memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第10章

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！


with　the　Pacific；　has　directed　public　attention　to　the
organization　of　Arizona　as　a　separate　Territory；　and　the　desired
legislation　has　received　the　unanimous　endorsement　of　the　press
of　the　whole　country。　Petitions　with　thousands　of　signatures　from
leading　citizens　of　the　majority　of　the　states　of　the　Union；　will
be　presented　to　Congress　asking　for　the　immediate　organization　of
the　new　Territory　as　the　best　means　to　at　once　open　a　highway　to
the　Pacific；　and　so　important　has　this　view　of　the　question　been
deemed　as　to　call　from　the　President　of　the　United　States　a
recommendation　in　his　message　to　Congress。　No　opposition　has　been
made　to　the　most　just　prayer　of　the　people　of　Arizona；　and　it　is
believed　that　none　will　be　made；　unless　it　comes　from　New　Mexico。
It　must　be　born　in　mind　that　the　Gadsden　Purchase　was　not
originally　an　integral　part　of　New　Mexico；　that　it　was　acquired
years　after　the　treaty　of　Gaudaloupe　Hidalgo；　and　was　only
attached　to　the　territory　of　New　Mexico　as　a　temporary　expedient。
It　must　also　be　remembered　that　the　Gadsden　Purchase；　with　the
portion　of　New　Mexico　which　it　is　proposed　to　include　within　the
limits　of　the　territory　of　Arizona；　is　separated　from　New　Mexico
proper　by　natural　boundries；　that　it　derives　no　benefit　from　the
present　connection；　and　that　any　opposition　to　the　desired
legislation　arises　from　the　Mexican　population；　which　fears　the
influence　of　a　large　American　emigration。　Moreover；　that　New
Mexico　contains　upwards　of　200；000　square　miles；　and　that　its
organic　act　provides　for　its　partition；　showing　clearly　that
Congress　anticipated；　at　no　remote　day；　the　settlement　of　the
country　by　an　American　population；　and　its　erection　into　several
territories　and　states。　The　only　effect　of　the　present　connection
of　Arizona　with　New　Mexico　is　to　crush　out　the　voice　and
sentiment　of　the　American　people　in　the　territory；　and　years　of
emigration；　under　present　auspices；　would　not　serve　to
counterbalance　or　equal　the　influence　of　the　60；000　Mexican
residents　of　New　Mexico。　New　Mexico　has　never　encouraged　American
population。　She　is　thoroughly　Mexican　in　sentiment；　and　desires
to　remain　so。

As　a　matter　of　State　policy；　the　organization　of　Arizona　is　of
the　first　importance。　Situated　between　New　Mexico　and　Sonora；　it
is　possible　now　to　make　it　a　thoroughly　American　State；　which
will　constantly　exert　its　influence　in　both　directions；　to
nationalize　the　other　two。　New　Mexico　is　at　present　thoroughly
Mexican　in　its　character　and　vote。　Sonora；　if　we　acquire　it　at
once；　will　be　the　same。　By　separating　Arizona　from　it；　and
encouraging　an　American　emigration；　it　will　become　〃the　leaven
which　shall　leaven　the　whole　lump。〃　By　allowing　it　to　remain
attached　to　New　Mexico；　or　by　attaching　it　to　Sonora　when
acquired；　the　American　influence　will　be　swallowed　up　in　the
great　preponderance　of　the　Mexican　vote。　The　Apache　Indian　is
preparing　Sonora　for　the　rule　of　a　higher　civilization　than　the
Mexican。　In　the　past　half　century；　the　Mexican　element　has
disappeared　from　what　is　now　called　Arizona；　before　the
devastating　career　of　the　Apache。　It　is　every　day　retreating
further　South；　leaving　to　us；　when　it　is　ripe　for　our　possession；
the　territory　without　the　population。

The　incentives　to　emigration　to　Arizona；　in　addition　to　the　charm
which　the　discovery　of　mineral　wealth　carries　to　every　mind；　are
very　great。　The　writer；　in　an　extended　tour　through　the　Southern
States；　found　many　people；　mostly　young　men　of　moderate　means；
ready　and　anxious　to　emigrate。　The　movement　is　still　stronger　in
Southwestern　States；　and　already　many　a　train　of　wagons　is　on　its
way。　It　will　have　no　end　for　years；　for　so　mild　and　healthy　is
the　climate　that　emigration　is　practicable　at　all　seasons。　Snow
never　lies　on　the　soil；　and　frost　is　almost　unknown。　The
contracts　already　authorized　by　Congress　involve　the　expenditure
of　six　millions　of　dollars　in　the　next　six　years；　the　troops　in
the　Territory　will　cost　as　much　more。　Here　is　enough　money　in
hard　sub…treasury　coin；　to　draw　a　large　population；　independent
of　other　considerations。　All　ready　in　many　places　the
enterprising　merchant　exposes　his　stock　of　goods　only　two　months
from　San　Francisco；　but　he　does　it　with　the　prayer　that　the
Apache　may　pass　him　by；　and　too　often　he　sees　his　hard…earned
profits　disappear　before　the　Indian's　successful　foray。

