OCR Text |
Show 310 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY TERRITORY terms, defeating S. M. Baird in 1857 and José M. Gallegos in 1859. In the election of 1859, John S. Watts, who was later elected delegate over Don Diego Archuleta, in a speech at Mesilla, made some remarks relative to the Otero family which resulted in a bloodless duel between the two. It does not appear that congress took much interest in the affairs of New Mexico during this period other than the conduct of military affairs and the Indian question, which was always under discussion, involving as it did the property rights of citizens of states, whose representatives in congress were entitled to vote. Congress, however, did as much for New Mexico as it did for any other territory.?*® people. In 1861 he was appointed secretary of New Mexico by Abraham Lincoln. It is said that prior to the breaking out of hostilities between the north and south Mr. Otero, while in Washington, gave expression to very pronounced pro-slavery sentiments. He was one of the organizers of the great mercantile firm of Otero, Sellar and Company, later Gross, Blackwell and Company, and now Gross, Kelly and Company. He was one of the organizers of the San Miguel National Bank of Las Vegas, and was its first president, holding the position until the date of his death, May 30, 1882. In politics, Mr. Otero was a democrat. He was a man of fine address, animated by the most generous impulses and of more than ordinary literary and professional attain ments. He was very prominent in his efforts to secure the building of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé railroad into New Mexico and gave promoters and builders of that great company much valuable assistance. the In 1857 Mr. Otero was married to Mary Josephine Blackwood, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, of which marriage there were four children, three of whom are stil living, Page B., a resident of Santa Fé, Miguel A., governor of New Mexico under McKinley and Roosevelt, now a resident of Santa Fé, and Marie J., now a resident of Paris, France. Mr. Otero had many warm sterling qualities and the numerous public services he his native territory. the 285 Acts of Congress in relation to New Mexico decade 1850-1860 are the organic act public buildings and $5,000 for a library; and friends attracted by his rendered the people of appropriations, ete., during appropriation of $20,000 for 1851, appropriation of $34,700 for territorial government, $18,000 for the Navaj6 Indians and $135,530 for pay ment of the volunteers of 1849; 1852, $31,122 for the government of the tert: tory; 1853, appropriation of $32,555 for government expenses and $10,000 for Indian service; authorizing legislature to hold extra session of days; authorizing employment of translator and clerks, sessions of 60 days90 instead of 40 days, payment of code commissioners; 1854, appropriation for governmeD $31,620, $50,000 for public buildings, roads $32,000, and Indian service $45,000; appointing surveyor general and donating lands to settlers; increasing salary of governor to $3,000, and judges to $2,500; attaching Gadsden Purchase to New Mexico; authorizing payment of civil salaries for 1846-1851 under the Kearny code; and establishing a collection district: 1855, appropriation for government $35,500 including $2,000 for archive vaults. surveys $30,000, Texas boundary $10,000, raising Indian service $52,500, governor’s salary to $3,000; ,°28) appropriation for government, $33,000; Indian service, $85,000; 70a4 $150,000 ; creating a land district ; confirming Propriation for government, Pueblo land $17,000, Indian service, $75,000; grants; 16h 1860 appropr® von Tor government, $23,500, Indians, $50,000, eapitol, $50,000, confirming OF NEW MEXICO 31] A treaty was concluded between the United States and Mexico by James Gadsden, in 1853.72 Under this treaty the boundary line, fixed by the treaty of 1848, was moved THE GADSDEN PURCHASE southward so as to give to the United States, for a consideration of ten million dollars, all of the territory in the Arizona of today, at that time a part of New Mexico, south of the Gila river. The boundary, as finally fixed by this treaty, December 30, 1853, was the Rio Grande up to latitude 31° 47’, due west one hundred miles; south to latitude 31° 20’; west on that parallel to longitude 111°; thence in a straight line to a point in the Colorado river twenty miles below the junction of the Gila; up the middle of the Colorado to the intersection of the former line, ¢. ¢., to the mouth of the Gila; and thence on the former line to the Pacific ocean. Besides the addition in territory the United States secured a release from the responsibility, provided for under the treaty of 1848, for outrages by Indians living in the United States committed in Mexican territory. At this time claims on account of ravages by Apaches, Comanches, and Lipan Indians had been presented by Mexico amounting to millions of dollars.?% private and town land grants; 1861, appropriation dians, $50,000, roads, $50,000; for government, $20,500, In- act attaching all north of latitude 37° to Colorado. 286 U. 8. Govt. Doc., 33d cong., 1st sess., House Ex. Doc. 109, 47th cong., 2d Sess., House Miscl. Doc. 45. New Mexico Compiled Laws, 1897, contains text of this treaty. James Gadsden was a South Carolinian, a soldier and a diplomat. He sraduated at Yale in 1806 and soon afterward entered the United States army. © Served with marked distinction in the War of 1812, was appointed aide-de‘amp to General Jackson in 1818, took part in the Seminole War; was military a Pector of the southern division in 1820 and conducted the removal of the Seminole Indians to the southern part of Florida. After his retirement from the army, he became a planter in Florida and was a member of the legislature - that territory. Later he became president of a South Carolina railroad “ompany. After the treaty with Mexico, he retired to private life. “*" Bartlett, J. R., Personal Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 384-385, says: ‘‘The Apaches had been more bold than usual during the spring and summer of 1852; ta the whole frontier had suffered from their inroads. Many men had been led within a few miles of El Paso; and at the astronomical observatory, at Frontera eight miles distant, a man was pierced with arrows while herding the animals within a few rods of the house. Mr. Magoffin’s corral had been several wines entered, and his mules stolen; and many other citizens there had been Sufferers. On two occasions, while I remained at Magoffinsville, the Indians seg attempts to run off the animals of the Commission, but were frustrated, “fl being discovered in time to prevent the stampede. No one could venture a with safety, three miles from the settlement, and when I went to take a °, 1f it was extended as far as three miles, I felt -t necessary to be ac- |