National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-04-14
TIE CENTENNIAL STATE.
ne Pat, Present and Future Of New Mexico

TAe Fat, Present. and Future Of New Mexico.
Early in the sixteenth century, lured by the
prospect Of rich harvest Of precious metals and
precious stones which reported as in the pos
session Of the people inhabiting Legendary large
cities, far away from the principal city Of their
newly acquired territory, the Spanish cOnquerors
Of Mexico visited this farremoved province Of the
country, bringing in their train many Of the
natives in the capacity of slaves. Explorers OF
this country tell US, and travellers who have
traversed It bear witness, that numerous remain.
Of what were temples Of grand dimensions still
exist situate In different parts Of the country and
we can only conclude from the fact that these
temples were usually built in near settlements,
that large collections Of people living in towns,
once populated this country, at or anterior TO the
advent Of the Spsniard.
1t is unnecessary TO recapitulate here the
doings Of the chiyalric people who, by force OF
arms and q superior knowledge Of the arts Of war,
extended their triumphal march 10 this province,
ostensibly for discovery and the propagation OF
the Gospel, but having for their main purpose the
aggrandirement Of their rulers and themselves. -
THE HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST
and acquisition Of our sister countries in South
America by these same Spaniards, the treatment
received at their hands by the aborigines, is so
familiar to the people Of our land that further
ment were useless. Suffice IL to say that their
long, assiduous search after mineral wealth re-
suited in failure to the Spaniards in those parts
their efforts in other portions of their conquest.
The doctrines Of Christianity gradually pre-
vailed over the worship of the sun throughout the
whole Of Mexico; the relations between eonqueror
and conquered became ameliorated through inter-
marriage; portion Of the Spaniards returned to
the mother country while those who remained
were in the course Of time gathered to the silence
of the tomb. But new race sprung up through
them which never lost It's ascendancy, gained
through connection with the strong invader. At
this day there exist two races Of people who in
habit Old Mexico and the country ceded by it to
the United States being tine Pueblos, or direct
descendants of the children of the sun, and the
mixed Spanish and Aztec race
Certain of the aborigines never could overcome
their aversion to the iron-clad invaders of their
soil and the despoilers of all they held most dear.
THE HIDDEN RESOURCES
Of New Mexico did not yield sufficient wealth to
satisfy the rapacty Of Its new masters, which was
owing to the imperfect manner Of their search,
their mining operations being conducted on the
rudest principles.) Still, many who had tired of
journeying, and had formed those ties which sub
due men more readily than strong weapons,
sought repOse from their tois and continuous voy-
ages in the more peaceful pursuits-pastOral, ag-
reultural and the chase-and they surrounded
themselves with the comforts of a home.
Tradition is imperfect as to the decline of the
large towns, now become extinct, whose yestiges
command the wonder and admiration Of this age;
but a small proportion of the present population
who profess Christianity, vet retain the habits
and customs of the Aztec race, are doubtless the
remaining descendants Of the former inhabitants
The standard of the Gross, implanted here by
the Spanish priests, attracted many Of the people
The wealth and power of the church accrued
faster than that of the country generally Though
tthes and contributions for its offices; and though
very probably, under the circumstances, the con-
tributiOns Of the province did not overflow the
.exchequer of the General Government a certain
protection was afforded in the spirit Of the times
by taxation without representation.
Officers OF the crown, delegated from the seat Of
Government, with
HIGHsoUNDING TITLES,
subsisted upon and enriched themselves through
eSactiOns from the people whom they treated as
serfs. This Is not unusual to Spanish rule colon
les being considered as lawful prey for their
grandees, a yeriieation of which can be seen by
reference TO Spanish doings in the Island fCuba.
The city of Santa Fe, situate in the central por-
ton of the province, has been its capital ''time
whereof the memory of man runneth not to the
contrary" and the palace and other buildings
erected in the early days of its Spanish history
still remain and bear testimony to their antiquity
From this centre radiated ali the impulses OF the
country. Here were held the principal courts,
and the archives Of the Government were de-
posted in its palace.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centu.
ries and the early part Of the nineteenth century,
the officers of the Crown granted large tracts Of
land for pastoral and agricultural purposes to
individuals for military and other services rem
dered, and to companies Of the Inhabitants for
colonization and other purposes. In the course
OF time, permanent towns sprung up on these
grants. peopled by the 80