memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第8章

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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　purchase。


TO　THE　SENATE　AND　HOUSE　OF　REPRESENTATIVES　IN　CONGRESS　ASSEMBLED：

The　undersigned；　your　humble　petitioners；　citizens　of　the　United
States；　and　residents　of　the　Territory　known　as　the　Gadsden
Purchase；　respectfully　represent：
That　since　the　annexation　of　their　Territory　to　the　United
States；　they　have　been　totally　unprotected　from　Indian
depredations　and　civil　crimes。

That　the　protection　of　the　Mexican　Government　has　been　with
drawn；　and　that　it　has　not　been　replaced　by　any　visible
protection　from　the　United　States。

That　the　annexation　of　the　Purchase　to　New　Mexico；　carried　with
it　no　protection　for　life　or　property。

That　the　present　force　of　United　States　troops；　four　companies　of
dragoons；　reduced　by　desertion　and　death　to　about　one　half；　is
entirely　inadequate　to　protect　us　against　the　depredations　of　the
Apaches。

That　many　of　your　petitioners　have　expended　their　time　and　means
in　opening　and　prospecting　rich　mines　of　Copper　and　Silver；　and
have　been　driven　from　them　by　the　Indianslosing　their　all；　and
also　many　valuable　lives。

That　the　Territory　is　immensely　rich　in　minerals；　especially
Silver　and　Copper；　and；　as　your　petitioners　most　firmly　believe；
the　development　of　these　mines　will　make　a　change　in　the　currency
of　the　world；　only　equalled　by　that　caused　by　the　gold　mines　of
California。

That　a　great　part　of　the　Territory；　between　the　Rio　Grande　and
Tueson；　is　susceptible　of　cultivation　and　will　support　a　large
agricultural　population。

That　this　portion　of　the　Territory　is　in　the　hands　of　the
Apaches；　and　useless；　unless　redeemed　from　their　grasp　and
protected　to　the　farmer。

That　the　highways　of　the　Territory　are　stained　with　the　blood　of
citizens　of　the　United　States；　shed　by　Indians　and　by　public
marauders；　who　commit　their　crimes　in　open　day；　knowing　there　is
no　law　to　restrain　and　no　magistrate　to　arrest　them。

That　this　Territory；　under　a　separate　organization；　would　attract
a　large　population　and　become　immediately　developed：　and；　that
its　isolationits　large　Indian　populationits　proximity　to　a
semi…civilized　Mexican　province；　and　its　peculiar　and　wonderful
resources；　demand　protection　from　the　Government　more
emphatically　than　any　other　territory　yet　recognised。

That　our　soil　has　been　stained　with　the　blood　of　American
citizens；　shed　by　Mexican　hands；　in　an　armed　invasion　of　our
Territory　near　Sonoita；　and　that　there　is　no　civil　magistrate　or
officer　here　to　even　protest　against　such　an　outrage。

That　throughout　their　whole　Territory；　from　the　Rio　Grande　to　the
Rio　Colorado；　six　hundred　miles；　there　is　no　Court　of　Record；　and
no　redress　except　that　inefficiently　administered　in　a　Justice's
Court；　for　civil　injuries　or　crimes。

That　the　population　of　the　Territory　is　much　greater　than　was
that　of　Kansas　or　Nebraska　or　Washington　Territory；　at　the　time
of　their　organization；　and　that　it　is　steadily　increasing；　and
will；　under　the　influence　of　the　Road　and　Mail　Bills　of　the　last
Congress；　be　greatly　augmented。

That　there　are　no　post　routes　or　mail　facilities　throughout　the
Territory；　and　that　finally；　we　are　cut　off　from　all　the　comforts
of　civilizationand　that　we　claim；　as　a　right；　that　protection
which　the　United　States　should　everywhere　extend　to　her　humblest
citizen。　Wherefore　your　petitioners　humbly　pray　that　the　Gadsden
Purchase　may　be　separated　from　New　Mexico　and　erected　into　a
separate　Territory　under　the　name　of　Arizona；　with　such
boundaries　as　may　seem　proper　to　your　honorable　bodies；　and　that
such　other　legislation　may　be　made　as　shall　be　best　calculated　to
place　us　on　the　same　footing　as　our　more　fortunate　brethren　of
Kansas；　Nebraska；　Minnesota；　Oregon　and　Washington；　that　we　may
be　enabled　to　build　up　a　prosperous　and　thriving　State；　and　to
nourish　on　this　extreme　frontier　a　healthy　national　sentiment。
And　we；　as　in　duty　bound；　will　ever　pray。

＇Signed　by　more　than　five　hundred　resident　voters。＇







End