memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第7节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


crimes　or　civil　injuries…﹏o　courts；　no　law；　no　magistrates。　The
Territory　of　New　Mexico；　to　which　it　is　attached　by　an　act　of
Congress；　affords　it　neither　protection　nor　sustenance。　The
following　extracts　from　letters　received　by　the　writer　tell　the
story　of　the　necessity　for　early　action　on　the　part　of　Congress；
in　urgent　terms。


TUBAC；　GADSDEN　PURCHASE；　August　15；　1857。

Affairs　in　the　Territory　have　not　improved。　A　party　of　Americans
（our　countrymen）　had　made　an　〃excursion〃　into　Sonora；　captured　a
train　of　mules；　and　killed　several　Mexicans。　Upon　their　return　to
the　Territory　with　their　ill…gotten　booty；　the　citizens　formed　a
company　and　took　the　property　away　from　them；　and　returned　it　to
the　owners　in　Magdalena；　＇a　town　of　Sonora┅Ed。＇　and　delivered
the　robbers　up　to　Major　Steen；　commanding　first　dragoons；　to　be
held　in　custody　until　Courts　should　be　organized。　They　have　again
been　turned　loose　upon　the　community。　In　justice　to　Major
Fitzgerald　I　must　say　he　was　in　favor　of　retaining　them　in
custody；　and　has　generally　maintained　favoring　law　and　order　in
the　Territory；　but　as　he　is　only　second　in　command　he　has　no
absolute　authority。

We　have　no　remedy　but　to　follow　the　example　so　wide　spread　in　the
Union；　and　form　a　〃Vigilance　Committee〃contrary　to　all　good
morals；　law；　order；　and　society。　Can　you　do　nothing　to　induce　the
government　to　establish　authority　and　law　in　this　country；　and
avert　this　unhappy　alternative？

It　is　not　desired　by　any　good　citizens；　and　tends　to　anarchy　and
mobocracy；　causing　disloyalty　in　our　own　citizens　and　bringing
the　reproach　of　foreigners　upon　our　republican　institutions。　It
is　impossible　to　progress　in　developing　the　resources　of　the
country　under　this　state　of　affairs。　The　greatest　objection　the
capitalists　of　San　Francisco　have　to　aiding　me　in　the　development
of　silver　mines；　is　the　insecurity　of　property；　want　of
protection　from　government；　and　general　distrust　of　fair　and
honest　legislation。

They　have　no　confidence　that　the　guarantees　of　the　GADSDEN　TREATY
will　be　respected　by　the　United　States；　in　regard　to　land　titles
under　the　Mexican　government。

The　silver　ore　brought　to　San　Francisco　from　our　mines；　has　been
tested　by　a　dozen　different　officers；　in　as　many　different　ways；
and　no　result　falls　BELOW　FIVE　THOUSAND　DOLLARS　PER　TON　OF　ORE。

Senator　Gwin　goes　on　to　Washington　soon；　and　will　corroborate　my
statements。　He　has　a　piece　of　the　silver；　the　first　smelted　in
San　Francisco；　showing　8；735　20EIGHT　THOUSAND　SEVEN　HUNDRED
AND　THIRTY…FIVE　20…100　DOLLARS　PER　TON　OF　ORE。　Mr。　Dunbar　is
getting　the　petition　to　Congress　signedand　moving　in　the
affairs　of　the　Territory　in　connection　with　Mr。　Ehrenberg　and　our
friendsbut　the　government　came　near　〃crushing　us　out〃　by
sending　a　Custom　House　Collector　to　consume　and　destroy　what
little　we　had　saved　from　the　Apaches。　Can　nothing　be　done　to　rid
us　of　a　Custom　House？　It　is　no　protection。　The　Territory　（as　yet）
produces　nothing　but　mineralsand　we　have　to　pay　duty　upon　every
article　of　consumption。　This　is　a　very　onerous　tax　upon　our　first
feeble　efforts　to　develop　the　resources　of　this　remote　and
unprotected　country。

　Very　truly　yours；　　C。　D。　Poston。

　To　Lieut。　Mowry；　U。　S。　A。；　Washington；　D。　C。

〃We　are　living　without　the　protection　of　law　or　the　ameliorations
of　society。　New　Mexico　affords　us　no　protection。　We　have　not　even
received　an　order　for　election。　Every　one　goes　armed　to　the
teeth；　and　a　difficulty　is　sure　to　prove　fatal。　In　this　state　of
affairs　it　is　impossible　to　hold　a　convention。〃


Tueson；　Oct。　1；　1857。

We　are　pleased　to　hear　that　the　prospect　for　Arizona　is　so
bright。　If　you　should　succeed　in　getting　a　separate　organization
for　Arizona；　you　will　lay　the　people　under　many　obligations　to
you。　You　have　no　doubt　received　many　petitions　for　Congress；　and
also　your　certificate　of　election　as　delegate　for　this　purchase。
You　received　the　entire　vote；　there　was　no　difference　of　opinion
among　the　voters。

　Your　ob't　serv't；　J。　A。　Douglas。

　Lt。　Mowry；　U。　S。　A。　Tueson；　Oct。　25；　1857。


I　send　you　the　last　petition　from　the　Territory。　The　work　is　now
in　your　hands；　and　we　say；　God　speed　it。

　G。　H。　Oury。


Tueson；　Arizona　Territory；　Oct。　17；　1857。

Every　thing　begins　to　look　up　in　the　Territory　notwithstanding
the　difficulties　we　labor　under。　The　Indians　the　other　day　came
within　eight　hundred　yards　of　Fort　Buchanan　and　remained　some
time；　and　when　they　left　carried　off　with　them　all　the　horses　and
mules　in　the　valley　for　six　or　eight　miles　below。　Try　your　hand
in　this　matter　of　our　Territory；　and　see　if　some　change　cannot　be
wrought　to　some　benefitwe　need　it　greatly。

