The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-12
APPEALING TO THE GREAT FATHER.
Inc Descendants Of the Montezumas-Their Re-
hgion, Traditions and Habits-A Remarks
BILE Similarity to japanese Tribe.
The Governments Efforts to
Civilize Them.

Mr. W. +. Army. the United States Indian Agen.
for the Pueblo Indians OF New Mexico. and the suc-
cessor OF Kit Carson. has recently come east for
| the purpose Of furtherng their civilization. His
| mission has two objects:-
Frst-To direct the attention OF the Great Father
| at washington and his people In behalf OF this
peaceabe tribe OF Indians, and to express their de-
| sire to further their means OF seEsupport and
future advancement by tho assistance of the
| Second-To enlist the sympathes OF the religious
and general public for them In their anxiety to be
| ligion.
During the past week Mr.. Army has been on d
visit to Boston, New Haven and other New England
cities, and has secured the heartes support Of the
religious and educational elements Of that section.
he arrived In this city on Thursday morning, and
last evening started for Washington.
In an interview with the Governor YESTERDAY
our reporter Cleaned the following interesting
Information respecting the present. past and future
condltl0n OF this tribe OF Indians, who are
DESCENDANTS or THE MoNTEzUMAs:-
The Pueblo Indians, or, as otherwise known the
Aztecs, have always been friendly to the United
States government. Their land extends along the
Rio Grande and west OF that river distance OF
two or three hundred miles. They number 1854
inhabitants, divided into nineteen vilages
During the rebellion they withstoOd all the at
tempts OF Albert Pike to induce them to Join the
rebellion against the government Their respect
for the memory of Lincoln is second only to that OF
their reverence for Montezuma. Their nation
represents the friendly support OF the United
States government as against the disturbing
element or their neighbors, the Apaches and the
Utes
These Indians are peculiarly adapted to republi-
can form OF government and are a remarkably in
tclligent and industrious people. In fact, they
have had a representative government among
MOntezuma as
and their King, and, according to their traditions,
before he went back to Mexico, with promise to
return again in good season, he left them both q
'0'''''''' go FORM or GOVERNMENT,
which they scrupul0usly follow.
Politically there are nineteen independents and
sovereign republics in the Territory of New Mexico,
each comprising village. Each has its distinct or
ganzati0n and Is ruled by governor who Is elected
nOrs Is provided with silyer-headed cane, the
present OF Mr.. Lincoln, and, when an order is to be
executed he gives 1t verbally to his subordinate
officer. The simple act of raising the cane con-
veys the ofciaf sanction. In fact, It has the same
order Of D president governor : or King among
civilized people. They formerly used cane, which
was handed down from generation to generation
since the days 81 Montezuma: In 1861 Mr.. Lincoln
sent the governor Of each village cane, with his
name inscribed upon the silver head, and they now
These governors have full power over their re-
spective villages during their term OF office. When
any dispute arises between these indian republics
GENERAL MEETING OF ALL THE GOVERNORS,
and il they fail to agree then 1t Is referred to the
THEIR RELIGIous BELIEF Is VERY PECULIAR.
Their traditions teach them that when Montezuma
left their region to establish his colony In Mexico he
instructed them to wOrhip the sun and keep
FIRE BURNING IN EACH VILLAGE
until his return. This instruction they faithfully
follow. In the morning at sunrise, the Inhabitants
OF the villages assemble on the roofs OF their houses,
and turn their faces toward the East In reverence
10 the God OF Day. Each village has ITS resident
Priest and every year there Is selected from among
the young girls OF each village
TWELVE VIRGINS,
whose duty 1t Is to keep the fire burning In build
Ing peculiarly adapted to that purpose. The Aztecs
are very chaste, honest and Industrious; they OBJ.
serve the marriage relation faithfully are fond Of
agricultural and mechanical pursuits and have re-
both religious and secular. they are very apt at
learning the English language. Mr.. Walter g. Mar
mon, formerly OF Ohio, one OF their teachers ana
missionaries states that only four months are, as
general rule, necessary In which to teach them to
converse and read in IT,
antc States have seconded Mr.. Army In his desire
to further this good work by furnishing him twenty
additional teachers; the Missionary Boards to pay
for their services religious instructors and the
government for their services as teachers.
uactures of these Indians in the shape Of neckties
blankets, gold and silver rings and earthenware.
They give astonishing evidence ofskl and ingenuity
when 1t Is considered that the work Is done without
any aid OF machinery and with
THE RUDE TOOLS OF THE RED MAN.
esq., In a hurried visit to Washington since his
arrival Mr.. Army took occasion to have on inter-
view with the Japanese Embassy now In that city,
and on showing them some OF the photographs and
workmanship OF the Aztecs they at once stated that
there similar tribe, In every respect in their
country The Smithsonian Institute and Pro-
fessor Gibbs, OF New Haven, on having
their attention called to this coincidence have
made arrangements to secure q comparison
between the idioms OF the language OF these New
Mexican and Japanese Indians and the Spanish,
Japanese and English languages, In order to ascer-
tain, II possible, whether these Indians originated
on this Continent among the Asiatics. The
federal government has promised Mr.. Army to fur
Their his views respecting these Indians In every
way. He will remain In Washington for ten days
and then return to the Rio Grande with missionary
teachers and agricultural and mechanical imple-
ments, to further the civilization OF these New
Mexican tribes.
ALLEGED POISONING OF ASSESSOR AMBER
SON.