New-York daily tribune., 1861-03-04
NEW.MEXECO.
the North.

Free Labor IN New Mexico IN order 10 pidcatc
those contingent S"ceszcnists who expressly fore
warned all concerned that this would moi satisfy
them, the duty Of providing for the government
and protection of that vast Territory is one OF
the most important and critical Of the many
pressing responsibilities of the now AdmniStra-
tion. That it Will be ably and faithfully per-
formed, it were prepcsterous to doubt.
The New-Mexicon people are mainly of Span
ish race, but with large admixture Of Aboriginal
blood. Their language il Spanish; their religion
Roman Catholic. Their disposition lie mid and
amable; but education is at its lowest estate
among them, aud they are no strangers 10 the
vices engcudered by iguufance aud superstition.
Tneir country is high, arid, often mountainous,
aud largely sterile; in Summer seveu-elghths of
il is Il parched aud inhOspitabIG waste; they have
too little tmber, aud that mainly Fir; our tough,
elastic woods, like the Hickory and White Oak,
are unknown there saye as introduced from the
states. Not one-tenth OF the surface of the Ter
r.tory will ever be cutlyated-in fact, little Of It
but waat can be irrigated. The buildings, sach
as there are, manly constructed OF adobe or
sue DIRE brick; their most prosperous industry
9 sheep gcoSing; and thi, ia hmited and often
de. po.d 10y the predatory AID implacable say.
ages who surround the settlements, living upon
what they eau steal and hiding from pursuit IN
the mountain glens aud on the desert plains
which abound on every side. New Mexico Is
. ,ur country; her people arr generally nd"lrnt;
but since the military dispositions of the United
states have afforded ber husbaudmen an imper-
feet protection, they are steadily increasing IN
wealth.
Peonage is the peculiar institution" Of New
Mexico. 1t is III form contract for lebor--in
e.seuce, II iess absurd imprisonment for debt. y
poor uan wants food or clothing for h's family,
out has nothing 10 pay for II but hs labor, for
VIII ch there IL no present demand His resource
is to obtain money, food clothing uG some
richer neighbor on his promise to " work 1t out
b,.and.by. This contract the law eniorces:
hcucc pconage. Like all vicious devices, II Sc
cures q present advantage at a ruefni ultimate
cost. The pcun secures food aud warmth at
tuie wacn be musl else have suffered; The buyer
Of his future services il usually sure of ns pay;
whereas bat Tor peouase, he might have ielt
constrained to feed the destitute as simple act
v.
pleasing urt and ny st.ry of living well to-day on
the strength Of his promise to wcIh t"-morrc",
IL too apt to practice It egermore. lie works
and pays; but at the same time % runs his face
ior the satisfaction oi bl. eser-nrgent needs, and
gncs 10 hs grave pcOn Such is the SOCIAL ana
pecuuiary status of probably large majority of
the Ne~.Mexlcan pc pie. How ubiavorabe it j,
a.-oi,, a.H NOT
stop to point out.
Bat the peon is very far from being slave. His
debt ia usually small, and be may at will clear
it of by patient industry aud irusality. His
nights of person and property are affirmed aud
guarded by low, subject only to his creditors
lien on his labor. His wife end children are
his beyond peradyenture. He is citizen.
voter, frecmau--wth qualifications. Though
" f,ee white not rsry White neither-he Is not
u lover of Slavery. In fact he Is naturally It's
enemy even beyond most other men, 1t bis letters
gall hlm, he realizes that the slaves infinitely
harshsr and lot sel;.impUscd. He is OF race
which has expelled Slavery from all that portion
of the continent which il inhabits, and he shares
It's instincts aud antlpathies. Ouly misleading Las
maze hin temporarily virtual satellite of Ihe
Slave Power, I-.
The selection Of the right men to flu the va
riOus Federal Offices in Ncw-Mcxico viii neces.
sarlly command the early aud earnest attention
OF the new Administration They should be men
of unquestoned integrity, decided ability aud In
yincible devotion to the great cause which has
called Mr. I.ncoln and his Cabinet to the cOun-
cils of the nation. We have no idea on whom
the choice for Governor will inj but he must De
one whom the office seeks, anl who makes
sacrifice of ease to duty III accepting 1t. AS 10
the subordinate places, especially those con-
nected with the management OF the Indians
We trust that they will be largely filled from
among the People Of New-MeAico themselves.
They know the sayages, their hatlts ana tnen
haunts, better than strangers can; many can
speak language ineligible to the wild children
of the desert; aud the New Mexlcans VIII nat
urally feel greater confidence IN ana lena
reader support to functonaries chosen from
among Themselves than 70 those who are sent 10
them from far country, and are diverse oil
speech race and faith. -,
We are sure that the new Administration VIII
give diligent heed to this grave matter, on the
treatment of which its success or failure must
40 largely depend. Let no effort be spared to
bring New.Mexico surely aud early into the
Union as Free State. That point gained the