Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-09-26
COL. CHAVES
AS DELEGATE
Represented New Mexico in the
Lower House Of Congress
Forty Years Ago.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
introduced an Enabling Act During the
Thirty-Ninth and Forty-First
Congresses.
BY HUNTER JAMES.

SNTILLeu EACluSlNely lOl IHC A>C"
Mexican)
Life in Congress as delegate from
New Mexico, two score years ago,
during the reconstruction period.
The central figure in this chapter of
the official history of the Territory of
New Mexico, was Colonel ]. Francisco
Chaves, the present Territorial super
intendent OF public instruction. and
the veteran member Of the council, of
the Legislative Assembly from Valen-
cia county, who has nine times held
the presidency OF that body.
Colonel Chaves was elected as dele
gate from the Territory of New Mexi-
CO, to the Thirty-ninth Congress, in
the fall of 1865, just at the close of
been a member of the House of Repre-
sentatives of the Legislative Assembly
in 1860-61, and at the outbreak of the
civil war was commissioned major of
the First New Mexico Volunteer caval-
ry. by. the first martyred president,
Abraham Lincoln, and Secretary OF
War Cameron.
Colonel Chaves was subsequently
promoted to the rank of lieutenant
colonel Of his regiment, which con-
sisted of twelve companies, the total
strength OF the organization being ov-
er 1900. He and his regiment partici-
pated in the battles OF Valverde and
Peralta, and also in the skirmish at
Albuquerque.
Upon his return to civil life in 1864,
he was considered as desirable dele
gate to represent the Territory in the
hover house CT Congress, and at the
convention which was held On April
Is, 1865, the day that President Lin
coin died, he received the nomination
as delegate from his Republican fol-
lowers and supporters.
The life of Colonel Chaves as dele
gate to Congress from New Mexico,
which was during the reconstruction
period was an arduous one. The dele
gates from the Territories at that time
were on none of the committees, while
today the Territories are represented
on the committees on appropriations,
Indian affairs Territorial affairs and
military
The legisla,4on during the Thirty
ninth, FOrtie.-- and Forty-first Con-
gresses, during which period Colonel
Chaves represented New Mexico as it's
delegate, was a. directed to recon
struction. Congress was settling the
financial affairs of the country, dis
charging volunteers 'and reorganizing
the army, and with the immense war
debt money was not available for ap-
preparations save for any special pur-
pose and the actual requirements o.
the Territorial governments.
At the same time Colonel Chaves as
delegate was confronted by a large
number of meritorious officers, who
had done good service during the civil
war, and whom the government de-
sired to reward. This resulted in their
being appointed governors, secretaries
and Offce-holders in the territories, re-
gardless of the fact of their being non
residents. For example, General r.
B. Mitchell of Kansas, was appointed
Governor of New Mexico; General |
George p. Estes of Ohio, received the |
seer etaryship, while the United States |
marshal was Captain John Pratt of
Massachusetts, who had been aide on
the staff of General Mitchell during
the war, And SO on, all down along |
the line, the appointments were made. |
To attempt to get an appropriation |
FOR road or anything else in the Ter
ritOry, Colonel Chaves had simply the |
privilege of introducing the bill, for it |
died in committee. During the Thir- |
ty-ninth Congress he introduced an |
enabling act. granting to New Mexico |
the sovereignty of statehood. It re-
celved favorable report from the COM
mittee on Territorial affairs, but was
never taken up in the lower house of
Congress-
In the Fortieth Congress Colonel
OAAVCS OA1y SuCCccucu III ODIdIuIu6
Ehe right to his seat as delegate to
New Mexico, eleven days before ad-
5onrnment, having contested Charles
f. Clever, who received the certificate
as the result of fraudulent vote.
During the Forty-first Congress
Colonel Chaves re-intr0duced an en-
abling act for statehood for New Mex
leo 1t went in turn to the, committee
On territorial affairs, of which the
present United States Senator from
Illinois, Mr. Cullom, was chairman.
This bill was also reported favorably,
but no action, was taken in the House.
The anti -Peonage law was passed
tcontinued on Page Five.)