The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-22

10 which we allude is New MExlco-though why
region of country should be called s.New,"
which Spanish adventures explored and conquered
as early as 1910, and only twenty years after
CORTEz achieved his first victory over the forces of
MoNTEzUMA, or why its capital should be called
Santa FG-( Holy Fddh )-where there is but little
faith in any thing or anybody, are mysteries which
we do not now seek to elucidate. Certain it is
that New Mexico is by no means Paradise of
Dainty Delights, are the morals of its people to
be exlravagantly commended. A barren soil,
scanned with deep ravines and canons, showing
every where the traces of volcanic action: ard
plains and lofty mountains, are its distinguishing
Typographical features. Here and there n narrow
valley invites the labors of the husbandman; but
these fertile nterspaces are few in number and are
widely separated. Its chief products-so to speak
consist of ruinous PueJlos ancient Mexican
idols, and fragments of Aztec crockery These
abound. The principal amusements of its people,
are gambling, cock fighting, and faaddngos Their
principal employment s-to do nothing. Secretary
FLOYD thinks that Watch so undeniaby pinch
beck is not worth the keeping, and there are many
Others besides Secretary FLOYD who think so too
But what shall we do whit? We cannot we'll at
this late day, return it to the Mexican PETER FUNK
who pamed it off upon us. 1t would be scarcely
worth while to demand the money back that We
paid for it. That has been squandered long ago.
Besides, the purchase was not so bad after all
California was included in the bargain and we
have at least obtained possession of true metal
there young and sprightly PENNSYLVANIA
lawyer, on the strength of his appointment as
UNITED STATES Attorney for the District of New
Mexico set out in 1853 for the city of Santa Fe.
neither the emolumcnts of the Office like those of
TX MARVEL s Venitian Consulate amounted annu-
ally TO about two dollars and a half or whether
they slightly exceeded that magnificent sum we
are not prepared to state; nasmuch as Z. s. Dis
trlct Attorney DAVIS is discreetly silent on the
subject, although he has given u.s. in book form
the result of his experiences of New Mexico and IFS
people Mr.. DAVIS found ''ridng the circuit TO
be decidedly hard work. Fifty miles at a stretch
between one paltry village and another over arid
plains, bounded by ranges of mountains twbose
rugged peaks shot far up into the clear blue
sky across trails frequented by the wild
Apaches, ''where the market-price of good white
scalps fell as much fifty per cent. in vaue:n
incoming by little springs issuing from rocky GREY
ices; and either camping out for the night in the
wilderness, or budding together in wavsde cab
ms, where, if the fare was lenten the feas were
abundant afforded many opportunities for study
ing the physical formation of that portion of the
Great American Central Basin and the manners
and customs of It's inhabitants But Mr.. DAVIS
got wearied of the everlasting ijoles and tortilas
the staple food of the country, and of d,nino and
suppng al .tresco, and finally became convinced.
'tthDt the off anfTT
Mexico Is no sinecure, and that one trim should
satisfy any reasonable man; unless he has an over
Weehing desire to become a modern Wandering
Jew, or new tangled Don Quixote, travelling
hiler and thther in search of legal or other adj
ventures. 80, after completing his thousand
miles OF Judicial Circuit a country diversified
by barren mountains and sandy plains, and in many
parts traversed by rowing bands of hostile Indians
MIR. DAVIS concluded to lay down his buddino
honors, his revolver and his spurs, and return 70
the Key Stone State, where knives and forks arc
better known; where beans are not stewed in lard
or talow, and where lean mutton, dressed sswitb
'chth as red as blood and almost as hot as molten
lead is not favorte dish with the wealthy.
Secretary FLOYD has even a more contcmntihle
opinion of the territorial value of New Mexico
than Mr.. DAVIS has ventured to eypress Tho
SECRETARY suggests TO Congress the propriety of
getting rid of it altogether. He estimates ifs
mohgfei population, exclusive of wild Indians
'l ABOUT D; 100 souls; half of whom, according to
MI DAVIS, may be safely set down as being unable
either to read their catechsms or to write their
names. The total value of the real estate Secre
tary FLOYD, guided by the census of 1850 puts
IN round numbers at 81, 700, 900, whilst the annual
efPense, of maintaining large military force for
the protection of the scanty population of tbe
territory, Is nearly equal to half this amount.
lie, therefore, suggests that Kit would be better on
1.-THE score OF economy to induce the inhabitants
TO abandon country, which seems hardly
mt Tor the habiaton of civilized man. by
remuneratng them for their property in
money, or in lands situated in some more f.,
''vored region, and argues s'that even if the Gov
'ernment paid for the property quintuple its value
'it would still be largely the gamer by the trans
action. If we could dvest ourselves of q terri
tory over which we exercise the right of jurisdic-
uon, as easily as we could slip off cumbersome
oVercoat, the advice of Secretary FLOYD would be
worth considering. But how is it to be done9 We |
are not certain that its inhabitants could he in |
duced to migrate to more favored REGIONS even If
we agreed to buy out their holdings at biob fonra
But suppose they should be willing, and sunnosa
Congress voted an appropriation for the purpose of
satisfying all demands, what then are we to do
with Arizona? Is not that 'pinchbeck'' also?- |
Inc commissioners who ran the line between the |
United States and Mexico were not very favoraby |
impressed with the character of the GADsDEN pur- |
chase If we abandoned New Mexico and retained
Arizona, would tho mi e, AZ n
P'rtment be materially lessened Are we not
"'a'h oy ahe treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, to
'H'ine'iii iorce on the Mexican frontier, sufficient
" P'e'cn' incursions into that Republic by the |
WIN tr'oes Oh the Desert2 Does it even accord |
win Inc temper OF our people to take any
step backwards? The fact is, we have bouobt
wide stretch of territory in n linn, 90
men sometimes buy an odd collection of m;sooua
neous articles at a country auction and ua 49,.
take the good with the bad. We must regard a.
pure gold of California as compensatino for a.
pinchbeck of New Mexico and Affzona sroh
seemed to be the feeling of the HOUSE of Rpppv-
SENTATIvEs, when its attention was recently called
10 the suggestions of Secretary FLOYD General
LANE, The Delegate from Oregon, thought that if
'he facfs were as the Secretary of War had stated
them, we might as well give up all the lands in |
New Mexico at once. Mr.. FAULKNER of virginia
characterised the plan as n very extraordinary,
one. Mr.. OrERO, the Delegate from New Mex;co
unable to reply at length, contented himself with
saying, ''the Secretary of War knows NOTHING Of
the condition OF things in New Mexico, and does
THAT people great injustice and here the discus
sion of the subject was dropped.
In the morning papers of Tuesday last will be
Enund corna -.nca.