St. Paul daily globe., 1892-07-03

ldruS originally settled IN the great
Ioltec, or Aztec valley. The New
Mexicans are a part of their descend
ants. These two classes were originally
known as Castilians and Morescos, or
Spaniards of Moorish descent. The
former. by far the fewer in number,
were the representatives of the dons, or
wealthy classes, and were very fair,
even more so than the ordinary Anglo
Saxon; the latter were poor, and not so
fair as their wealthy Castilian superb
ors. These two classes have not infre-
quently intermarried during their long
residence i'll the territory, and that fact,
together with the
Climatic Influences
of the country, sufficiently accounts for
the dark complexion of some of the ma
tive people. They never intermarried
with the Indians, and are as pure His
pano-Americans as the people of Mas
sachusettS are Anglo-Saxons. Neither
are they Ignorant; more than half of
them not only speak the Spanish lang
uage with correctness and fluency. but
read and write it with ease and ele-
gance. Free schools for the education
OF all the children are now in success
tul operation in every part of the terri
tory. Charles +. Rudulph. county
superintendent of San Miguel county,
OF which Las Vegas is the county seat,
native of New Mexico, cousin OF Mrs.
James A. Garfield. is at present con-
Quoting, with corps of able assistants,
teachers institute at Las Vegas, with
an attendance and a degree of success
rarely surpassed in the great educa-
tional centerS of the East. Similar in
stitutes are in progress in various other
parts of the territory.
1t is partly true that in the rural dis
tricts Spanish is the only language
spoken. But within few years, under
guages will be understood.
The Mexican men are not lazy. If
they do not find constant employment
the fault is not theirs, but that of their
surroundings. There may be some
loafers among them, but to no greater
extent than may be found among Amer
leans in Missouri or Minnesota. They
are
Not Intemperate,
and do not, as rule, loaf around sa-
looms. They are not prOfane in speech,
and neither the senoras nor senoritas
''cnrse or threaten" They are typical
ly courteous and polite. "HoDOr thy
father and thy mother" is among no
people observed with more fidelity than
among the HiSpano-Americans. Let an
NAohPAO tutO liC IUfCs n NOuuS
married man, one evening last summer,
was drinking to excess in saloon ON
the plaza in Las Vegas. His wife learn
ing the fact, repaired to his fathers
house in the vicinity, and reported her
husbands misconduct. The gray-haired
father went Immediately to the saloon,
and finding his son, half-intoxicated, in
the act of raising glass of liquor TO
his lips, laid his hand upon his sons
shoulder and said: No tones mas; ben
cOnmigO-take no more; come with me
the contents of the cup were at once
dashed upon the floor, and in few
minutes the father delivered dutiful
son to the care of faithful and devoted
wife. How many American, married or
single, would thus yield obedience to
the old man? Your correspondent must
have derived his information from some
revengeful and
Evil-Minded GringO.
In defending tho New Mexican char
acter it is not necessary, nor is it the
intention, to vilify the American. The
great majority of the Americans resident
in the territory are decent, sober, indus
trious, moral and intelligent. The
American womer, in particular, are de-
serving Of the highest commendation
for the purity OF their lives and their
varied acts of benevolence. Had your
correspondent consulted the represen-
tatives of such people, instead OF some
nameleSs mal-cOntent, he never would
have penned the obnoxious article. Had
he interviewed upon the subject mat
ter of his intended communication, ex-
Chief Justice E. L. Long, Hon.
l.. Emmett. first chief justice
of this state; Joshua Reynolds or Hon.
Frank Springer, at Las Vegas; Hon. A.
Nofr nj
GilderSleeve or Judge Francis Downs.
at Santa Fe; Senator Childers, Judge
Lee, Mr.. Field or Senator Ferguson, at
Albuquerque, all Americans and old resi-
dents, who are an honor TO their coun-
try, he could not have written SO elabor-
ate and defamatOry a libel upon an innO-
cent, peaceful, sober, patriotic and vir-
tuous people. 1t is especially painful
to be compelled to refute the charge
that the natives have yet to learn that
their territory is part of the republic,
and that 'they practice their
Old Spanish Customs,
disregarding with contempt the newer
habits induced by modern civilization"
There is not the least foundation for the
first part of the charge, and, as to the
second, it may he said, with due defer
ence to the feelings of the parties con-
cerned, that the New Mexicans are no
more tenacious of Spanish customs in
their native land than are the Irish,
English and Germans residing in the
republic Of the manners and customs of
their respective countries. They have
a cordial welcome for every American,
native or adopted. who comes among
them for the purpose of assisting in de-
velOping the material resources of
the country. and in advancing
the moral, intellectual and social
condition of themselves and their chill
dren; but they fail in respect for Ger
tain class of American eX-cOnvicts,
lOafers, gamblers and male and female
debauchee ees, who habitually leave the
East for the purpose of practlcing with
comparative impunity the
Criminal Conduct
that had induced them to seek as a
home the bScure recesses of the Rocky
mountains. The territory is now seek
ing right guaranteed by the treaty of
Guadalupe HidalgO-admissiOn into the
Union as state. The enabling act has
ativeS, and is now awaiting, in the
senate, the report of the committee
on territories. In view of that fact, as
we'll as of the great influence of the
GLOBE in moulding public opinion, it
appeared like duty to state the truth
for the purpose of removing any erron-
eOus impression that the Las Vegas
communication may have produced.
If any person desirous of knowing
the true situation of affairs in the terri
tory, deems the writer hereof either un-
trustworthy or biased, he is confidently
referredto any Of the distinguished gen.
tlemen whose names have been given
for corroboration of his statement.
Do justice to the Hispano-AmericaDs
of New Mexico and the vindication will
be complete. Respectfully.
JAMES O'BRIEN.
Caledonia, Minn.. June 27, 1892.