Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-05-31
THE PALACE AND BEN HUR.

the history Of the Palace at Santa Fe,
or even to make collection OF the
most interesting incidents which have
occurred there, will have a theme OF
absorbing interest, writes ex-Governor
Prince in the Southwest Illustrated
Magazine.
II the archives of the first century
Of Spanish occupation still existed,
there.would be an abundance of ma
terial In them alone for dozen OF ro-
mances, but, unfortunately, the great
Pueblo bonfire in 1850 left but one lit
tie fragment, bearing the signature Of
Penalosa, OF all the documents relat-
ing TO that interesting period.
The Palace itself stands as a unique
monument of the past, connecting the
history of diverse nations and varied
civilizations.
Without disparaging the importance
of any Of the cherished historical To-
calites of the east, IL may be truthful
ly said that this ancient structure sur
passes 10 historic interest and value
any other place or object in the Unit
ed States. IL antedates the settle
ment OF jamestown by nine years, and
that Of Plymouth by twenty-five, and
has stood during the two hundred and
ninty-seven years since its erection,
not as a cold rock monument, with no
claim upon the interest of humanity
except the bare fact of its continued
existence, but as the living center Of
everything of historic Importance in
the Southwest. Through all that long
period, whether under Spanish, Pueb-
10, Mexican or American control, it
has been the seat Of power and author
ity. Whether the ruler was called
viceroy, captain-general, political
chief or governor, and whether he pre-.
sided over Il kingdom, Il province, "A
department or territory this has
been his official residence.
From her Onate started in 1899 on
his adventurous expedition to the
Eastern plains; here, seven years later,
eight hundred Indians came from far
Off Quivira to ask aid in their war with
the Axtaos: from here, in 1918, Vim
cente de Salivar set forth to the Mo
Qui country, only to be turned back by
rumOls Of the giants to be encounter
ed; and from here pcualosa and his
brilliant troop started, on the 9th OF
March, 1862, on their marvellous expe-
ditiOn to the Missouri: in one of its
strong rooms the commissary general
of the inquisitiou was imprisoned a
few years later by the same PenalOsa;
within its walls, fortified as for siege,
the brayest of the Spaniards were
massed in the revolution of 1850; here,
on the ninth of August of that year,
was given the order to execute forty
seven Pueblo prisoners in the plaza
which faces the building; here, but a
day later, was the sad war council
held which determined on the eyacua'
t!on OF the city; here was the scene OF
triumph of the Pueblo chieftains as
they ordered the destruction of the
Spanish archives and the church orna'
meats in one grand coullagratiUn; here
DeVargas, on September II, 1852, after
the eleven hours combat OF the pre-
ceeding day, gave thanks to the Virgin
Mary, to whose aid he attributed hi:
triumphant capture OF the city; here,
more than a century later, On March
3, 1907, Lieutenant Pike was brought
before Governor Alencaster as an in
vader of Spanish soil; here, in 1922
the Mexican standard, with its eagle
and cactus, was raised In token that
New Mexico was no longer depend.
ency of Spain; from here, on the 9th
Of August, 1s47, Governor Perez start
ed to subdue the insurrection in the
north, only to return two days later
and meet his death on the 9th, near
Aqua Frla; here, on the succeeding
day, Jose Gonzales, a Pueblo Indian OF
Taos, was installed as governor Of New
Mexico, soon aztec 70 be executed by
order Of Armijo; here, in the princi
pal reception room, on August ~
1876, Captain Cook, the American en-
voy, was received by Governor ArmijC
and sent back with message OF de
tiauce; and here, fiye days later, Gen
eral Kearney formally took possession
Of the city, and slept, after his Ions
and weary march, on the carpeteC
floor Of the Palace.
Since then the central portion hai
been the official residence Of the Amer
ican governors, while the eastern por
tion was for many years the seat o
legislation and Of the supreme and dis
trlct courts, and the western end ha
seen a variety Of uses by marshals
Bueklen's Arnioa saIve.
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