Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-04-03
THE REAVIS CLAIM.
Something About It by Ex-SurveyOr Gen eral Wasson-Strong Reasons Why It Gs InNulid
OAKLAND, Cal, March %, 1886

OAALANDf Ohl-, n dTCu -J, lcoO.
 ED. CITIzES:-I have been recently told that the San Francisco parties who backed J. A. Reavis in preparing and presenting his "claim," for confirmation long since withdrew their support, but that others were found who deemed il worth the cos. of luther examination, and have sent parties tO search the rec ords at Madrid, SpaIn. Whether or not any record has been found there, have not learned. It seems to be admitted that no record of it exists in the 'arch- ives of MexIco" Rs required in cases of claims to land acquired by the Gadsden treaty of 1853. The Reavis claim mostly lies north of the Gila river. and to that extent the treaty of Guadalupe Hidslgo and not the Gsdsden applies, and the former is silent upon the matter of rec ord However, the courts from the low est 10 the highest, have quite uni. formly held, in cases arising un- der all treaties. from that with
 
 IS53, that record evidence, or sound req ! sons for its absence IS indispensable 10 validity. Suppose tien that record evil dence of their claim should be found Tn the archives of Sg pain. would it not set tie the question of validity to all north of the GIla, and make a strong equitable case as Co that south? Ofcourse if such record be found, 1t may stlll be shown tn ha Fr.r nt hunf tf 70 responds as to the date of the alleged clam, about 175O, it will doubtless be admitted as genuine. Then, there was no motive 10 commit q fraud of that kind. Sp8In then owned a large portion of North America and doubtless expect ed to always own if. The inducements to commit frauds iD granting lands which presented themselves to Mexicaus and Americans just prior to lS4S and 1853, were totally wanting in Spain a
 sntury before. Spain had but little knowledge of land along the Gila RnI Salt rivers in 174S, and what she possess ed WAS all obtained from the Catholic missionary fathers and N as totally incon- sIstent to the disposition of It by grant or otherwise to any individual, no matter how valuable public service he may
 
 It probable that Miguel Peralta, or any other person of the prominence likely to secure such . mark of the Kings favor would have been offered land III that re- mote and almost unknown locality, when there were such vast areas of va cant, unoccupied land in more desira ble parts of the Spanish possessions.
 There are still more potent reasons r--l, V t.f made in tbe parts of the Gila and Salt rlder valley now claimed by Reavis. One of the great objects of the King of Spain just about that time, was the con version of the Indians to the holy Cath ohc faith. \ National and Civil history of California published at Madrid iu l7iS, by MigIel Nenegas, gives facts Of value Tn point. From IL, I learn tha, Father Eusebio Francisco kiIo origin ally explored the country "betWIxt the province of Sonora and the rlvers Gnia and Colorado" and found # mainly peo- pied by Indians chiefly iafdels. This WAS prior C. l1l0 in Ehicl year kino died. Philip V. ordered expenses paid for tue establishment Ot e'Cat plis- sious in the country explored by him. In i13i the missions of Dolores, San Ig- nacio. Truoutsma, Caborca, Suamea Guebavi (near Tubac) and San Xavier, were established, and wherever required, troops were sent to support them. The sole object Of these establishments was tbs conve-sion of the InCirns. and their welfare was to be provided by express orders of the king. In l744, Father Jacob Sedelmeyer, a missionary of Tub utama left for the Aioquis and travelled ] eighty leagues to the Gila river where !! he found six thousand Papagoes and l near ths same number of Pimas and Co., | COm6ricopRs dwelling Tn differpn. | rancherics. He reported large settle | ments of these Indians on both sides of | river Tor about twenty leagues, and that | ID "f these TancheTias covered four | teen leaEues Oi ie. .iis country watered | ty trenches from the Gila, gs the coun- | try was level. He reported that about | twelve leagues northerly a newly dis covered rITer, Resumption" composed | of two rivers, viz: Fl Salalo and Fl | Verde, which run through pleasant | fertile country, level, "and inhabited by | the Co-ComaricOpas, who are separated | from the Pimas by desert, though | united to them by cOnsanguinity." This | section Is evidently the present Salt r1ver valley and embraces the land on which | Phenix now stands. Father Sedslmeyer reported these facts to the Spanish Hu- thOritIes in l1ii. Now Is 1t al all proba- Dle. with such facts before him, that the King, few years later, would grant this very land to any persOn whatever, no matter how distinguished public ser vices such person may have performed? | The Kings sole object, shown by all | his acts in sending aud supporting mis- siOnaries wGs to promote the welfare Of the Indians. Is 1t probable that under such circumstances he would have de- prived the Indians of their lands made productive by ditcheE, etc? The very idea IS absurd on any other theory than that he did not receive the reports of his faithful missionaries. and wss i'm posed upon by false Information, neither of which propositions are credible.
 l regard the foregoing as very strong proofs that the Reavis ''clRim" is a f'aud taking its pretended history as s base of argument, Other reasons of some weight have been suggested by parties who say they have quite carefully examined the precious original docu. ment among which l may mention these: TEe writing does not correspond in style Co the Spanish writing of about 174s; 1t appears to have been written with q steel pen, whereas steel pens were not made until seventy-five or more years after its date; that cOntem- porRneous history omits mention ot any services rendered his sOv- eriSn by Miguel Peralta, and still others of some weight, but none so convincing to me as the one that the King of Spain was honestly engaged St the date of the alleged grant, in promoting the welfare or the Indians in the Glla and Salt river valleys, instead of r'bbing them.
 Be the title paper valid or invalid. Congress will never confirm the "cialm. reasons whyi will not are many. but the length Of this letter pyecludes statement of them.
 JoHS WAssoN.
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