　Very　truly　yours；　G。　H。　Oury。

孴ueson；　Oct。　2；　1857。

We　have　heard　from　Mesilla　and　they　fully　concur　with　us　in　all
we　have　done；　showing　that　you　are　the　person　chosen　to　act　for
them　and　to　represent　their　interest　in　this　matter。　The　people
here　are　very　much　elated　at　the　turn　things　are　taking；　and
every　one　seems　to　be　highly　pleased　with　the　course　you　have
pursued。　An　election　was　held　on　the　first　Monday　in　September；
at　which　you　received　all　the　votes　given；　and　a　certificate　of
your　election；　signed　by　the　judges　and　clerks；　has　been
forwarded　to　you。　The　country　is　being　settled　very　fast；　and
there　is　somewhat　of　a　stir　to　obtain　cultivated　lands。　The　lands
already　under　cultivation　are　now　fifty　per　cent。　higher　than　a
short　time　back。　The　great　misfortune　we　labor　under　is　want　of
protection。　Thousands　and　thousands　of　acres　of　land；　as　rich　and
fertile　as　any　on　the　face　of　the　globe；　lie　idle　and　useless
because　they　are　not　protected　from　the　Apaches。　We　want　only　one
thing　besides　the　Territorial　organization；　and　that　is
PROTECTION。

　Very　truly　yours；　S。　Warner。


Oct。　8；　1857。

The　guerilla　warfare　on　the　Sonora　frontier　continues　with
increased　aggravation。　We　look　for　the　happiest　result　from　the
exploration　of　this　interesting　region　of　the　Colorado；　about　to
be　explored　by　Lieut。　Ives；　U。　S。　A。　The　ores　from　the
Heintzelman　mine　took　the　premium　at　the　mechanics'　fair　in　San
Francisco；　just　closed；　where　the　ores　from　California　and　the
western　coast　were　on　exhibition。　So；　Arizona　leads　California；
the　great　mineral　State。

All　we　need　is　good　government　and　honest；　liberal　legislation　to
make　Arizona　equal　in　production　of　precious　metals；　if　not
exceed；　California。

　Yours　truly；　C。　D。　Poston。　　Lt。　Mowry；　U。　S。　A。


Fort　Yuma；　June　2；　1857。

News　has　just　come　in　from　the　Arizona　which　represent　an　awful
state　of　affairs。　During　the　time　Mr。　Belknap　was　below　at　Sonora
it　was　unsafe　for　him　to　go　out　unless　accompanied　by　his　friend；
Don　Gaudaloupe　Orosco；　and　even　then　it　was　very　dangerous。　No
news　from　Sonora　nor　even　an　arrival　for　the　last　twenty　days。
God　knows　what　is　going　on；　though　of　one　thing　we　are
certainno　American；　never　mind　whatsoever　he　may　be；　can　go
into　Sonora；　with　or　without　a　passport。

　Very　sincerely　yours；　P。　R。　Brady。
孉ug。　5；　1850。

The　condition　of　the　purchase　has　been　extremely　bad　since　the
unfortunate　and　injudicious　expedition　of　Crabbe　into　Sonora；　and
at　the　present　time　is　but　little　better　than　a　field　of　guerilla
warfare；　robbery　and　plunder。

The　exasperated　state　of　feeling　between　the　Mexicans　and
Americans　prevents　intercourse　and　commerce；　upon　which　the
Territory　is　dependent。　Americans　are　afraid　to　venture　into
Sonora　for　supplies；　and　Mexicans　afraid　to　venture　over　the
line。　Americans　who　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　fillibustering
invasion　have　been　treated　badly　in　Sonora　and　driven　out　of　the
country；　and　Mexicans　coming　into　the　purchase　with　supplies　and
animals　have　been　robbed　and　plundered　by　the　returned
fillibusters。

The　Americans　in　the　Territory　are　by　no　means　harmonious　on
these　subjectssome　in　favor　of　filibustering　and　others　opposed
to　it；　some　in　favor　of　murdering　and　robbing　Mexicans　wherever
found；　and　others　opposed　to　it。

It　results　that　we　are　in　a　state　of　anarchy；　and　there　is　no
government；　no　protection　to　life；　property；　or　business；　no　law
and　no　self…respect　or　morality　among　the　people。　We　are　living
in　a　perfect　state　of　nature；　without　the　restraining　influence
of　civil　or　military　law；　or　the　amelioration　of　society。

There　have　not　been　many　conflicts　and　murders；　because　every　man
goes　armed　to　the　teeth；　and　a　difficulty　is　always　fatal　on　one
side　or　the　other。　In　the　midst　of　all　this；　the　Government　has
blessed　us　with　a　custom　house　at　Calabazos　to　collect　duties
upon　the　necessaries　of　life　which；　by　chance　and　〃running　the
gauntlet；〃　we　may　get　from　Sonora。

God　send　that　we　had　been　left　alone　with　the　Apaches。　We　should
have　been　a　thousand　times　better　off　in　every　respect。

In　this　state　of　affairs　it　is　scarcely　to　be　expected　that　the
people　will　meet　together　in　a　convention；　there　was　no
arrangement　for　that　purpose　up　to　the　time　of　my　leaving；　and
none　could　be　made。

We　have　never　had　any　orders　of　election　from　Santa　Fe；　nor　heard
of　any　convention。

Yours　truly；　C。　D。　Poston。


Major　Fitzgerald；　U。　S。　A。；　whose　long　experience　on　the　Paci