The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-04
ARIZONA.

| This Territory, according to John r R,,.
lett, Esq, late U. s. Boundary Commission,
is one of the most valuable of all our To-
ries. 1t has frontier of six hundred miles =,
the south, and its population is mixed. Span;,b
and Mexican. The mineral resources os a.
zonia are spoken of in the following lanvr...
by the Commissioner:
From the Mexicsns of intelIipepc. Twin.
in Sonora, l learned that the Saukits mons
tains, lying east of the Santa Cruz ValIsv
aoounded IN silver. Some of these mines bcI
formerly been worked. West of this valley i
the ARID region, which has but few inhsbitants
are both silver and copper mines. The come,
mine Del ago and the Santa Teresa and
brsted. ''''
MANY others, scarcely opened, including
gold, silver, and copper, are known n ov;.ss
but which have been abandoned or wsro 49, 1
worked for the want of means and of nroteo,;o~
against the Indians. The want of these hos la
to the abandonment of valuable mines tb-onrb
out the States of Chihuahus and Sonora Il.
deed, was told by old residents in these States
that hundreds had thus been Abandoned
portion only having been worked to any extent
ION the old Spanish maps of the district in
question there are many towns laid down N
places near mountains, where there are neither
grazing nor arabic lands, and which could oplv
have been supported BY mining. In reaching
those portions of the States mentioned. vbere
the population is sufficiently numerous to pro
tect themselves, we find silver mines of orea,
richness but even these are but imperfectlv
| worked, tor the want of means and proper ma
| chinery. Several of these mines entered nv.
| SELF, and saw great variety of Specimens Of
ore from others. Of gold, copper, cinnabsr.
and lead, also saw many fine specimens taken
from the mountains in the vicinity, all of which
tended to conXince me that these mountains do
really abound in these metals"
A strong attempt will be made in Congress
to give Arizona distinct Territorial orQsnza-
ton at once. 1t is said that another slave
State may be formed ere long; but if the min.
eral resources of the country are what they are
represented to be, it is very doubtful whether
the population which will flock to it will rot
give it free institutions. The Sacramento
Union says the movement for the organization
of Arizona is purely one of the slaveholdng
propaganda. A new purchase of land from
Mexico is to be made, which will give the Ter.
ritory population enough to demand admission
into the Union.
"a successful termination of the issues
which now present themselves under the plan
of action, it is calculated by those in the plot,
would introduce Slavery upon the Pacific coast,
and thus practically extend barrier across the
| Continent, which would effectually arrest the
further progress south of the principle of the
Nebraska bill. That principle, so far, has
operated most decidedly adverse to the exten.
sion of Slavery, and those that inaugurated
now perceive that there is danger of the princ.
pie being applied successfully against Slavery
in all the territory obtained from Mexico. IN.
less move is made to counteract the move.
ment. This Arizona scheme is probably in.
tended to operate as such check"