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Show NEW MEXICO DURING THE CIVIL WAR 417 g rant to him ten sections of land as a reward for his efforts, , but the bill was defeated. In 1871 a state constitution was formed by a convention held at Santa Fé for that purpose. The governor approved the constitution on the Ist of February, and by an act of the legislative assembly, an election was ordered for the first Monday in June, state officers to be elected on the first Monday in September should the constitution be adopted. Unfortunately the vote was received too late to be legally counted and the movement failed. The legislative assembly of 1872 passed an act providing for a school board in each county and in the year following the Jesuit college, one of the most prominent educational institutions in the territory for many years, was established at Alburquerque. In 1874 by congressional enactment a land office was established at La Mesilla; during this period, the demand for lands having constantly increased, the work of surveying the public domain was carried on as rapidly as possible, the congress making large increase each year in the appropriations for that purpose. In 1873 the public road from Santa Fé to Taos was completed, congress having appropriated twenty-five thousand dol- lars for that work. On the 3d day of June, 1875, Governor Giddings died in office and was succeeded by William G. Ritch,*4* who had been secretary since 848 William at Engle, New G. Ritch was born in Ulster county, New Mexico, September 14, 1904. York, in 1830, and died In 1855 he removed to Hudson, Michigan, and later to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he held several civil offices. At the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted in the 46th Wisconsin infantry, Serving as a first lieutenant and adjutant of the regiment. After the war was over, he was elected member of the state senate of Wisconsin and later a presidential elector, voting for President Grant. He became editor and proPrietor of a newspaper in Wisconsin but his health failing he came to New Mexico, seeking a change of climate. He was appointed secretary by President Grant in 1873, which position he filled with honor and credit for three conSecutive terms. He was the first president of the New Mexico Historical Society which was reorganized in 1880, having been originally incorporated in 1859-60. He was president of the bureau of immigration and was the first individual of importance in the official life of New Mexico to take steps looking toward the bringing of settlers to New Mexico from the states. He was public Spirited and gave much thought to the betterment of conditions in New Mexico. € was the author of Aztlan or Illustrated New Mexico, which reached many annual editions. His Legislative Blue Book is an authority often cited and quoted. To Kingdom Suspension, contribute in the race Mr. and to its for Ritch may be given much of the credit for ‘‘lifting the Province of New Mexico’ out of its centuries of abeyance and its present position in the great southwest, loyal and ready to full measure of the elements of empire and general prosperity place among the states of the Union.’’ |
