Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-01-20
Letter from New Mexico--Stars-
ling Exposition.

Letter from New Mexico--Start-
ling Exposition.
officer of standing and influence. which has been
Published since our last, furnishes much food for
reflection, and will be read with great interest.
Ed.
New Mexico, SANTA FE, May q, 80
Sir 1t may be well TO premise that L
consider it certain that some radical change
of this Territory sooner or later that the
people of the United States will not consent
to bear this heavy burden, endlessly, with
out receiving the slightest return, and with
out even possibility of betttering tile con-
ditlon of this people. 1t would, therefore,,
seem to be question only as to time.
would respectfully submit the following
project:
Place the Territory in the same relation
to the Government of the United States
that it held toward the Mexican Govern
ment before the war
Withdraw all the troops and civil officers,
and let the people elect their own civil eff
GERS and conduct their Government in their
own way, under the general supervision of
our own Government. 1t woald probably
assume similar form to the enc we found
here in 1916, viz: civil Government, but
under the entire control OF the Governor
This change would be highly gratifying to
this people, and believe they would cheer
fully pledge themselves never to ask any
further aid from the United States than the
same appropriations that were granted to
the other Territories. There would be "a
pronunciamento every month er two, but
these would be Of no consequence, as they
are very harmless when conGned to Mexl-
cans alone.
With all the economy that can be uses,
and exertions in agriculture, ETC., as long
as we hold this country, as we do now. is
must be very heavy burden to us; and
there never can be the slightest return from
all this outlay; not even in ameliorating the.
condition of the people; for this distribu-
ton of public money makes them more idle
and worthless. There is no possibility of
any change for the better. Twenly-6fiy
years hence-,his Territory will be precise
ly the same it is now. There can never ',e
an inducement for any class of our people
to come here whose example weaid improve
the people. Spectators, adventurers, and
the like, are all that will come, and their
example is rather pernicious than beneficial.
I No civil Government, emanating from the
Government of the. United States can be
maintained here without the aid of militia,
~ force--in fact, without its being virtually
a military Government. do not believe
there is an intelligent man in the Territory
who is not, at the present time, fully sens.
BILE Of this truth. All branches of this civil
Government have equally failed-lhe exec
htive for want of power; the judiciary,
from the total incapaciiy and want Of prin.
cipe in The juries; and the legislative, from
want of knowledge "a want of identity
with our institutions, and an extreme reluc.
lance to impose taxes; so mach 50, that
they have never even provided the means
to sdbsst prisoners, and, COZ sequently, fe-
ons of all kinds were running at large.
The New Mexicans are thoroughly de-
based and totally incapable Of set-goveru-
ment, and there is no lateat quality about
them that can ever make them respectable
t. citizens They have more Indian blood
than Spanish, and IN some respects are be-
low the Pueblo Indians, for they are not as
honest or industrious. In this remaak,
, alude TO the lower classes. There are
, some educated gentlemen, with respectable
! families-about enough tor magistrates and
other official persons There isnot much
increase in populations, owing to their gross
), depravity. | doubt if there is tribe of
Indians on the continent who are more
abandoned in their commerce between the
sexes than the great majority of this people
) The reduction of Government expenses
was, no doubt, the primary cause of the re-
) cent dlsaffectIon. As conquered people,
they feel natural dislike toward US; but
so long as we keep them supplied with
money, they had nothing to do but revel in
their vices, and we're content to stihe their
PATRIOTISM. 1t requires but very little to
subsist them, and, therefore, a small pit
lance enables them to pass their time in
: idlencss and vice; but tina, little they must
have, and there is now no way they can get
! it. The truth is, the only resource of this
country is the Government money. All
classes depend upon it, from the profession
al man and trader down to the beggar. :e-
} fore we took the country, considerable
part of the population earned scanty live
lhood at the mines; but this work was
abandoned directly when the Government
money WIS scattered broadcast among them.
These mines are not productive, and never
Can be made so. in comparison to the in.
exhaustible mines of California; but part
of this people managed to earn at them a
few shillipgsa day, and that supported them.
They will be obliged to return to this work
again as the onl y means Of living, while the
rest must get from the soil the lew articles
that are necessary for their sustenance.-
There can never be any profitable agrcul-
ture in this country There is but very
small part of it that is arabic land the val.
leys of the few streams comprise the whole
of it; and much Of this cannot be cultiva-
ted, owing to the efilorescence Of salt, and
the residue requiring such laborious kind
of irrigation and cultivation that corn cannot
be raised here for less than dollar bushel.
But, even if it could be raised as cheap as
it is in Missouri, there would be no market
for it beyond the wants of the Government ;
and no agricultural product would ever pay
transportation from this remote country
With regard to their protection from the
Indians, they would have the same that was
extended to them by the Mexican Govern
ment--that is to say permission to defend
themselves. Besides, they would be much