New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-04-16
THE SLAVE CODE or NEW-SlEXICO.
To ne Editor Of Tie n. Y. Tribune.

relation to New-Mexco and answer TO that article
from The Constitution of JAM S, from the pen Of the
Hon. NJ. A. Otero, our delegate TO Congress. pro-
pose to make some remarks with reference to both Of
these articles.
AS regards the efforts the present for rather the pas
Administration has made to fasten Slavery upon our
Territory you are right. But, Sir, when you assume
that Mexico, If admitted as a State now, would
ask that Slavery should be one of her institutions you
DO violence and wrong to her intelligence. New
Mexico will never, never, be a slave S,ate Ma
ture has decreed in her climate and her coil that slave
labor cannot exist and never will exist within her
borders and Federal pressure however strong.
alter the fact 1t is true that we, conservative
people, in obedience to what regard the spirit OF
the Compromise of 1850 willing to tolerate Slave
~ during our territorial existence but when you ~
sumo that Slavery rules all here you far in error a.
many even Of the supporters of the present slave code.
are opposed to New-Mexico becoming slave State.
Again, you are wrong when You infer that our pres
ent slave code emanated from the people Of New
Mexico. For the information of your readers propose
to give brief history Of this extreme slave law.
although the truth may not reflect much credit upon the
intelligence of some of our Legislators. Bot it should
be remembered that our native population know abso
MIeIY nothing Oh tuht tHey oSiuoH ioan .
paper; that they know little of the national irrabity
upon this subject and that until since the annexation Of
New-Mexico to the Uuited States they have enjoyed
few political privileges.
During the Winter of 1859, Mr.. Otero lat Washing
toni at the instance Of the Hon. r. Davis of Mississippi,
as he Gays in Lis letter. wrote to Mr. Jackson Secretary
of this Territory, appointed from Miss sspp, and also
to the Federal officers, urging the proprey of the en-
actnent of slave law for the Territory. Thereupon
Mr. jackson, as / am informed, drew up bill which
at once became law and is still upon statute
book. The subject was discussed, even
mooted before the people, but got up near the close
OF the session and hurried through when the country
did not dream of anything of the kind. And so quietly
it kept that for year the very existence Of such
a law was known TO comparatively few persons. The
Mexican members Of the Legislature, in the hurry TO
get the measure through, we're shown that tie bill
would be popular with the Government, and many Of
them made believe that by its passage great advan
tage would result to the Territory, by special favor
rom the Government
The only purpose that could have Influenced Mr..
Otero and his abetors, in Washington to propose and
urge the passage Of such law is clearly shown In
the closing sentence of his letter TO Mr.. jackson.
He says, AS soon the law is passed it should
be forwarded TO the principal papers Of tho
South, and TO Tile Ner-York Herald for publ
cation" Mr.. Otero and those WHO co0perated with
him. knew well that no necessity existed here for the
law but they wanted it to use in the South, and with
the Administration, political capital for iis proec
tons. No slayeowner in the Territory asked for its
passage the want Of protection for this class
of property in the Territory of the urged
on It's behalf.
When Mr.. Kiethly introduced bill to repeal this
law during the session of 1880, large msjory of
the House was in favor Of HE notion and Mr.. Cuelar
Ia prominent member made lengthy and able speech
for the repeal. But us as the House adjourned,
rumors were sent out and the pliable members were
got together again at the house of Mr. Hovey where
they were properly manipulated. Early next morning
the Speakers chair was, by resolution Of the Houre
declared vacant NJ. Kiethly was Speaker, and Mr..
Cuear elected TO the chair. The Speakershp the
price paid Mr.. Cuear for his deserton of he
lad ably defended but one day before. One other
member Mr.. Imjllo says that his for abandon
ing the measure was, that MIR. Hoyey had told him
that he ovey had made the law, and that il was his
wish that no law Of bis making should BE- repealed.
Whether other members were bought over ~ cheap
ly, have no means of knowing. But thing do
know, that two members who were the reputed au-
thors of "a very lengthy and able report against
kiehys Repeal bill, in the session Of 1890, in
which the strongest indu cenents were held out u
saveowners to bring their property to the Territory,
were members of the late Legislature, and admitted
during the discussion of a bill for tie repeal Of the
law, that they knew nothing either about the in
stuton Of Slavery the report attributed to them.
1t is true that the complexion Of politics in the City
Of Santa Fe among the american population, even OUT
side of the Federal oice-holders come of whom are
real live Yanceys and their employees is rather Gre
eating and the reason is obvious 10 those VINO know
the particular circumstances that have led TO this
of things. For the last eight years the Federal Gov
eminent has used every effort TO promote Slavery in
this Territory, and nearly all the officers who have
been appointed here have been of the ultraSouthem
school, who in their turn employed "a clerks reporters
and agents in their respective departments men
equally ultra with themselves and who had been ira-
ported fresh from the political hotbeds of the South.
Gradually interest or inclination has led them, thsv
have left the Federal employ, and at this time form
large If not the dominant element in the political Sd
cety of the capital.
Another prolific fountain has also furnished US with
some of our most ultra secessoniss. These specu
lators in claims upon the United States Government,
who have hallooed NEGRO" to the Buchanan tune,
with no other object than thereby to obtain the Of
heads of departments to favorable consideration Of
their claims BY the way, have some speculations
here that Washington City beat only in magnitude.
much regret to the spirit Of reproach manifested
toward our people in The TRIBUNE article alluded TO
above and in such speeches that of Mr. Sherman in
the House Of Representatives though know il rests
upon the opinion that New Mexico Is sold TO Slavery
and that her people are determined to have H. in se
the laws Of nature Advantage is taken of such ex.