The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-04
THE MEsILLA VALLEY.

Some surprise has naturally been expressed bv thos
who feel an interest in the movements Of Gen Lane il
not finding the name Of Mesils any of the ma ps
New Mexico Texas, the adjoining Mexican States.
brief history Of this place may therefore, possess in
Mesilla is the derivatve Of the Spanish word mesa table
e. table land or plateau, and is applied to lesser pa
esa ID the valley Of the Rio Gande bs,eath that Of thu
raj hundred miles in all directions from the Rio Crande
means therefore, little plateau, little table land
about fifty miles above FL Paso in latitude about so de
10 minutes north, and until the year 1850 was
Immediately preceding and after the war with Mexico
th exsan population occupying the eastern bank OF
he ko Grande in Texas and New Mexico were greatly
py the encroachments Of the and by
ner efforts to despo them of their landed
PROPERTY This was done by the latter either settling
lnem, or In some instances forciby occupying
,hsIr dwellings aud cultivated spots In most cases
oowever, It done by putting rexas head rights, on
tnSL property These head rights were grants issued
o hs rtae OF Texas generally embracing $40 acres or
mile square though they sometimes covered yerv large
tracts. They we're issued to persons who had served IN
her wars military land warrants and also TO oria
nal settlers which cer6c or head rights are s
bought and so IN that State. The owner them may
locate his land where he pleases unless previously
pied. or in lawful possession Of another.
With these land certificates, head rights y many
Americans ocked to the valley of tho Rio Grande aud
century had been in the quiet possession of the de.
scerdans OF the old Spanish coloniss. The latter 10
lives abaIdoned their homes, and sought refuge the
Mexican side Of the river. Dona Ana modern town on
me eastern bank OF the Rio Grande fifty five miles above
III Paso, sDd the ''intal poiAt,n being a we'll.
loca ar desirable place and selected by the
United States for one of its military posts, became m
attractive point for speculators and in conse-
quonce pounced upon by them, and covered by the
.Ieaan head rights" land warrants. Whether the
Mexican occupants Of the lands adjacent were
the lawful owners or not it is needless to state il Is
sufficient to say that they had long been in und bed
possession. They row became alarmed Litigat ons
commenced. Some applied to the authorities Of New
Mexico, Texas, the United States. for protection Fail
ing to obtain it. in despair several hundred abandoned
their property and homes determined to seek
within the territory Of Mexico pIeerr2g the very un
certain protection they could obtain there remaining
as citizens of the United States
With this resolution, spot selected ON the oppo
site or western side OF the river eight ten miles below
bona Ana which it believed. would be within the
limits of Mexico In the month Of May 1850 this perse
cuted people established themselves and named the place
La Mesila," e., the little table To increase the
colony the government of Mexico offered give lands to
other actual settlers which offer induced large numbers
OF Mexicsns living in New Mexi and in the
small settlements along the Rio Grande in Texas, to
move there More than half the population of Dona Ana
Iemovtd to Mesilla within year.
When the boundary line was agreed upon, in Recem
ter, 1850 and it became certain that La Mesilla
south Of the boundary line according to the treaty map
their fears were removed and day set apart for
y rn nr oay ana hs & vas cole
from II Paso attended After this the population in
creased much on account Of The Inducements Of land
and in October 1852 the Prefect Of FL Psso stated that
the population number ed ], 900 souls
Very few America settled therein fact none
but trsders and it is probable that there
twenty altogether.
last summer some Spectators attempted to practise
they were citizens Of New eAico by claiming their lands
This created seat dissatisfaction and they then threat
ened to leave and again become citizens Of the United
States. At this time mischieyous persons put
idea into their heads to deny the jurisdiction of Mexico
and thus save their property and this is doubt the
foundation OF Governor lanes assertion that they desire
to become re annexed to New Mexico.
When hir Bartlett concluded. vote OF thanks ten
dered to HIM with request that ne woad fu,nlsh the
society with copy OF his paIer for preservaon Ths
meeting then adjourned.