Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-12-27
From the Wisconsin State Journal
Our New Mexico Correspondence.
NRw MEXICO Nov. 10th 1850

"lat 10 Iue ooEuitiou OF military AFFAIRS
in this Territory, as we'll as show what
need there is OF reform, and the neces-
sity of placing the civil authority in So.
preme power here for the protection of
life
Fort Stanton was vacated and par
TALLY destroyed, by order of Gen. Candy,
In the summer Of 1861 but an order had
been made, after Candy was ordered into
the States, TO re-occupy the pest, and the
"a New Mexican Volunteers, Col. exit "
Carson, placed in command. Among
Others was company commanded by
Captaih Cannon. 1t seems some depreda-
ton had been committed by band of
Muscoleres Apaches, who reside near the
post, and Cannon and his company were
sent in pursuit OF them. He had pro
cured as guides friendly chief and several
Indians, also Mnscoleres. After they had
been out few days, difficulty arose be.
tween the captain and the chief, which it
is generally supposed might have been
amicably settled if proper means had been
used for that purpose. But on tie con-
trary, the captain gave orders to his
company, and he himself aided in its
execution, to shoot oil the Indians in
camp SO the chief and his men were
shot down. Cannon then having no
guides, and being unable to find the depre
dating Indians, returned to the post, and
the matter was even passing from COM
ment. But it SO happened That DR.. Whit
lock, of Vegas, and the representative to
the Legislature OF the Territory from San
Miguel county, was ct Stanton, AMI in a
conversation concerning the affair, de
clared that the conduct of the captain
was an &C. of most dastardly cowardce.
This remark coming to the captains ears.
he drew up written demand for a re-
cantation from the doctor, TO be made
unconditionally and Immediately. The
doctor being a. the time engaged ia
another matter, put the letter, sealed, into
his pocket without reading it. The next
morning the captain again presented him
self to the doctor, with an open paper,
and commanded him to read it, and at the
same time drew bis pistol and cooked it.
The doctor read the paper, aud seeing the
position aud attitude of the captain, also
rose and drew his pistol, when the captain
fired, hitting the doctor not fatally. and
then fled around and behind wagon:
but the doctor pursued him and hit him
with shot from five-shooter. At this
moment, the lieutenant of the company
discharged both barrels OF q double bar.
relied gun, loaded with buck-shot, into the
doctors body, and also gave orders to the
men OF the company to fre-which was
done. The doctor fell, pierced by the
pistol shot, the buck-shot and twenty
musket balls, and died instantly.
1t is said that when the captain found
out that his first letter was allowed 70
pass without notice from the doctor, he
had ordered his company to load their
guns with ball cartridges, and had march
ell them to the door of the house where
the doctor was stopping, and had given
orders to his lieutenants to fire upon him
it he showed any resistance. And after
the captain had been shot, and he was
carried into the tent of another captain,
the first lieutenant came in and reported
that he had killed the - cuss," mean
ing that he had killed the doctor, as Or
dered. Col. Carson has placed the lieu
tenants in irons, and disbanded the com
pany by assigning the men to other
companies. Whether the officers will be
tried by military or civil law is unknown.
That the case demands some trial is GER
tain. And the whole proceeding shows
in what estimation the military of New
Mexico hold obedience to civil law
These officers, captain and heutenants,
army.
New MEXICO, November %, 1852.
For some time past it had been our ia,
tention to give short sketch of the
condition of the people of New Mexico,
in relation to their connection with socle-
ty in the States, SO that a contrast might
be made between them and the inhabi
tants of the States; but other things have
interviewed to prevent it until now.
In conquering Mexico the Spaniards
snbiugated the Indian nations, more par
ticularly those who lived in towns and
cultivated the soil, and who were hence
called Puehlos or town indians, and they
made them slaves While vast numbers
were destroyed by the work imposed upon
them in the mines, and the pOo- food fur
nished them, and the other ill-treatment
of their conquerors, it SO happened that
the Spaniards themselves took many of
the Indian women as wives and concu
bines, and raised up families who were
of slavery by the Mexican government.
Other and renewed mixtures of the race
also occurred, especially in the northern
provences, until a pure Castilan could
scarcely be found. Every degree Of mix
ed blood prevailed. In customs and man
ners the hybrid race has full as much of
the Indian as Spaniard, though the IAN
guage of the latter prevailed. The new
country and mixture of races with other
causes gave rise to many new words. The
use and meanings of others were forgotten,
and not few changed in II meanings and
pronunciation, and thus new patoiS .pe>
cuiar to each state was created.
While the Spaniards reduced the Indians
to slavery and destroyed them by suffer-
ing and labor, they at the same time took
care to look after the salvation OF their
souls. For this purpose the priest was
one o. every war party. and administered
the rites of the Roman Catholic Church
to as many as surrendered to the sword.
Baptism was, as to the Indians In Mexico,
but the sign of slavery to the whittier race.
The Roman Catholic Religion was the es-
tablished religion OF the state; and not
withstanding all the changes which have
lgious property, yet no change has taken
pisce in this respect. Rates, or as the
lawyers would soy, tee bills were ordained
or every service performed by the priest,
and without the payment OF the rate no
ceremony was ever performed. The
arancel differed from the fee bill "a this :
1t fixed the minimum, while the public
fixed the maranaam rate, above which nc