The Placer herald., 1864-11-26
ARIZONA CoRRRsroNDENCE.
PREscorr, ARIZONA, Oct. 2lst. 1864,

-Messrs. Edit0rs:-As Arizona is at this time
attracting some attention, your readers may be
among the curious regarding US, and propose
to gossip little more with them. The act of
the Congress of the United States creating this
Territory, was passed February oath, 1868. and
shortly thereafter full suit of officers to govern
the same, was appointed. New Mexico and Ari-
zona including the Gadsden purchase, extended
as originally acquired from Mexico, to the Colo
RADIO river on the west, but when the act organ.
izing the Territory was framed, this ground was
cut north and south by the lO9th longitudinal
line. leaving New Mexico east, and making Ari-
zona Of the west.
The "Confederates," report says, have also an
net relating to the same object, and full corps
OF officers in comm ss on as an administration for
it, but how they bound the Territory hath not
transpred to this correspondent; no more do
believe their Governor Judges. Marshals, &C..
are growing fat on the fees Of office. However,
We have scripture for it, that no man can say
what day or an hour may bring forth; therefore
watch and pray, is our motto. Governor Gurley
was the first appointes Mr.. Lincoln made as ex-
ecutive for us, but the honors proved too weigh
", and the poor gentleman few months there
after was borne to his ancestral vaults, there to
repose under the proud banner once borne by
follower of Cromwell. His successor Governor
John N Goodwin, then held the rank in the
corps, of Chief Justice, but Abraham said to him,
come up higher and John went. never heard
that he sailed fishing smack out of Portland
Maine, but have been informed that that is his
town, and that he has drank Congress water and
eaten Holsters at Washington. He is an atf.ble,
pleasant gentleman, with ability for his position.
10 the stranger he appears well fed Congress
man. averse to much toll; and friend of mine
said of him, that "he would make good tave ern.
keeper il he had a smart wife," To my thinking
he is deeper and more polite than they give him
credit for.
The Governor, Judges Secretary, Marshal &C.,
&c, made their advent here about January last,
and upon mountain near this place. pitched
their tents, raised the flag, severally took the
oath of office, and something TO warm their ''in-
ards,' and the Territorial existence of Arizona
was inaugurated.
In June last, there was an election held for a
Delegate in Congress Of United Sta tes and men,
bers of the Territorial Legislature. A. NJ. Poston
residing near Tucson, now holds a back seat at
Washington, and the gentlemen composing the
Legislative Assembly. are now as busy as bees
providing offices and laws for the poor the rich
being of course, above such insignificant :avors
There is not very formidable body of men, in
point of numbers, composing this body. The
Council has Mines and the House eighteen MEM
bers. Each House is provided with one lawyer
only, and they are the presiding officers of their
respective bodies. Coles Bashlord, formerly a
Governor in Wisconsin, now Attorney General
of Arizona. runs the Council" and w. Claude
Jones, once resident of Santa Clara county,
Catfornia.-late (as report has iD "rebe" in
old Pike, but cleansed Of his sins, through the
pardonlng grace of Abraham No. l-presides
over the House of Representatives The bulk Of
the business of the session. consists in framing
code of laws. for until this work is done. they
are by act Of Congress, living under the laws of
crpujtlblp tO ham nd
pimentary to the craftsmanship of California
that IN this work, they adopt as basis the sta
tutes of the latter. The acts concerning crimes
and punshments, criminal and civil practice are
adopted nearly as they stand on your books
There is little or no employment for LAWYERS
here as yet principally OF course, for the want
OF something worth lighting about. We are not
without ambitious men-nearly everybody wishes
to be delegate to Congress- but for what reason
God only knows, unless it is to get somewhere to
find good eating. Passing from the living to the
dead, you will find a hill overlooking the capital
upon which there are the foundation stones of
one of those old ruins found by the Spanish ad-
venturer, IN this country as early rs 1894. There
are numbers of them about this vicinity, some Of
which have seen. They are found upon the
SUBMITS of mountains aud lone buttes, distant
from water The walls Of those | have visited
have all fallen down. leaving in no instance more
than three feet still standing, and bearing the
appearance of never having been more thin five
feet high-some much less than that They EN-
brace from half to two acres of ground, with
interior subdivisions. Some of them bear ev.
dence OF having been designed for defense, and
others again look more like diapdated sheep
corrals. l am reliably Informed that south east
from here, there are ruins, the walls of which are
yet eight or nine feet high, strongly cemented,
and exhibiting much mechanical skill in their
construction but as have not seen these -quein
sa6e. Without doubt there are vast numbers of
these vestiges ofa once densy populated country.
whether they were built for haotations of timd
tribes OF Indians, or were the Notifications pro-
tecting the gold hunters of Monlezuma, gainst
the guerilla attacks of the native savages,a ,as some
contend must remain enigmatica until some
industrious pickwckian, reveals from the char
acters on buried slab of granite or marble, the
doleful story of forgotten centuries.
We have now cold, frosty nights, and warm.
sunny days, rain falls occasionally. and upon the
whole, | find the climate of this region. healthy
and exherating, resembling much the table
lands of Mexico, Yours truly, J. "A.
Tbo d.szou No.. =, Il, .:L. = .