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第9章

the proposed territory of arizona(亚桑 那的预定疆界)-第9章


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the rest。 The first terminus of the Southern Pacific Railroad will doubt less 

be on the Gulf of California; at the Island of Tiburon; or more probably 

Guyamas。       A   steam    ferry   across   the   Gulf;   a  short   railroad   across    the 

peninsula of Lower California to a secure harbor on the Pacific; (where a 

steamer will take passengers and freight in four days to San Francisco;) is 

the   most   natural   course   of this   route。   In   view of   this   probability;   all   the 

available   points   for   such   a   terminus   on   the   Gulf   have   been;   or   are   in 

progress of being; secured by capitalists; either by obtaining grants from 

the    Mexican      Government;       or   by   purchase     from    private    individuals。 

Already      Guyamas      is  owned      in  great   part   by   English    and   American 

capitalists。 A  port   on   the   Gulf   of   California   is   necessary   to   our   Pacific 

possessions; and must be ours sooner or later。 The longer it is delayed; the 

worse for American progress on the Pacific。 Arizona needs it at once; as a 

depot for the export of her ores; and for the import of goods for the supply 

of her population。 

     The   Mormon   war   has   closed   for   years   the   great   emigrant   road   to 

California and Oregon; over the South Pass and Salt Lake valley; leaving 

open   only   the   route   along   the   32d   parallel   of   latitude;   through Arizona。 

This route is by far the most practicable at all seasons of the year; and the 

closing of the South Pass route by the Mormon difficulty is an additional 

and   urgent   argument   in   favor   of   the   early   organization   of   this   Territory。 

Fifty thousand souls will move towards the Pacific early in the spring; if 

the route is opened to a secure passage。 

     The present condition of Arizona Territory is deplorable in the extreme。 

Throughout       the   whole    country   there    is  no  redress    for  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 



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                 MEMOIR OF THE PROPOSED TERRITORY OF ARIZONA。 



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 



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                 MEMOIR OF THE PROPOSED TERRITORY OF ARIZONA。 



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。 



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                 MEMOIR OF THE PROPOSED TERRITORY OF ARIZONA。 



     孴 ueson; Oct。 2; 1857。 

     We have heard from M

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