The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-12-15
The Price we Pay for 1t.

We have heretofore told our readers that
the territory Of New Mexico contains u pop
ulaton OF 10000, and that there are not three
hundred citizens born in the United States,
therein. We get no revenue from it, and
we never shall without the assistance of a
large military force, as the people have never
paid taxes to their own Government and
will not to ours, unless compelled 10 DO SO
by physical force.
We obtained New Mexico at the close Of
the late Mexican war, aud We have estab-
Jished territorial government over it. The
President of he United States appoint, a
Governor, Sec. OF State, Marshal, Judges,
&C., who 60 out to rule that people, and who
get good roupd salary from the treasury OF
Uncle San at Washington. All the expense
Of the territorial organization is paid by appro-
prations from the national treasury.
We have before US number Of the Santa
Fc Gasst!s 1t is edited by w. II Ii. Da-
vi-, who is an officer of the Government of
New Mexico. From this paper we learn
that, at the last session of Congress, appro-
prations to the amount Of ttco hundred and
.fftg thousand dollars were made for their
benefit.
This is in addition to tseeaty thousand dol
lars appropriated to defray the Legislature
expenses of the Territory.
After enumeratng these matters, and duly
chuckling over them, Mr.. Davis says:
1--WE ask our readers if this is not evidence
that democratic administration takes good
care OF New Mexico! The people must al
ways look to the democratic party Of the
country for support and protection, aud while
they do this, they will never be disappointed" "
1t is not at all surprising that this man
should praise the hand that feeds him. 1t
would be base ingratitude if it were other
wise. 1t is, Of course, :he iRterest OF the Ter
ritsries TO get rs much cash out Of the gener-
al Government as they can. We, however,
think it is well enough for the ta.c payers, the
masses Of the country, 10 look into ese
things, and to see how much they are bene-
fitted by this system.
In addition to the $27O,OOe of direct ap.
propriations, we are obliged to sustain large
military force in New MeXieo. At least Il
thousand troops are constantly required to
protect the people from the Indians; and,
what is quite as important, to protect the
Government from the people. There is no
love for us or our institutions among the
great mass of the New Mexican population,
and nothing but the constant presence Of a
military force induces them to submit to the
control OF the civil officers that compose the
territorial Government. Tile expense OF
maintaining this military force is enormous.
A drugoon costs a thousand dollars per year.
and the most o! our frontier troops are oil that
description. Every year then, we pay out OF
our own pockets at least one million Of dol
iarS to keep up our territorial control over
New Mexico.
II the country were worth the money, if il
were not already populated nearly to its ca
pacity by a set of inhabitants totally differ
ent from ours in all tile elements of religion
civilization and national character, the case
would not be SO peculiar. But, nothing is
more certain than the iTp possibility of making
sober, industrious, moral, intelligent, and
law abiding population, in any respect re-
sembling our own, out of these Mexicah peo-
pie. We have held possession of that terri
tory for six years. and yet there is no percep-
tibie change. We have sent out our protes-
tant ministers as missionaries, who have la
bored faithfully and long in this field, andye
up to this time, not a single c0are't from the
native population has been made. II there
were inducements for our people to emigrate
thther, as was the case to California, it wo'd
be more endurable, Us time might bring about
different state of affairs. But, there is no
vacancy to fill, and no temptation to I'll it,
if it were vacant. The three hundred Amer
leans there, are principally traders, or attaca-
es OF the government And yet, for taem we
are annually taxing ourselves at east one
million of dollars, with prospect of an inde-
finite continuance OF the same operation.
Such is our PES ,ion in respect to New
Mexico. Ii it were new question, to-day
70 be passed upon by the people Of the I'M
red States, and with thcse puin and undenL