and 10 al
wgs gradually undergoing increase or dimnutlon
shat popularity IL s.IeDg ,hened or inquired. The
bond Of union which connects hese families to-
eesner as trioe, Is eommon language aud long
association. AID II is only In ,lmc o. WAY or
PREPARATION for it--or only those occasions
Shen they come In contact with civilized gov
snmtnt--and when they may BE- Supposed TO
ieel the necessity of combination for mutual
countel, defense and succor-that these families
unite anc present the aspect Of tnoe or nation Az
such times only appears whatever there may be OF
ssrT~nent for The whole trlbe. This government is
the asse ublage OF al advisory council consisting oil
the petty chiefs OF families; In which the lead Is
taken by some OF the number who have acquired IN
uiuAl distinction In the eyes oi the whole tribe,
who may assert then light 10 IL at the tme by she
display OF superior abby. The powers OF this as
sbly extend to the adoption of certain resolutions,
binding upon all AID decisive OF the general quss.
oors OF peace or war, and of the ime and place OF
meeting an enemy, bat 90 nos concern themselves
with plans Of organization the appointment OF
general leaders SO that not even in war, or the
pectasion of it, 10 there any regularly constituted
leader tue lead being left the accident of fading,
at the moment when required, some one of the chiefs
capable Otinfuencing the crowd OF followers to raj
~ and tght at his comWsnd In such council are
taken ali such determinations upon the overtxes OF
NE whites as can be considered binding on them and
IN eneh case they may appoint an Individual TO
speak those determinations. When, therefore, a
civilized nation desires TO make propositions TO one
OF these trbes should be taken TO deal with II
only through these who represent II In the general
council. A convention, however solemn with Two
OF three OF half dozen OF the mere eads OF fami-
hss--bnos only those heats.
We have seen areaty Of peace and anity between
ae Navsloes and the nited States, which has been
followed by two years ofdepreoston and outrage on
ue part OF the Indians and can account for such
strange consequence only by supposing that the Ma
WAGES were not duly represented In the negotiation
or dd not understand its nature or purpose have
tathessy broken its terms. Either superstition may
oepropsolo enough and II has been, and perhaps is
nov highly important TO ascertain which Is the cor
rect one.
The knowledge we have here OF the Navajo couu.
w sho its INHABITANTS is very scanty and limited
strangely so, cof1icsrirs that the Aexicaus have
oeen IN contact with bosh for the last enc hundred
ana niIy years. The haunis aRd numbers OF the
snoe are very imperfecsly understood. have heard
esnma'es which have reduced their number 70 3o0c,
bu Am ia
Peseo 10 adopt the lowest calculation. TITS prob
soie that Fort Dessnce is in the central aad
some OF the more chosen sDo,s of their country.
The amount Of stock belonging 10 them has usually
esen represented ssvery large, and there Ia reason
20 suppose there 10 truth In these representations.
Largo has, II Is certain, one hundred brood mares
eihsr' cmefs-few OF whom probably are 30 rich az
be n-have more or lees ssock Nevertheless,
many who are ockipg 20 the Fort are al ways cTav-
ing mest-.he oiTsl OF which is greeeily eaten by
them-An they seldom briog in sheep FOR sale. u