The　establishment　of　a　firm　government　in　Arizona　will　extend　the
protection　of　the　United　States　over　American　citizens　resident
in　the　adjoining　Mexican　provinces。　This　protection　is　most
urgently　demanded。　Englishmen　in　Sonora　enjoy　not　only　perfect
immunity　in　the　pursuit　of　business；　but　also　encouragement。
Americans　are　robbed　openly　by　Mexican　officials；　insulted；
thrown　into　prison；　and　sometimes　put　to　death。　No　redress　is
ever　demanded　or　received。　This　state　of　things　has　so　long
existed　that　the　name　of　American　has　become　a　byword　and　a
reproach　in　northern　Mexico；　and　the　people　of　that　frontier
believe　that　we　have　neither　the　power　nor　the　inclination　to
protect　our　own　citizens。　The　influence　of　a　Territorial
government；　with　the　tide　of　American　emigration　which　will
surely　follow　it；　must　entirely　change　the　tone　and　temper　of
these　Mexican　States。

The　population　of　Arizona　to…day；　exceeds　that　of　Washington
Territory；　and　is　far　greater　than　was　that　of　Minnesota；　Kansas
or　Nebraska；　at　the　time　of　their　organization。　An　election　for　a
Delegate　has　been　held；　at　which　several　hundred　votes　were
polled；　and　the　writer　returned　without　opposition。　The　unsettled
and　dangerous　condition　of　the　country　prevented　a　convention
being　held；　but　letters　have　been　received　from　all　parts　of　the
Territory；　expressing　a　hearty　concurrence　in　the　election　on　the
part　of　those　unable　to　vote；　and　an　earnest　desire　for　the
Territorial　organization。

A　number　of　gentlemen　at　present　in　Washington；　can　testify　from
actual　observation；　to　the　truth　of　the　statements　here　made　in
reference　to　Arizonaamong　them　I　am　permitted　to　name　General
Anderson；　late　U。　S。　Senator　from　Tennessee；　who　almost　alone；
with　rare　perseverance　and　courage；　explored；　in　1850；　the　whole
length　of　the　Territory；　Major　Heintzelman；　U。　S。　A。；　whose　long
station　at　Fort　Yuma　made　him　acquainted　with　the　resources　of
the　country；　and　who　has　shown　at　once　his　intelligence　and
foresight　and　his　faith　in　the　prospective　wealth　of　the　silver
region；　by　large　investments　of　capital；　Col。　A。　B。　Gray；　late　U。
S。　Surveyor　of　the　Mexican　Boundary　line；　I。　Smith　McMicken；
Esq。；　whose　residence　for　many　years　on　the　Mexican　frontier　has
entitled　his　opinion　to　some　weight；　and　A。　H。　Campbell；　Esq。；
Superintendent　of　Wagon　Roads；　whose　information　is　full　and
reliable。　To　these　names　it　may　not　be　improper　to　add　that　of
the　writer；　who　has　for　two　years　past；　while　residing　at　the
junction　of　the　Gila　and　Colorado　Rivers；　made　the　new　Territory
and　its　resources；　an　object　of　constant　observation　and　study；
and　whose　experience　on　the　Pacific　coast；　and　in　the　frontier
Territories；　and　on　the　route　across　the　continent；　during　the
past　five　years；　has　enabled　him　to　speak　understandingly　of　the
capabilities　and　necessities　of　a　new　country；　and　of　a　frontier
people。

In　five　years　a　great　State　may　be　built　upon　this　remote
frontier；　and　a　population　gathered；　such　as　will；　when　we　make
further　acquisition　of　territory；　spread　at　once　over　it；
diffusing　national　sentiment　and　extending　the　area　of　American
principles。

Aside　from　these　considerations；　justice　and　humanity；
imperatively　demand　that　Congress　shall　bear　and　at　once　answer
the　prayer　of　the　people　of　Arizona　for　protection。　If　these
considerations　fail；　then　they　offer　INTEREST；　for　the
organization　of　the　Territory　is　the　guarantee　of　a　supply　of
silver；　which　will　create　as　great　a　revolution　in　the　commercial
world　as　has　the　gold　of　California。　Arizona　will　be　known　as　the
silver　State；　and　the　prediction　of　Humboldt；　that　the　balance
between　gold　and　silver；　destroyed　by　the　California　discoveries；
would　one　day　be　restored；　will　be　made　good；　from　the　resources
of　the　Gadsden　purch