The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1858-12-25

TIE NORTH CAROLINIAN.
FAYETTEVILLE, N. G..
Sonora and chihuahua.

The recommendation in the message of the
President that the United States should assume
temporary protectorate over Sonara and
Chihuahua is founded not only in just right of
reprisal for aggravated and long continued out
RACES upon American citizens, but upon prnci-
Piles Of selfpreservation, and upon humanity
for the people of these frontier States. The
condition of these States, although similar in
point of misgovernmeat and oppression, is not
the same in degree. Sonora contains fifteen
millions OF acres of land and a population Of
about 10000 souls, including Indians. OF
this NUMBER a reliable authority estimates only
five per cent. as being able to read and write.
TAe Aumher ofenha bi,ants who call themselves
schite- :" gentc de razon"-dces not probably
exceed 80, 900.
Sonora is, beyond doubt, the richest mine
raj region in the known world. blessed with
fine climate, and in the valleys the richest soil
Sugar, cotton, wheat, corn, peas, beans, all the
fruits grow in a luxuriOusness and profusion
unknown even to our southern possessions
The people are naturally EociIe and accustom-
| ed to labor, caring only to be let alone to make
the State rich and prosperous by their quiet toll.
With all these advantages, Sonora is to-day in
the most miserable condition The whole State
is the prey of the Apache Indians. Ali culti-
vation, except in the immediate vicinity of the
towns, is abandoned. The high roads are daily
stained with the blood of the people. The
whole mining region o: the northern portion of
the State is abandoned and the commercial
world is deprived of the silver which it so
| much needs. From researches which will
| shortly be made public through the Indian De-
partment, it is ascertained that more than one
fourth of the Gia Apaches are Mexican chill
dren who have been carried into captivity and
| have grown Hp savage Annually, hundreds of
both sexes are captured. They never return
except when familiarzed with the Indian life.
| What is this to the United States? And when
q ~ fO ofo
sins inflicted upon foreign population The
answer is plain. These have their haunts in
the United States north of the Gila river
From the valleys of its northern branches they
descend into Sonora and Chihuahua plunder,
murder, and take prisoners and return with
| their ll-gotten booty to their homes, where
they remain until want inclination agai,,
sends them forth. Secure in their retreat, when
| they have crossed our boundary line-which
| the Mexican dare not cross-they pursue their
| way lesurely back We, in effect, give she
ter to these predatory bands, and become par
| ticeps crsmsmas in the despoiling of the faresl
province upon which the sun ever shown
More than this Arizona, which has beer
| gradually growing in Importance since its &C
| qnison is made the high road of the despoilers
and its development, which promises to aug
ment in SO great degree the wealth of The
| world, is checked our people, the sturdy pion
GERS of civilization, are robbed: our only mai
communication over land to the Pacific through
out the year liable to be stopped end we hav,
no redress. This willy savage, the Apache
after severe outrage upon our side of the lin,
retreats into Mexico, where we cannot follow
him, makes temporary peace with the near
est Mexcan authority and remains until:a great
er temptation offers. The Mexican govern
ment affords neither protection nor redress
Our readers will observe tina. we have touched
only one phase of this question This alon
would have justified US long since in establlSf
ing military posts in Sonora and Chhuahua
i, We are assured upon competent authority tha
protection by the United States from the Aps
ches will be received by the people with graf
itude which no words can express.