El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-05-06

F7r REFUGEES from New Mexico
seem never to have been salts
4 fled 20 live at FL Paso. In 1851
f,a co1onists began to clamor for
Iica1se IN leave. Although Otermin
held a council on April 5, to consider
the advfsability Of a removal, nothing
was done. as the advice received from
the leading\ officers and citizens
varied so widely. Though the clamors
NAV have continued, the documents
nov available show the next petition
IN have been made to the viceroy on
Tu1v f 1854 It is doubtful whether
This netftion ever reached the viceroy,
as the messenger entrusted Win II
never made a satisfactory explanation
OF his mission.
Petitions to Governor Cruzate.
Reryveen August Is and october :,
1864. three separate petitions TO leave
III Paso were presented to governor
Cruzate The governor refused lhe
uetftiOns on the ground that the pro-
l-isious of his office made il necessary
for him to hold FL PasO. he agreed,
however. to make known the petluons
and the distress Of the citizens 10 the
viceroy.
Meanwhile. the citizens had appealed
to the religious for support IN their
petition and the latter had selected
FRAY Nicolas Lopez to go 10 Mexico
Citv TO Law the whole matter before the
viceroy Accordingly, when the gov
eminent received CruZate's dispatches
concerning the affair, II was deter
mined to await Lopez arrival before
taking definite action, and TO send
maize and meat to FL Paso TO relieve
Immediately the suffering there
Although Lopez left FL PasO in the
autumn of 1854, he did not present his
1885. The body Of religious at Fl Paso
had upheld Cruzate's refusal 10 aban-
don the place, YET in his petition Lopez
favored removing the settlements up
the Rio del Norte 70 the Pueblo region
The government in answering Lopez
favored awaiting the decision Of the
king
Lopez. presented q second petition in
September. naming lsleta as the site
for the removal Of the settlements and
was seconded in his petition by father
Alfonso de POsadas, the procurator gen
eral Of the order of St Francis IN the
City Of Mexico. who favored holding
Fl Paso merely as military post
The whole matter was committed TO
Don GOnsalvO SuareZ for final settle
ment After examining such persons
as PosaCas, Otermin, EscorZa ana
Xavier. SuareZ finally decided that the
soil and climate Of FL Paso were suit
able for supporting a settlement and
that the place should not be abandoned
The FINAL Appeal OF the CahildO-
Before the 'junta general had acted
upou the report of SuareZ, the cahildo,
representing The citizens Of FL Paso,
made another appeal TO ABANDON Il
PasO and to settle on Rio del Sacra-
meurO. As this last petition was
thought TO be iustiEated by LOPEZ II
had nothing TO do with the ultimate
decision Of the government
on November Is, 1855, the 'Junta
general met and replied that there
was not sufficient information at hand
to Justify the change, ana ordered
$500 pesos delivered TO Cruzate 70 re-
lieve the distress Of the citizens
This decision assured the permanent
occupation Of FL Paso-
Quarrel With Nueva ViEenya over
Jurisdiction.
In 1880. when the refugees from New
Mexico took up their residence al II
PasO. il seems that Nueva Nizcaya
claimed and, in a way, exercised 1urIs-
diCtiOn as far north as Fl Rio del
NOrte. although the government OF
New Mexico as has been shown, had
planted and claimed dominion over the
several mission settlements in the Fl
PasO district The negotiations be-
tween governor Otermiu Of New Mexico,
and Governor RamireL OF Nueya VIZ
caya. regarding fugitives from New
Mexico bear witness TO the claims OF
Nueva Vizcaya.
Jurisdiction over FL PnsO Given to
New Mexico.
Notwithstanding the claims Of Nueva
NiZcaya- the superior government
found it eXpedient In January, 1881, 10
transfer jurisdiction over the Ell Paso
district to New Mexico. Moreover,
when Cruzate was chosen to supersede I
Otermin. the grant OF jurisdiction to
New Mexico was reaffirmed by the
vicerOy in 1852.
Restored to Nucva EiEcaya
Much discomfort arose in Nueva Viz
caya over the transfer. and none Of the /
officers of that province seem ever TO Z
have recognized the authority Of New
Mexico in that region Finally. at the
petition Of both the citizens and gov
ernOr. the viceroy, In 1854, returned I
authority over the region to Nueva !
Vizcaya. and returned it without ap-
parently notifying the officers resi- |
dent at FL Paso.
Jurisdiction Again Given to New
Mexico.
In the summer Of 1885, governor !
Ramirez informed Cruzate OF the rul- |
ing Qf the viceroy. on August Il, Cru