Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-04-13
BARcLAY's FoRr, N. NJ. Feb. Is 1860

OVeStfY 1>uW.
BARCLAYS FoRT, n. NJ, Feb. 10, 1860.
To the Editors Of the Missouri Democrat:
L send you the substance OF letter received
from friend who was in Santa Fe during the
session of the Legislature. Ii you think any
part OF 1t will interest the readers of the
Democrat, 1t Is at your disposal. X X X
Judge KeithIey, the Speaker of the
House, introduced bill for the repeal of the
law passed at the last session of the Legislature
lor tue protection of property in slaves in this
territory upon which a member from Santa
&c county moved the bill be rejected Judge
nTl''iley tnen made speech in favor OF the
p,l' III WHlch he was ably supported by
1 NJ, Uarcla and Cueer, of LOccorro Co.
ne Votc was then taken upon the motion; the
mouse refused to reject the bill, which was laid
upon the table for second reading, and the
House adjourned until the following day. In
the meantime the news spread like widfre all
over santa te, and had the Old Palace been
- blowh SKY high, it could not have caused
greater alarm to certain gentlemen of the HOLY
City than did the Introduction of this hi
AS they had contrived to smuggIe the slavery
Oil through the House so neatly duing the
iaSt session, ana forty days OF the present one
having ghdeu by without the slightest allusion
ID tile subject, they considered themselves
SAFE, ana finally hoped the people would re-
man in happy ignorance of the existence of
such law. What wonder then that thew
Were panic stricken when they were so ruClely
startled from their tancied security, and saw
Their bantling placed in such imminent peril
Something must be done, and that quickly.
The members were collected in bot.hastp and
mysuhed with the same arguments which
proved so potent at the last session. while John
Bareycorn, on whose persuasive powers their
principal reliance was placed, acted with more
than his usual energy and efficiency, which so
elated the glorious few, that they abandoned
the defensive, and determined to make bold
strike, and carry the war into the camp of the
enemy. Not satisfied with the assurance that
the bill should be smothered, they determined
to snuff out its introducer Also as a solemn
warning to all future generations.
Accordingly, on entering the House the fol-
lowing morning, communication was pre-
scented to Judge Keithley, by the door-keeper,
purporting to be the proceedings of a commit
tee appointed by the members of the House,
the substance OF which was, that they could
never consent to have any person preside over
them who could dare to introduce so anti.
democratic BILL before such high toned ma
tional democratic House of Representatives
and in pursuance Of instructions received at
the caucus held the previous night, Mr. Cuel-
Ter introduced a resolution declaring the speak
er's chair vacant and after considerable delay
In eXcusing members from voting, the resoiu-
ton was carried in the affirmative Mr.. Cuel-
Ter was elected TO the vacant scat, and mme-
diately qualified as speaker of the House. This
was the identical Mr.. Cueler who made a
strong speech the day previous in support of
the very bill, for the introduction OF which
Judge heithley was ousted from the chair,
(rare national democratic consistency and
thus the traitor received the reward Of his
treachery.
The object of this measure was, to induce a
belief abroad that the people of New Mexico
are favorable to slavery, when nothing is far
Their from the truth, as they know nothing
about 1t. Even many members of the present
Legislature were not aware of the existence OF
this law until the present effort was made for
its repeal 1t will doubtless, excite surprise
that handful of offiee-holders and ofice.seek.
ers should be able to humbug whole people
and keep them in ignorance OF matters of such
vital importance to them, when it suits THEN
private interests to do So but to those who
are aware of the actual state Of things here, il
is the simplest thing imaginable.
70 digresS a little from the subject, this Mr.
Cueller, this high-toned national democrat
this presiding deity ofthe House, like all other
great men, has his faults, amongst which, un.
fortunately, the vice OF gambling holds con
spicuous place.
Now it came to pass in these days, that the
watch and cloak Of AR. Cueller, disappeared
very suddenly, and mysterously, and as
singular coincidence, George, the negro broth
er, at this precise time, became the happy pos
SCISSOR OF a cloak and watch exactly like thosc
lost by Mr.. Cueller, and said negro George
had faint recollection Of having gambled witt
a member of the legislature, further this de
ponent sayeth not, nor is il needTul; but tho
question naturally suggests itself, whether
this model Speaker of the HonSe and negro
George, are on a perfect equality, or if there
is any advantage on either side, who has it
But to return to the subject that following ar
gument were used to induce Judge Keithley
to change his views, by these wlre-workers
ave fear the influx of hordes of aboiionists
and then the very devil will be to pay here ;
he re 9led, "and if the old devil, slavery, once
gets a toothold here, how are we TO get him
out? Ii ever this should happen, it shall be
no fault of mine, nor will it be OF the people
you and Mr.. Otero, our delegate, will bear all
the blame, as it is your work" But, Judge,
YOU have selected the worst possible time
The Speaker has not as yet been elected at
Washington and this very question may cause
the dissolution Of the Union. You should not
have agtated this slavery question during the
present session.
w lldI Ou say may bS very iIuG BSltlGildH
but it is very singular, the thought Of abo
tionists and the danger to the Union, should
not have occurred to you while you were
smuggling the law through the legislature OF
which, [ have endeavored to procure the re-
peal"
The communication of the committee tC
judge Keithley contained the following singu
lar clause:
awe the undersigned have seen the course
pursued by you, in introducing Il bill fol
for the repeal OF The law now in operation tor
the protection of property in slaves in this ter
ritory, and we consider this step as antidem
cratic in all its parts, and we consider meas
IRE of this nature could only be produced by
an abolitionist or black republican"
Judge Kethley sent in Il communication i'll
reply, denying the charge of abolitionism, and
stated that he introduced the bill which had
caused so much excitement, because he beev'
ed that instead of its being an injury to the PEG
pie OF New Mexico, it would rebound greatly
to their benefit. That his right to introduce il
was und0ubted, and the action taken against
him was unjust unprecedented, and arbitrary
in the extreme, and that he appealed from
their decision to generous public, who he
was confident would do him justice. This
communication was rejected.
He then entered his solemn protest agains
the action of the House. He says -
This arbitrary and despotic action was taEel
against me because had the independence t.
express my views in relation to the slavery
law now in operation in this territory,
sacred right belonging to every citizen whit
,a,,f md itrt lto pN