The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-09-10
THE uApspst PURCHASE,

put in nomination Ivy his friends, as Sem.
tor 10 Congress; or TO tilI the vacancy re.
Gently occasioaed in that body Ivy the death
of Judge Butler. Should this gentleman,
DO elected, tho new territory, of Arczonia-
moru hmi!arly known as the Ga,ls,lcn
rurchasc-wlI have M agent at Washing
ton, or q""si delegate in Congress. rather
carly in its hstory-as Gen. Gmls,cn not
""'y negotiated the treaty by which i, was
added 10 the already world wide domain of
the RcruLlic-but is probably better 40
quantcd with its character and resources,
than anybody else; and would, therefore,
have it in his power to promote its interests
md shape its destinies or in various WAYS
to influence its future fortunes, both rs II
territory and State, should he choose to use
his position in the Senate in this way as
hc would most certainly have right to-,
and might do, in perfect consistency with
patriotism and his public duty. We sus-
Pcct, however, that the discovery made at
last, of the importance Of this new acquisi-
tion, or Of lis great mineral riches and acli-
cultural resourccs-and Of the advantages
1t enjoys from its lying upon, and being
destined to lc one Of the tloroughf;,rcs Of
the mcst eligible route to California, has al
80 had something to do with, or led to the
discovery simultaneously made 10y the Gen.
erals political friends, of his peculiar fitness
for the place to which they would elevate
him. and in wlli,I. he might in turn serve
them essentially by the influence which he
would be entitled to exercise over the affairs
OF this new rcgion-riclI in mineral wealth.
now rapidly coming into notice. The fol-
lowing compcndious account Of it, and his
story Its acquisi,ion-is given in Il recent
number Of the Springfield (AIassaclusctts)
Republican:
"Scvcral years since, General Gatlslen,
OF Charleston, Soutl, Carolina, then Minis
ter to Mexico, made a new treaty with Sar-
ia Anna, while that gentleman was 'on his
last legs by which, i'll consideration of a
small pile Of purchase money, consiL ra-
ble strip of territory on the northern Loun-
Diary of Mexico, was transferred to the Uni
ted States. General Galsden made this
purchase almost at the risk Of his rcputa-
tion; because he conceived that the Terri
tory would he mainly available for the
Southern Pacific Railroad. The purchase
vas ridiculcd at the time as very foolish;
the General was even charged with having
anticipated his authority-and the Senate
only ratified his treaty. after a long and
somewhat earnest struggle. Recent dcvcl-
opcmcnts, however, have changed tic as
pect of this AT first inauspicious cvent-and
instead Of having paid Santa Anna ten
millions for desert, which lie was glad TO
be rid Of in lieu of the cash which, he SO
badly needed at the time-we have added
to our domain a large and fertile Territory,
we'll adapted to agricultural pursuits, and
Abounding i'll the precious metals. The
purchase has proved good bargain, and
now the question is being mootcd, Glow
shall we best avail ourselves Of itY The
l'imas Indians, large and scmi-cultivatcd
tribe, raise magnificent crops Of cotton,
wheat and corn in the GiIa valley, and cm-
ploy the first named product in the manu-.
t;'cture of blankets, woven by hand, but Of
texture ms beautiful as it is skillfu. In
those portions Of the Territory where the
ground is not irrigated by streams an abun-
dance of water has been found, by sinking
wells; and u few artcsian wells in the west
ern part Of the country would forever re-
deem it from the name of desert, which, it
is humorously said, it so i'll deserves. The
discovery of rich veins of silver and copper
within the year past has attracted to the
Territory large number of California mi
ners, who are now successfully opening
rich mInes-wllich, with capital and con-
ccntratcd effort, can he worked to great
profit. The silver mines lately opencd at
Arivoca, Sopori, Santa Rita and BarLarso
meri, numbering over one hundred distinc,
veins Of rich ore, are only an earnest of
what can be done under favorable auspices.
LII copper mining, two million dollars are
already invested-and tile orc has been
pronounced in London to bc the richest
ever sold in TINT market. One Of the last
California Steamers also brought several
packages Of silver from the supposed desert
which are represented MS beng very
rich"
Gen. Gadsden, lowcvcr-from what VIC
have heard Of his cbaracter-is not man
to lend himself to the views or intrigucs, ei
tl'er Of land spectators or specializing poll
ticians-who may therefore do more SER
vice 70 their country than themselves by
bringing lin into the Senate. Gen. Gads-
den, ithas been charged by his friends, was
badly treated Ly the late administration,
L.. Al.oC L