the proposed territory of arizona(亚桑 那的预定疆界)-第7章
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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 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
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MEMOIR OF THE PROPOSED TERRITORY OF ARIZONA。
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
