The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-11
LETTER FROM NEW MEXICO.
SANTACK. N. M June d


To the Editor of the National Era.
Your valuable papers have begun to make
their regular appearance at my house, and are
read with great pleasure am glad to find
that the Era still preserves the high tone of its
earlier days and is still equally removed from
detection to great cause on the one hand,
and fanaticsm ON the other.
] write you from u portion Of our country
which has received from the powers at home a
glorions lettipg alone" While other Terri
tories have received prompt aud generous. ,sr
sistance, we have been left to struggle AZ best
we could for existence and prosperity We
have been in the predicament Of the poor fell
iow Who fell overheard in Che presence Of two
lrishmcn, one Of whom bet three shillings that
the man would drown while the other bet two
| shillings that he would not A similar bel
seems to have been ventured upon by certain
dignitaries, who have condescended from time
TO time to bestow a leisure glance on New Mex
100; and one might judge that some to gain
their trifmg bet have done something worse
than even to let US alone. Well, with all our
splurging and sprawling we don't intend to
drown, nor permit others to drown US; and,
after all the sneers and odium, merited and
unmerited, which have been heaped upon us,
you will yet have the pride and pleasure Of
seeing Americanism here achieving victories
sufficiently brilliant to convince all skeptics
that We are still true to tho guiding genius of
our country.
Any one who is in the least acquainted with
the anarchy which prevails in the Mexican
Republic, can readily imagine the confusion
and difficulty with which our civil authorities
have had to contend, in the prosecution of their
legitimate functions.
AS it Is much easier to build a house in
new spot than on the foundations of an old
one of different size, whose walls must be pull.
ed down and the rubbish removed so it would
have been work of less difficulty to have
formed government here, had an old and
rotton one never been in existence.
The administration of Governor Lane has
laid the plan for well-deHned course of poll
cy. The machinery Of law has been set in full
operation, apd many sapient official, in the
discharge Of his duties, is amazed to find that
thing Of life and meaning has been intrusted
70 his hands.
The Mexican population arc living ia the
utmost peace Revolutions are no longer talk
cd Of. Governor Lane, on his arrival, sent
word TO some Of the would-be revolutionists
that should any disturbance break out among
them, he would proclaim martial law, and
hang not merely blankets and buckskinr, but
broadcloth also. This has had wonderful
effect
The Nabajoes have been showing some signs
Of dissatisfaction, and the prevailing idea seems
to be that they must have one or two sound
castigations before they will settle down and
follow peaceful occupations.
As the President is determined TO support
Governor Lanes proclamation, claiming iuris.
diction over Mesilla and in vicinity. We NAV
have a little brush with Old Mexico still, L
is TO be hoped that the affair may terminate
amicsbly. have q notion that few more
MEXICAN conquests would be to ms what the
Italian victories of Pyrrhus were to him.
A large silver mine has been opened in the
vicinity OF Don Ana. Some specimens, which
have been sent 10 this city for inspection, will
yield thirty-two dollars to the hundred pounds
and, what il still moro remarkable, the ore
can be traced on the surface Of the earth for
the distance Of forty miles It will not be long
before this wealth will be available TO the Ter
ritory Men Of capital will embark in this en-
terprisc, and then that part If our country will
assume 9 most vigorous end Aourisbing appear
ance. There may be some exaggeraton in the
statements concerning that mine, but you may
rely upon the fact that immense quantities Of
silver can be obtained from il, with very little
labor or expense. The proprietor Of the mine
now opened, Mr.. Stevenson, showed me several
specimens Of pure silver, which no had obtained
with little difficulty without the use Of any
machinery.
Our citizens are beginning TO spread abroad
and settle upon lands hitherto abandoned to
tho wild Indiana Sevsvsl fhrns have haen
laid out this year on the rivers Gallinas and
Pecos.. The prospect Of having the Pacific rail-
road pass through this Territory has probably
had some influence in these settlements Some
are taking measures 70 enter extensively into
the business Of stoek rsisiDg--a business which
formerly produced an annual revenue Of near
ly S2,O0000 and might again be made ex-
ceedingly profitable. Oas Of our citizens Mr..
MARVEL Of Taos, took out this season drove
Of sheep TO California, snd realized clear gain
Of some ten thousand dollars by the enterprise.
Perhaps some utssmtios, furnished NO by al
old American resident will DO Of interest 10